NO welding/brazing chassis

[jwcustomwurks]

Originally Posted by fpwl1399

I'm a new comer to this sport...plan on building a crawler this summer. I want to learn as much as possible before I get started. Do you think that rivets would work as well? Any oppinion would be awesome.

Trying to figure out why you want to rivet anthing bro. What type of rivets/fastners are you talking about. Pop rivets,buck rivets, close end pops, shaverheads, monobolts, huckbolts. steel or alum? The fact is over time they will loosen. Less in this particular application than in others. Depending on how you plan to use the "rivet" to fasten 2 items together will have direct impact on the strength of the joint. Just like if you thread a screw into something vs. being able to attach a nut to the other side.
The style of chassis you are pondering also has a direct effect on which method to use.
The fact is you're probably better off using an alternative to rivets....threaded fastners.

[jwcustomwurks]

Originally Posted by Stormin2u

I learned to weld doing tunnel work in Colorado most of it was overhead embed plates, when you can weld over head without burning yourself up everything else is easy.

How about welding 3/8 steel overhead with a crappy arc welder that "thinks" it can pump out a whopping 125 amps...friggin cheap boss.

[Tobit]

Umm, guys? This thread was started in 2005 and the original poster hasn't logged on in over a year. Heh.

[jwcustomwurks]

I like bringing dead things back to life

[Krawler Freak]

because it makes us fell special

and rivets suck for a crawler i used blind rivets on a top link mount i made a long time ago point being the loser than a prostitute now.

[jwcustomwurks]

I use buck rivets at work all the time. This thread brought up an idea. I am going to make a TVP chassis with a U shaped alum skid..mount it up higher on the chassis so I can use a plastic skid underneath. But anyway I am going to buck rivet the TVP chassis together and see what it can take. Nothing down low holding it together to get snagged anymore.
Semi-trailers and airplanes use buck rivets...why can't a crawler. Just something I'm going to screw around with.

[JonnyLightening]

This past year being a senior in high school I learned to weld. After getting used to it became the best in my class and built 3/4 of our senior project trailer myself without very little help! Everyone started doing their own thing. After the trailer I started building a Bale-Buster, however didn't finish because my school career was over:( Wish I were back in school!!