Epoxy for holding nuts instead of welding?

[Spokerider]

I need to attach some small 6mm nuts to the underside of a Samurai dash / tub. I can barely see up inside there let alone weld nuts in place there, up side down.

Will epoxy work for securing these nuts in place? Was thinking of drilling holes and then using the bolts to keep nuts in place while epoxy dries. But......how does one keep the epoxy out of the threads of the bolt when doing this?

I'm putting a cowling over the dash air intake on the body, and want to be able to re / re it as needed. Once the dash is placed back inside the samurai tub, there is no way to reach up inside / behind it to thread a nut onto a bolt.

Thoughts?

 

[readhead]

Can you use nutserts?

 

[pi_guy]

Floating nut plates work well too.

 

[theoldwizard1]

A bit of grease on the threads should work, but that would be very difficult to do on such a small screw and nut without getting it on other surface preventing the epoxy from working.

If you have the room on the back side, use a nut with a captive star washer (a.k.a. Keps nut) and a piece of tape.

 

[tarbellb]

I usually spray a little grease and put a sacrificial bolt in to keep epoxy out.... which is the same method I use for welding nuts in place as well.

But definitely look up nutserts, could be a game changer.

 

[pi_guy]

https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=MS21059

 

[bdbecker]

This stuff is the business if you never want those nuts to come off. Probably could heat cycle the spots where you use it with a torch or heat gun.

https://tds.us.henkel.com/NA/UT/HNAUTTDS.nsf/web/BF63884582D6A89F852575610048CCF6/$File/Terokal%205089-EN.pdf

EDIT...

It looks like there are a number of options available:

http://na.henkel-adhesives.com/structural-adhesive-15365.htm

 

[rlitman]

Can you use nutserts?

That would be my first choice.

Floating nut plates work well too.

That's even better, though more work.

A bit of grease on the threads should work, but that would be very difficult to do on such a small screw and nut without getting it on other surface preventing the epoxy from working.

If you have the room on the back side, use a nut with a captive star washer (a.k.a. Keps nut) and a piece of tape.

You've made a captive nut plate using tape. The biggest issue I see with doing this is the risk of knocking the nut loose when re-installing the bolt. The above answers won't have that problem.

 

[lukedwag]

Drill a big enough hole and drop a flange nut in from the top. Tack eel and tap down to make flush as needed.

 

[DenisG]

U-nuts or fold-over clips? --
http://www.dazcoautobodyclips.com/fold-over-clips--unuts.html

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

I tap a few holes in a bit o flat stock sometimes, you could glue that on without fear of fouling the threads.

 

[Jacko264]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/m6-rivnuts

this is what you need you will have to buy a gun too to put them in
graham

http://www.mad4tools.com/silverline...-40928-p.asp?gclid=CK-VtM3a884CFUSVGwodO0cBow

 

[Superbec]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/m6-rivnuts

this is what you need you will have to buy a gun too to put them in
graham

http://www.mad4tools.com/silverline...-40928-p.asp?gclid=CK-VtM3a884CFUSVGwodO0cBow

this


also I used hot glue when I had nothing else available, it just need to hold the nut till it's a bit tight , use flanged nuts with hot glue.

The elegant option is posted by Jack0 though.

 

[pi_guy]

That would be my first choice.



That's even better, though more work.



You've made a captive nut plate using tape. The biggest issue I see with doing this is the risk of knocking the nut loose when re-installing the bolt. The above answers won't have that problem.

The use of a nut plate is more work, but will allow a slight miss alignment in putting the screw in. Also it floats so it it makes aligning the covering part easier.

 

[AZ Pete]

Use any release agent on the threads, johnson's paste wax works good, and epoxy the nuts.

 

[MP&C]

Riv-nuts

 

[rlitman]

The use of a nut plate is more work, but will allow a slight miss alignment in putting the screw in. Also it floats so it it makes aligning the covering part easier.

I did say it's better. Those are two reasons. Another is that it is possible (though difficult if inserted and selected correctly) to spin a nutsert.

For the rivnut suggestion. These are nutserts. They're the same thing.

Pemnuts are different, and could possibly work here too.

 

[Maine Coon]

Loctite Blue 242 does work as well.

 

[kbs2244]

Double sided tape?
Cut out the hole before installing.

 

[EdT]

IMHO, epoxy or glue is looking for trouble for this application. As suggested several times above, riv-nuts or nutserts would work well. I have also had some luck with pem fasteners using an allen head screw with a washer under the head to pull them into place. The hole has to be correct for them to work. Worked for me, your mileage may vary. Whatever you choose, try it someplace that doesn't matter like a piece of scrap to make sure it's what you want.

 

[cvairwerks]

Adhesives will work, but the necessary cleaning of the nut face and the structure is going to take way longer than a tack weld or putting in rivnuts. Typically, the adhesives require all mating surfaces to be bare metal and cleaned with acetone or MEK prior to mating. For those that don't use them often, the failure rate is pretty high. We use them at work a lot and the surface prep is critical to have a good bond and a secure and lasting attachment.