Sooner or later if you mess with old bikes you may want to try your hand at restoring or at least refurbishing a project. The fenders of a bike usually take quite a beating and there is no good way to straighten them whether by hand or using a fender roller without removing the fender braces. The braces on every bike I’ve ever dealt with used tubular rivets (Fig 1.)
There are two ways to replace rivets. The cheapest and easiest is using fender rivet screws (Fig. 2) available from a variety of sources. These are nearly full proof and are used by a lot of people in the hobby. The only drawbacks I see with these are that they can loosen up over time and they are not 100% correct if you want a true factory look (underneath the fender).
Of course the other option is to replace the rivets with the same type as used by the factory. To do this though requires a tool called a “rivet squeezer” (Fig 3.). The rivet tool I use was purchased through Hanson Rivet & Supply Co. out of Pacoima, CA www.HansonRivet.com The model I use is the HS 30E which will work for about 95% of the work you encounter. This tool has a 3″ reach with a 1 1/4″ opening.
The tool itself cost about $135 or so. Additionally you will need two dies that cost about $16 each. The rivets themselves I think were less than $10 per hundred. So when its all said and done you are in for a little under a couple hundred bucks once you add shipping. If you are only ever going to do one set of fenders then rivet screws may be the way to go but this is a small investment to give professional results if you plan on doing many projects.
I purchased three dies all together because I also wanted to be able to do the small rivets found on some lights and chain guards. The die to flare the tubular end is the same for both size rivets (Fig 4.). The order number for this die is CA2005-16. The die for the fender rivet head is CA2004-16 (Fig 5.). The fender rivets themselves are part number D3-7-ST, zinc plated (Fig 6.)
If you want to use the small rivets the die is part number CA2004-8 (Fig 7) and the rivets are part number MS20450-C9-7 steel clear zinc finish (Fig 8).
Like was mentioned the rivet screws are nearly foolproof to install. Using a rivet squeezer is not difficult nor does it require any special skills. What it does require is that you are careful to make sure the dies are squarely centered before you start squeezing. Another thing to consider is the fender prep. I would not recommend using any body filler around the rivet holes as there is the possibility that it may pop out or crack when you secure the rivet. Because I rarely have help when doing this I lay the fender down on a towel on the workbench (kitchen table works fine too). Next I use a screw rivet in one hole to hold the brace to do the first rivet. This serves a dual purpose. First it holds the brace in place unless you are lucky enough to have a third hand. Secondly it ensures that the second rivet will line up. I didn’t mention removing old rivets but I simply use a 3/16″ drill bit and drill out the back side being careful not to get into the fender. Figs 9 & 10 show a fender I did on my ’36 Schwinn. I ‘aged’ the rivets by first glass beading them and then simply rubbing my grimy finger across them that was black from dirt and grease! There are several methods to age these rivets though just use your imagination.
The last trick I want to share is that you can order different dies to get more ‘squeeze’. Some fenders and braces may be thinner than others and you won’t get the brace tight to the fender. My tip–don’t order another die but spend a few cents on some #10 washers and place one or two on the shank of the dies to be able to tighten the rivet more (Fig 11). If you don’t feel comfortable trying this for the first time on your freshly painted fender get an old fender, drill the rivet out, and practice first.
Hopefully this has helped you decide if you need to take the plunge and add another tool to your arsenal. Personally this is one of the best tools I’ve bought and has come in very handy, is easy to use, and provides a factory look. Enjoy the ride!