That's fine. That's a permanent joint...it's like a weld...
Push pins - whatever happened to good ol' screws and bolts?
- Thread starter grampi
- Start date
That's a funny one
Blame the person that broke them or didn't replace them.
I replaced an EVAP component on my car that was located behind a plastic panel at the rear end of the car. Nissan uses fasteners to hold this panel in place. 3 of the 4 snapped from rust....
I didn't lose them because they weren't replaced, or broken by the person who installed them, unless they were broken when they were originally installed. Yes, bolts and screws rust. Does that mean everything should be installed with push pins?
Screws require the U-style spring nut, or a nut-insert, so that's extra parts and labor needed to use screws, or a screw boss molded into the part it's getting attached to, especially plastic and plastic has a limited number of times you can unscrew and screw.
I just did my first oil change on a new used 2018 Corolla, and was surprised to see actual screws in the plastic shield under the nose. It also had the same push-pinned shields around the engine and trans as the Vibe it replaced, but they seem tight so far. The Vibe had some missing pins there. Aftermarket ones would fall out almost immediately. The Toyota pins stayed in but were still a bit loose.
I haven't found the right tool for push pins yet. I tried a pliers-type, but it damages the pins more than just prying the center out with a screwdriver.
I haven't found the right tool for push pins yet. I tried a pliers-type, but it damages the pins more than just prying the center out with a screwdriver.
Never ordered from this place but maybe someone would find it useful:
Automotive Clips, Hardware and Fasteners - AutoBodyClips.com
We carry over 10,000 automotive clips and fasteners, from hardware to tubing and hoses! Proudly serving customers since 1976.
autobodyclips.com
This cheap assortment from Amazon has covered all the bases for the family's cars so far. They may not always be an exact match, but they're all perfectly serviceable. And the included tool really works and makes it pretty easy to remove most of these fasteners without undue damage.
GOOACC GRC-30 120PCS Car Retainer 6.3mm 8mm 9mm 10mm Expansion Screws Replacement Kit Bumper Push Rivet Clips, 1PC Fastener Remover
There's other kits from random offshore brands, too. I've got a similar kit for interior trim fasteners that's worked great. For $20, you can have an assortment on hand to replace any that break.
GOOACC GRC-30 120PCS Car Retainer 6.3mm 8mm 9mm 10mm Expansion Screws Replacement Kit Bumper Push Rivet Clips, 1PC Fastener Remover
There's other kits from random offshore brands, too. I've got a similar kit for interior trim fasteners that's worked great. For $20, you can have an assortment on hand to replace any that break.
Push pins have their advantages, one of them is that sheet metal screws were often screwed into the body which would be a place for rust to start. Push pins also can't really seize in place and if they do snap off replacing them is very easy. They will often break after an impact but that can also be a good thing since it can save a bumper or plastic cladding from snapping.
No so much that THEY don't rust, but the door or fender they are attached to won't rust when a steel screw breaks the paint in the hole it goes in.
Stainless steel or nylon bolts don't rust, either---but they cost more.
Stainless steel will most certainly rust. Chloride solutions especially can cause rust even on 304. Dissimilar metals won’t help either, and screwing stainless steel into stainless steel is begging for galling.
There’s a place for push pin fasteners, for things like the plastic shroud above a radiator for example. They should not be used in my opinion on anything that needs to be removed for normal routine oil changes like on an underbody panel that requires removal to change the oil.
I agree there are certain panels push pins work great on, I just think the industry has gone overboard with their usage...
PimTac, my new Jaguar F Type R uses a lot of aerospace type adhesive to hold the body parts together. Supposedly there are a lot of advantages over welding and riveting and the stuff they use holds spacecraft together so I'm not worried about long term durability.
Regarding the push pins, I have found that the ones that are removed frequently to access the drain plug and filter for example, do wear out. Several times I have found one missing when I did the next oil change on one of my cars. The good news, as others have mentioned, is that you can buy an assortment of them for just a few bucks at any auto parts store and when they feel loose, just go ahead and replace them.
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It's a combo of weight and cost savings. Wherever I find a loose one or the center pip missing? I buy a $3 pack at a local auto shop and stuff the remainders in the glove box for later.
On vehicles that use actual screws, even the black phosphorous coated screws (black colored) rust, rot, snap off eventually.
Cannot count where revised components even in transmissions will be either plastic or nylon... Old school metal always isn't the solution.
On vehicles that use actual screws, even the black phosphorous coated screws (black colored) rust, rot, snap off eventually.
Cannot count where revised components even in transmissions will be either plastic or nylon... Old school metal always isn't the solution.
Buy them online in a set with multiple sizes along with a removal tool.
Lotus likes it
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- Dec 30, 2006
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I feel that push pins are are worthless. My Accord is full of them. My 300ZX has zero push pins. Everything is fastened together with small black metal screws with washers under them so as to not damage the surface it’s fastening to. Day and night build quality between the two.
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