thetinman
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Detroit,MI
...finally got my hood open. Bought a new bell crank to replace the rusted one. I see that it is riveted on. Has anyone had experience with replacing these things? Would a standard rivet work? Help!
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ever replace a bell crank?
- Thread starter thetinman
- Start date
99_XJ_
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Howard, Ohio
How about some particulars on your jeep? Engine, tranny, YEAR... its the small things man.. its the small things... hahahahahahaha! Never had to deal with their kind before. I reckon as long as its a steel rivet like he said y'ought to be ok
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thetinman
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Detroit,MI
2001 Jeep Cherokee, latches on the corners of the hood, bell crank in the middle.
Since you cant see the holes where the rivets go, I'm not sure what size rivets to use. Hoping someone has replaced one of these things.
thetinman
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Detroit,MI
1/4"!!! Do they make 1/4" rivets? Do you use 1/8" rivets?
Cause once you drill it out, you need the correct size to replace it. If you don't have it you screwed.
- Location
- Rainy side of Washington
Only thing I can really add is make sure to use a drill bit depth setting collar... otherwise the damn drill bit will plunge through when it finishes cutting the rivet, and put a nice bump or hole with cracked paint on the surface of your hood :doh:
don't ask :smsoap:
I ended up replacing the rivets with self tapping metal screws once I stopped cursing and put the new bellcrank on.
don't ask :smsoap:
I ended up replacing the rivets with self tapping metal screws once I stopped cursing and put the new bellcrank on.
- Location
- Rainy side of Washington
they work fine, heck mine is holding with just standard grade 3 / 5 lag bolts (which did strip the threads a bit, but held fine and home depot was closed so I couldn't get proper self tappers.) Just make sure you measure the space between the bottom of the hood panel and the mounting spot and don't use a screw that's too long... same reason as the drill bit depth collar. In my case it no longer mattered much.
mfascuba
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- North Central Florida
Yup, I got a couple dimples from that too!
thetinman
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Detroit,MI
Thank You.........
The trick is to use a drill bit that roughly twice the diameter of the rivet. That way, once the tip cuts through the head and reached the shank portion, the head simply pops off. It's like using a countersink.
- Location
- Rainy side of Washington
My trick now is to use a dremel with a grinding/cutting wheel instead, and simply mill the head down till it pops off. I can remove pop rivets and spot welds now (only where one of the sheets of metal is being junked) with nary a mark left on anything.
It just took a mint, factory painted, matched-my-MJ hood which I had just paid $75 for the day before gaining a divot, cracked paint and now rust streaks to learn this :doh:
It just took a mint, factory painted, matched-my-MJ hood which I had just paid $75 for the day before gaining a divot, cracked paint and now rust streaks to learn this :doh:
ParadiseXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Paradise, CA 95969
WHAT is a bellcrank???
- Location
- Rainy side of Washington
it's that cursed thing that connects the hood release cable to the steel rod that actuates (or does not actuate, as the case may be) the hood latches.
ParadiseXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Paradise, CA 95969
OK, thanks. That's what it sounds like from the posts. Learned something new today.