Dismantling genuine VW bike rack for anodizing

[andrewga]

Hi all, I recently bought a genuine bike rack for my T5. I want to dismantle it to get the aluminium bits anodised black. However I’m having 2 problems:

1. Getting the rivnuts out
Every rivnut is spinning in the aluminium tubes. In fact there were a few that the thread lock is sticking the bolts into the rivnuts so tightly that I had to drill the heads off the bolts just to get it apart. Has anyone got any tips for drilling out a spinning rivnut?

2. Removing the rivits on the main plastic feet
I’m not sure how to get the rivits in the picture out. Is it just a case of drilling them out and finding a replacement? What have people used to put it back together?

Any advice appreciated. Thanks!

 

[jonniebravo]

probs have to drill them out!!! can i ask please where are you getting it anodised? Im looking into doing the same . and have read anodising is better than powder coating cheers Jon

 

[DXX]

Hi all, I recently bought a genuine bike rack for my T5. I want to dismantle it to get the aluminium bits anodised black. However I’m having 2 problems:

1. Getting the rivnuts out
Every rivnut is spinning in the aluminium tubes. In fact there were a few that the thread lock is sticking the bolts into the rivnuts so tightly that I had to drill the heads off the bolts just to get it apart. Has anyone got any tips for drilling out a spinning rivnut?

2. Removing the rivits on the main plastic feet
I’m not sure how to get the rivits in the picture out. Is it just a case of drilling them out and finding a replacement? What have people used to put it back together?

Any advice appreciated. Thanks!

View attachment 189965

Have you had a quote for the anodising? I don’t imagine it will be very cheap as the prep’ will be considerable. As far as I’m aware the inside of the tubing will also need to be decontaminated to avoid a poor finish.

 

[Andpopse]

Powder coating is your best bet, from a cost point of view. It’s also fairly durable in this setting. From memory I paid £100 to get mine coated. Good luck either way. You will also need 6.4mm rivets and a gun that fits them. Mine was a V1 to suit T6.1, if that matters

 

[andrewga]

probs have to drill them out!!! can i ask please where are you getting it anodised? Im looking into doing the same . and have read anodising is better than powder coating cheers Jon

I’m just outside Belfast. There are a couple of local places, but they want pictures and dimensions before they quote. If it’s too expensive I’ll fall back on powdercoating, but I just fancy trying to get it anodised.

 

[Perfectos]

Has anyone got any tips for drilling out a spinning rivnut?

Can you use the rivnut tool to retighten the existing nuts before drilling them out ?

edit: you may need to locite the spinning nut to prevent it from spinning, allowing you to screw in the tool before tightening the spinning nut

 

[Perfectos]

There are Several threads on California forum where people have done a full black anodise.

 

[DXX]

Depending on how much spinning the rivnut has done you may find that replacing it like for like when you reassemble won’t work as the hole will be worn.
You may have to go oversize with all the implications of changing attached parts.
Seems like a ball acher of a job just to change the colour.

 

[andrewga]

all

Everything to do with a T5 is ball ache!