Jam Nut or Nutsert (rivnut) for thin aluminum?

Curious if I should use a jack nut or a nutsert (rivnut) for creating a threaded insert on thin aluminum sheet. I think it is .03.

They won't have too much stress on them, but it seems the jack nut would have more "flare" area on the back of the panel and would therefore be less susceptible to pulling through.

Thoughts?

 

Apologies for typo.........title should have been a "jack nut," not a jam nut.

 

aerospace grade....https://www.pemnet.com/fastening-products/nuts-for-sheetmetal/

 

I should also specify that this would be a blind install, as in I can't access the backside of the material.

 

Pem's are junk unless you have the right install tool. Just use a Rivnut

 

well then....https://www.rivetnutusa.com/plusnut-rivet-nut-rivnut/

Much more surface area and pull out than a "rivnut"

 

Plus nuts are overpriced jack nuts.

Rivnut is probably your best bet, or if really thin and you don't want to deform it on install, maybe well nuts?

 

Those look perfect!

Do you need their install tool or can I get away with the old-school bolt/nut/washer method?

 

Nutplates that rivet on are far superior to anything mentioned so far.

 

Agreed. But it didnt sound like anything he could do.

For a few here or there maybe no tool is OK. If this done regularly the tools are always better.

 

If no stress maybe you can use rubber well nuts, like those used for windscreens. You just need hole drilled for those.

 

He's more likely to have a pop rivet gun than a rivnut puller. You can install nutplates with 3/32 pop rivets.

 

lol ya'll gotta give me some credit.

I did think about nutplates as well, but the rivets would provide even less surface area behind the material than a jam nut. Plus I'd like to try and keep as low profile as possible.

Thought of that, but didn't want the well nuts shaking around and possible coming out when there is nothing bolted into them. They will be hanging vertically from the underside of my trailers drop-down bed.

 

Ok, I was going off of myself, I don't own a rivnut puller (I borrow one when I need one), but I do have a pop rivet puller. I personally hate rivnuts, if you don't install them just right they will strip or spin. Even if you do install them correctly they frequently end up spinning later on. Nutplates hold structural parts of airplanes together, rivnuts hold plastic or fiberglass fairings on them.

 

Agree , but he said he doesn’t have access to the inside .

 

Missed that.

 

Well, I got everything mounted up using basic jack-nuts from Ace Hardware. They had enough grip range that I could use them where I had access to the frame-rails in the drop-down bed and a couple areas where it was just the sheet aluminum. Turned out plenty strong and did a test fit of the bike transport system I'm trying out.

Still have some fine-tuning to do but happy with the results so far.

 

Pit bike, gravel, or do you ride that on road?

 

Pretty much. It's just a bike. I ride with my kids and my dad around the neighborhood and for sure getting around the pits and campgrounds.........I'm no avid cyclist by any means.