The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

I am in the process of stripping a major bonnet down, i had to take the latches off as they are rusted out. I ground the head of the rivets off to get them out, but how have you guys re-attached them?
Also i have a leaking front crank seal, what are they like to replace?

I pop riveted mine back on some years ago. Still OK.
Pavel

This is what I used. I made the dimple in the anvil with a bull nose end mill, and the shallow hole in the punch with a regular end mill to give the inside rivet head the “squared off” appearance of the originals, you may note that the end of my punch is rather distorted from using it to push rusted bolts out with the air gun. You may want to do a few trial pieces with some scrap metal to get the hang of it.

Pat

BearCreek Majors wrote:This is what I used. I made the dimple in the anvil with a bull nose end mill, and the shallow hole in the punch with a regular end mill to give the inside rivet head the “squared off” appearance of the originals, you may note that the end of my punch is rather distorted from using it to push rusted bolts out with the air gun. You may want to do a few trial pieces with some scrap metal to get the hang of it.

Pat

That is a good way to do it. The solid rivet is better than pop one. I had similar tools when I changed the bonnet latches. I also heated up the rivet red before riveting.

Thanks for the reply robert, i agree, thats a very good way to do it so it looks original. So when youve got that shape, how do you rivet it? Ive only ever pop rivetted before

Nick wrote:Thanks for the reply robert, i agree, thats a very good way to do it so it looks original. So when youve got that shape, how do you rivet it? Ive only ever pop rivetted before

Nick, did you rivet on your new latches?

Did the rivet holes line up OK on the new latches?

Think I may need to fit new latches as the springs are kaput, so they tend to keep popping undone.

TIA

Hi ben, in the end I cheated and used M5 nuts and bolts, i did have to drill them out a bit with a 5mm drill, but they did line up with the holes on the new latches. What i did once the bolts were done up FT, was to use a die grinder, and grind the heads of the bolts round so they look like rivets! I then put a tiny spot weld on the nut and shank of the bolt inside the bonnet so it wouldnt come undone - it worked a treat!

Ive done this on two major bonnets and my dexta one aswell, and they are all working very well and havent come loose. Although I have a long way to go to completing all of them! Hope ive been of some help..........

Nick wrote:What i did once the bolts were done up FT, was to use a die grinder, and grind the heads of the bolts round so they look like rivets! I then put a tiny spot weld on the nut and shank of the bolt inside the bonnet so it wouldnt come undone - it worked a treat!

Crafty!

Grinding the heads on the outside without marking the bonnet must have been tricky - cider not recommended!!

No it wasnt! Actually now i think about it, i think it did some of the grinding on a bench grinder before I installed them in the bonnet - just enough to get a spanner on them to tighten them, and then finished them with a die grinder when on the bonnet which as you say isnt easy but you can be quite accurate with a die grinder