Belly band servicing?

[7Gentex]

Originally Posted by Eggscape

Personally I would not drill any more holes in the trailer than necessary. I would also not put any rivets in the corners or risk bending the band out of shape.

From my rivet collection I have selected 2 different types of closed end rivets and one standard pop rivet with ball end.

In the Escape picture what you are looking at is a standard pop rivet with the ball that has been pulled into the rivet as should happen with a standard pop rivet. If it was a closed end rivet…the end would be closed and not open. I am not sure how old this picture is and if they have upgraded the rivets.

The way the belly band is constructed with the vinyl covering the rivets so it they are not exposed to the elements, I am not worried about water penetration of any significance.

"...not worried..."


Me either, I was just wondering about the construction details and it kind of blew up from there.............Imagine!


Also, that video is old...........3 years at least.

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Picture of the rivets escape uses on the belly band and on a lot of other places like my solar panels. These rivets have four grooves in them in the first section . When compressed expand in diameter to seal the hole ,but also create a double bulge on the end. they work very well. I haven't been able to find any of these besides ETI or have I been able to identify there proper name for them. I compressed the last one so you can see the double bulge . It bent because it was in no hole. But you get the idea .

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Is that new? There was never a flange in the original design, and the only type of flange would would be possible with the way the shells are assembled would be turned outward, like a Boler (or Scamp).

You're absolutely right. I've worked on so many types of large moulds that I was thinking of the wrong mould. I realized it later but it was too late to edit. I didn't worry about it too much because I thought you'd likely notice it.

Still, there is a groove of sorts there and the material placed there isn't to make a cavity for pop rivets which is a point that we all know now.

Ron

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by NEWYORKHILLBILLY

Picture of the rivets escape uses on the belly band and on a lot of other places like my solar panels. These rivets have four grooves in them in the first section . When compressed expand in diameter to seal the hole ,but also create a double bulge on the end. they work very well. I haven't been able to find any of these besides ETI or have I been able to identify there proper name for them. I compressed the last one so you can see the double bulge . It bent because it was in no hole. But you get the idea .

The category name is "blind rivet" and that comes from them being able to be used blind without access to the rear side.

Those may be POP multi-grip rivets by Stanley. I've never seen them before and I've used several different types of pop rivets. It seems their major advantage is being able to expand to fit the hole better if there's a slight difference in hole sizes.

Ron

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

The category name is "blind rivet" and that comes from them being able to be used blind without access to the rear side.

Those may be POP multi-grip rivets by Stanley. I've never seen them before and I've used several different types of pop rivets. It seems their major advantage is being able to expand to fit the hole better if there's a slight difference in hole sizes.

Ron

Thanks for finding them. I had done some searching for blind rivets ,But never run across the multi grip. I am going to order some of them to have on hand. Maybe ETI uses these because of the wide grip range.

[Ron in BC]

You're probably right, although it'd seem that they, of all users, wouldn't need them for that reason because they use so many for belly bands they could just buy that size in bulk. I'm thinking they may have a little more holding power especially when multiple "bumps" are on the rear.

I'm going to try them out on my next project. I'm curious to see how the "feel" is as they compress.

Thanks for pointing them out. Always nice to find something that you haven't seen before.

Ron

[John in Santa Cruz]

some pop rivets require quite a bit more force than you can get out of the typical manual consumer riveter, they have air tools for that suitable for shop use in production.

I tried using some stainless pop rivets with a relatively large 'deluxe' stanley hand riveter, and man, they were brutal to set, and they were just 1/8 and 3/16"

[cpaharley2008]

I find as I age I have to worry about my own belly band leaks vs the trailer's.....

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I find as I age I have to worry about my own belly band leaks vs the trailer's.....

Hi: cpaharley2008... I have no worries. Both my belly bands are tight!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

some pop rivets require quite a bit more force than you can get out of the typical manual consumer riveter, they have air tools for that suitable for shop use in production.

I tried using some stainless pop rivets with a relatively large 'deluxe' stanley hand riveter, and man, they were brutal to set, and they were just 1/8 and 3/16"

I mean more bio-feedback sort of feel. Sometimes when I'm using lot's of rivets in an assembly I like to partially set some and find that sometimes some snap before it feels like they should. Not a biggie.

Know what you mean especially about 3/16" ss rivets. Try doing those with the conventional little pop rivet tool. Fortunately i have the long handled version as well as an air powered riveter but the one I use for ss is hydraulic. Definitely a no messing around tool.

Ron

[IanC]

My 17B is being built right now and the missing rivets was something I noticed in the build photos. I asked ETI about it and here's the response:

"The aluminum belly band moulding that they purchase comes with all of those holes pre-punched however, it is not necessary for production to utilize everyone of those holes, and they do not drill corresponding holes in the fibreglass. They only use the holes that they need to."

Looks like nothing to fret about.

[7Gentex]

Originally Posted by IanC

My 17B is being built right now and the missing rivets was something I noticed in the build photos. I asked ETI about it at here's the response:

"The aluminum belly band moulding that they purchase comes with all of those holes pre-punched however, it is not necessary for production to utilize everyone of those holes, and they do not drill corresponding holes in the fibreglass. They only use the holes that they need to."

Looks like nothing to fret about.

Yep

But I wasn't focused on missing rivets.

First was - Do rivets go all the way into the interior? Yes

Second was "leaky" rivets. Appears there have been some in the past.

I'll still dab a bit of sealant on the rivet heads.


Enjoy your trailer! Looks like it won't be long. (Oh, it's a 17)

[cpaharley2008]

I'm glad we can put the missing rivets thoughts to sleep now....

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I'm glad we can put the missing rivets thoughts to sleep now....

Hi: cpaharley2008... Holy cow this is riveting!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Vermilye]

While I could be way off base, I suspect that the few cases of leaking belly band rivets was caused by someone using the wrong kind when installing. As to empty holes that go through the fiberglass, definitely an employee error...

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

While I could be way off base, I suspect that the few cases of leaking belly band rivets was caused by someone using the wrong kind when installing. As to empty holes that go through the fiberglass, definitely an employee error...

That is my understanding.

[7Gentex]