What to do about 'Rivets from Hell!'?

[Kernersville Vinyl]

I have a new customer who showed me a trailer that was wrapped about 4 years ago using all 3M cast. That particular trailer had these small rivets with flat tops and sharp edges and the wrap had failed horribly.
Everywhere there was a rivet the vinyl had cracked and separated with the little rivet poking thru like the ALIEN coming out of the guys chest!

Luckily the guy doesn't want me to re-wrap that trailer, but the trailer he wants me to wrap has those same rivets along the bottom of the new trailer:

I'm thinking of telling the guy that we need to start the wrap above the three rows of bottom rivets where the reflective tape starts which I think he will go for considering what happened to the old trailer.

The problem is there is another row of those same rivets about a foot up and another row about half way up the trailer, luckily spaced further apart.
I need to prep those rivets in such a way to prevent what happened to the old trailer.

I have thought of 3D Printing a cap to slide over those rivets that would make them look more like a regular rivet or adding an extra disk of laminate on top of the rivet or wrap to give it more strength and hopefully keep it from failing too soon.

I'm kind of grasping for straws here, I need to come up with a plan soon... anyone ever run into these rivets before?

 

[Notarealsignguy]

They look like backwards installed buck rivets (solid rivets).

 

[weyandsign]

Yeah keep the wrap between the rivets at the top and bottom, and for the other ones, you will have to cut around them when you're done. Tell the guy wraps don't last forever.

 

[Kernersville Vinyl]

Yeah keep the wrap between the rivets at the top and bottom, and for the other ones, you will have to cut around them when you're done. Tell the guy wraps don't last forever.

So you think cutting those rivets out is best? It makes sense, they will fail anyway, I guess it's best to remove it to begin with...

 

[2B]

the bottom section with the 3 rows, avoid

the single row, use a rivet cutter

R&J SUPPLY Since 1959 - Sign and Heat Transfer Vinyl Supplies

Since 1959 R&J distributes sign supplies, heat transfer materials, equipment, and software to the sign and textile industries.

rjsign.com

 

[Geneva Olson]

I like the idea of placing a cap over them. But that's a lot of caps to make.

 

[Kernersville Vinyl]

the bottom section with the 3 rows, avoid

the single row, use a rivet cutter

R&J SUPPLY Since 1959 - Sign and Heat Transfer Vinyl Supplies

Since 1959 R&J distributes sign supplies, heat transfer materials, equipment, and software to the sign and textile industries.

rjsign.com

this tool works on the small flat head rivets?

The only pic in the ad shows it cutting around a larger round headed rivet, thanks!

 

[weyandsign]

After the vinyl is over the rivet, heat it with a hair dryer and push down around it with a squeegee. Then cut around it with xacto knife.

 

[Gino]

After the vinyl is over the rivet, heat it with a hair dryer and push down around it with a squeegee. Then cut around it with xacto knife.

Yeah, 2,780 times. That sounds like a plan. Where's Benny ?? He wasn't doing anything this afternoon. Get him an ice cream cone and put him to work.

 

[Bradley Signs]

Grind the rivets off! Hahahahahahaa

 

[Stacey K]

It's one thing to cut around a few rivets but if you have to cut around 10's of them...that's going to take forever and suck.

Would it make more sense to install an aluminum panel over the top and letter that instead? Or just avoid the rivets as much as you can.

 

[johnnysigns]

We'd use a hole punch on these when I did fleet/trailer work. I def hated doing these, they suck.

 

[Jeff grossman]

check out rivet sealer 3000 works for me _ I hate rivets

 

[karst41]

A couple of quick things:

Once a Trailer has passed the 7 year mark (age) it needs to be double brush washed using deOxit
That is mandantory, Older than 7 years.. No and hellno.

Ok on to your Hateful Rivets

These are headless and the slang term in Aviation is simply a Double Buck. Bucking is the term
for riveting and with no Head is a two Sides Buck.

Using 3m 180 Cv3 or MC Series Spot. Get a rollie Pro off Ebay or Amazon.
Your propane is best with a fan tip, but the pros do not use the tips, they a painintheass.

Do not squeege over the rivets any mor than needed for the removal of the trans tape.

On a Wrap, I will heat a 2'-3' run of rivets, roll it out with rolle Pro and then Temper the Vinyl.
This is a simple reheat and touch up as needed with the rolle.

Thats is dude. you b done

eBay enter this in the search, rollepro vinyl application roller
Buy Two or 3, these things are worth tripple their weight in Gold.. These are seriously that good.

 

[Evan Gillette]

Have you looked into ackland frames?