Protection Measures

Wear safety goggles
Wear protective gloves

IMPORTANT: To prevent the material from tapering, do not drill out the rivet head.

Carefully spot-drill rivet head with a larger drill bit/countersink

Fig 1: Drilling Rivet Head Using Larger Drill Bit/Countersink
Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

IMPORTANT: Avoid paintwork damage
Knock rivet head away with a chisel

Fig 2: Knocking Rivet Head
Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Drive through rivet shank into cavity, remove if necessary

Fig 3: Identifying Rivet Shank
Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Clean component, eliminate paintwork damage if necessary

Fig 4: Identifying Component
Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

If the rivet shank can be removed:

IMPORTANT: To avoid corrosion, stop chips/debris by means of cavity sealing.

Follow INSTRUCTIONS ON CORROSION PROTECTION .
Preserving cavity

Fig 5: Preserving Cavity
Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

If the rivet shank cannot be removed:

WARNING: Risk of injury.
Observe NOTES ON CAVITY FOAM .

IMPORTANT: To avoid corrosion and rattling noises, stop chips/debris and rivet nut shank with cavity foam.
Remove foam remnants with isohexane (benzine).

Fig 6: Preserving Cavity

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

5. Stop rivet shank by means of specific foaming
6. Set rivet nut with hand rivet gun
NOTE: Fit rivet nut as quickly as possibly, ideally before the cavity foam hardens.