[rhino85]

I've made up a snorkel from 3 inch mild steel with silicone joints.
I'm not sure what the best method is for fastening to the windscreen pillar.
I have seen people here use nutserts, but I'm after another solution as I don't own a nutsert tool.
Ive seen mention of tek screws. Would these work? Or would they tear out?
Has any one used toggle screws?
Any ideas???
I'm open to all suggestions!

[shep]

Perfect excuse to buy a nutsert tool.

[DarkHorse]

Safari ones use a plastic insert, like the sheetmetal version of a plastic wall plug for masonry or plasterboard.

[Gwagensteve]

Tek screws will suck. They won't stay tight- the pillar isn't thick enough material for them to hold.

It is possible to install nutsert without a tool.

Steve.

[christover1]

I bought a $25 cheapy ebay nutsert tool.
Is great for smaller alloy serts,
but anything bigger or steel I have to fit them manually.

I used to use tech screws, but vibrations and mud caused them to loosen, rust and start to fall out.

[rhino85]

I had a feeling teks wont do.
I normally jump at the idea of a new tool, but after pulling a couple nutserts out of my Sierra this week I'm not so sure as they are previous to my ownership so I'm not sure what their purpose was but I just pushed them in by hand with a punch tip and have just bogged up the gaping holes. Not so convinced these are the go.?.
We're the old & fatigued or not installed properly?

[rhino85]

Wall plugs for metal eh?
Sounds interesting?

Does anyone else have bad ideas about nutserts it is this just me?
Never been a huge fan of rivets either!

[rhino85]

How do you install without the tool?

[Red89]

http://www.fjr1300.info/howto/rivnut-tool.html

[rhino85]

Red89 wrote:

http://www.fjr1300.info/howto/rivnut-tool.html

Stated my case in the first sentence!
I think this may be the solution for me!
They look much better than whatever the hell was used on my Sierra.
Cheers

[rhino85]

I also find the idea of fabricating the tool to suit me as well.
Can you get the nutserts from a hardware store or just eBay?

[christover1]

rhino85 wrote:

I also find the idea of fabricating the tool to suit me as well.
Can you get the nutserts from a hardware store or just eBay?

I got mine from a nut n bolt shop.
Bunnings didn't have any.
Never tried anywhere else.

[Gwagensteve]

Any engineering supplies place or fastener supplier. They're around 20-30c each for 6mm from memory.

Steve.

[TheOtherLeft]

I used marine-grade Sikaflex, probably about 3" x 1" x 1/4" worth. I made sure I prepped the surfaces well beforehand. I've yanked on the snorkle pretty hard several times and there's no movement.

[laurie]

i used tek screws near 2 years they are still there and no rust
silicone on the threads and protec on the heads
yes i have had a five or six tek screws come loose but i have about 90 + in and on the car
as long as you glue and screw i find them effective and long lasting

[TheOtherLeft]

tek screws are evil.

[yelozuki]

Pop rivets !

[Gwagensteve]

That would depend on the way the bracket was mounted to the snorkel. If, for instance, the snorkel was bolted to the bracket, then by all means the bracket could be riveted to the pillar. If, however, the bracket was welded to the snorkel, I wouldn't rivet it in place. Drilling out rivets is a pain and if that's the only way to remove the snorkel...

Steve.

[rhino85]

I'm not too thrilled about putting holes in the pillar at all but my uneducated thought would be that the nutserts would have larger surface area support from the inside than a normal rivet yea?
I like the sound of the Sikaflex but it's hard to remove as well.
Would soudals Fix All work? I have a couple tubes lying around and it's pretty awesome stuff as well. Can be applied to wet surfaces and even under water...

[TheOtherLeft]

rhino85 wrote:

I'm not too thrilled about putting holes in the pillar at all but my uneducated thought would be that the nutserts would have larger surface area support from the inside than a normal rivet yea?
I like the sound of the Sikaflex but it's hard to remove as well.
Would soudals Fix All work? I have a couple tubes lying around and it's pretty awesome stuff as well. Can be applied to wet surfaces and even under water...

I used Sika because I didn't want holes in my A pillar. Eucalyptus Oil removes Sika easily enough.

[DarkHorse]

If you don't want holes in your pillar, have you got roof racks you could bracket to?

[rhino85]

That's a good idea, I've got some old roof racks, and was gonna use one at the front for some lights.
I'll attach it to the roof rack and use Sikaflex for the pillar mountings!
Thanks for the great ideas everyone!

[TheOtherLeft]

rhino85 wrote:

That's a good idea, I've got some old roof racks, and was gonna use one at the front for some lights.
I'll attach it to the roof rack and use Sikaflex for the pillar mountings!
Thanks for the great ideas everyone!

If you're going to Sikaflex make sure you prep/clean the surfaces really well.

[GeckoXL7]

I had stainless steel tek screws then went to stainless metal screws, they all vibrate loose on corrugated roads, ended up pop riveting with silicon over them.

Put a awning on and bolt it to the back of that