Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 09-13-2018, 06:28 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 18
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Girardin
Chassis: Ford E350
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel
Alternative to Well Nuts for Mirrors

Hey all,
We removed our crossover/side mirrors to paint our skoolie and they were attached with what we are now learning are Well Nuts. The old ones don't seem to be reusable. We tried to pick up some replacements but the flanged portion seem too small but they were the only ones I could find that fit the existing bolts. Are there any alternatives to attaching the mirrors?
Thanks!

crashcarr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2018, 06:46 PM   #2
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
What size are they? The hole for a well nut is too large to replace with a blind nut.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2018, 06:51 PM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: topeka kansas
Posts: 1,771
Year: 1954
Coachwork: wayne
Chassis: old f500- new 2005 f-450
Engine: cummins 12 valve
Rated Cap: 20? five rows of 4?
alternatives

riv nuts, make a nut plate -- look it up, bolt and nut if you can get to the back side? rivets? weld/braze?

william
magnakansas is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2018, 10:00 PM   #4
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 1,358
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Crown, integral. (With 2kW of tiltable solar)
Chassis: Crown Supercoach II (rear engine)
Engine: Detroit 6V92TAC, DDEC 2, Jake brake, Allison HT740
Rated Cap: 37,400 lbs GVWR
Jack Nuts, or their much stronger cousin Cross Nuts (made by Bolhoff). I've bought some of the latter to attach my overhead cabinets to my roof ribs.

John
Iceni John is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2018, 12:28 PM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 18
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Girardin
Chassis: Ford E350
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel
Thanks, I'll check those other options out. I've only found Well Nuts locally with about a 9/16" flange on them. The original ones looked much larger.
crashcarr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2018, 10:59 PM   #6
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SW New Hampshire
Posts: 1,334
Interested in the outcome here. I'd never heard of well nuts but after looking them up I'm wondering if they were spec'ed in this usage to reduce the transmission of vibration to the mirrors. You're obviously not going to get that with any normal all-metal bolted connection solution.
dan-fox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2018, 07:52 PM   #7
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by dan-fox View Post
Interested in the outcome here. I'd never heard of well nuts but after looking them up I'm wondering if they were spec'ed in this usage to reduce the transmission of vibration to the mirrors. You're obviously not going to get that with any normal all-metal bolted connection solution.
You are correct, which is why I haven't come up with a "proper" alternative. I am trying to theorize the issue and unless the hole in the bus has been enlarged I don't see an issue. I would like to see a pic of the old well nut in the hole. A Wellnut works the same as a pop rivet. As you tighten the screw/bolt the nut at the end of the rubber tube starts to pull forward distorting the tube enlarging its you tighten. The flange on the other end also squashes enlarges. I think if the replacement Wellnut flange is shallower it won't matter as it's only use is to keep the unit from falling through the hole. If the actual bus hole has been enlarged, then go up a size in welts and redress the mirror holes.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2018, 07:53 PM   #8
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by crashcarr View Post
Thanks, I'll check those other options out. I've only found Well Nuts locally with about a 9/16" flange on them. The original ones looked much larger.
I wonder if yours look larger because they've been compressed for 15 years?
Post a pic of the nuts and holes.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2018, 10:40 PM   #9
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Salt Lake City Utah
Posts: 1,635
Year: 2000
Chassis: Blue Bird
Engine: ISC 8.3
Did you find something that fit? I see that Hanson Rivet has a selection of well nuts including one with a 1/4-20 thread and a 9/16 flange diameter (their part RN-2520-13).
family wagon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2018, 04:54 PM   #10
Skoolie
 
Mgulley82's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 171
Year: 2004
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 40' Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: CAT 3126 7.2L
I found mine at the local ACE hardware store

They were a rubber expansion type nut insert
Mgulley82 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2018, 05:22 PM   #11
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Greenwood, Indiana
Posts: 669
Year: 1999
Coachwork: New Flyer
Chassis: D45HF "Viking"
Engine: 11.1L Detroit Diesel S60
Rated Cap: 51,600
My mirrors are simply bolted in, and it shows when I'm up to speed on the highway.


Not to hijack the thread, but I'm looking for new mirrors for my rig.
MarkyDee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2018, 05:28 PM   #12
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkyDee View Post
My mirrors are simply bolted in, and it shows when I'm up to speed on the highway.


Not to hijack the thread, but I'm looking for new mirrors for my rig.
Try mounting them with wellnuts.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2018, 09:56 PM   #13
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Greenwood, Indiana
Posts: 669
Year: 1999
Coachwork: New Flyer
Chassis: D45HF "Viking"
Engine: 11.1L Detroit Diesel S60
Rated Cap: 51,600
Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
Try mounting them with wellnuts.

Now that I know what wellnuts are, yes I will.


Still would like new mirrors, though. The ones currently on the rig are small and rusted.
MarkyDee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2018, 08:59 PM   #14
Skoolie
 
Dizzyman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Cleburne, Texasa
Posts: 121
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas MVP
Engine: Cat 3126B
Rated Cap: 20800
Source of bus mirrors

I have received great service and quality parts from these folks.

Mirrors
Dizzyman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2018, 05:31 PM   #15
Skoolie
 
Marceps's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 216
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: CAT 3126
Thumbs down

Quote:
Originally Posted by that web site
Please log in for price
I hate that crap.
Marceps is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2018, 04:38 PM   #16
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Greenwood, Indiana
Posts: 669
Year: 1999
Coachwork: New Flyer
Chassis: D45HF "Viking"
Engine: 11.1L Detroit Diesel S60
Rated Cap: 51,600
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marceps View Post
I hate that crap.

Ugh, so do I.
MarkyDee is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
mirrors, well nut

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:17 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.