Rivet Nut USA Q&AAnswers
Apr 24, 2024 - 03:31 PM
Every rivet nut has a different outside diameter depending on the size the rivet nut.
- A 4-40 threaded rivet nut is a very small rivet nut, so the body of the rivet nut (i.e., the outside diameter) will be a small diameter hole size. Could be .150" hole.
- A 1/2-13 threaded rivet nut is a very small rivet nut, so the body of the rivet nut (i.e., the outside diameter) will be a small diameter hole size. Could be a .750" hole.
The catalogs listed across our website contain the specific dimensional information about each rivet nut, and the hole size needed. It's best to use the catalog information to get the exact hole size, as then you'll obtain the best performance from the rivet nut after it is installed. A too small of a hole or too large of a hole can cause different problems that we could expound on for pages, so it's best to trust us when we say, Use the catalog to find the hole size or call us to find the hole size, then use a drill bit that will make that hole size!
A quick "sanity" check would be to use a calipers and measure the body of the rivet nut. That will give you a pretty good estimate of the hole size you'll need.
Make sure to drill holes slowly and keep the drill bit from getting too hot, you want to make the hole very nice and clean. Any burrs or blowout left in the hole can (and will) impact the installation process and also affect the post-install performance of the rivet nut.
