Posted this in the wrong category; will try to paste; hope it works.

Need help in how to remove the rivets described below & help in how to replace them. &, would like to know if there is a satisfactory nut & bolt replacement for the rivets once the rivets are removed.

The pictures show each of the rivet ends. One is flat with a small hole in the center and is almost 1/2" in diameter; the other is dome shaped & appears to have a rod-like center with a round, doughnut-like surround & its diameter is almost 3/8"; it appears that the center is a different metal from the surround.

These rivets are holding the brake shield around the knuckle on the front right(passenger's) side.

Thanks for your help.
















Almost 1/2" in diameter

Almost 3/8" diameter; center seems to be a different metal from doughnut-like surround

 

Steve,

Do get too excited at seeing a reply - I haven't a clue about this one.

Just posting to advise I've deleted your identical thread incorrectly posted in X308 forum.

Graham

 

Thanks, Graham; yes, almost wet my pants!

The easiest (& most intuitive) way to remove the rivets is by drilling with a 3/16" & using a chisel & tap as per the youtube below.

According to the tech at Jag Greenville, they use ordinary aluminum rivets. While they use a heavy duty air-driven machine; he suggested a regular one will do.

Now, this car has me talking with myself! Hope this may be helpful for any other uninitiated riveters.

 

Video below:

 

Last week I picked her up from having a realignment done. The owner of the shop, the best in our area, does most of the exotic cars and is the go to guy for most of the illuminati in the Land of the Tech Titans. He was very laudatory of the good job done on the arm replacement & he asked who I had hired to do the work. He was more than a bit surprised that this septuagenarian had done it himself. I believe DIY repairs are a bit like childbirth, in that, the mother forgets the pain after she feasts her eyes on the product. I'm so proud that my car at 72K, is like new & gets compliments wherever we go.

I figure I saved $1200 and it would have been more had I understood the physics of the lower ball joint and not had to replace it too.

I would not have attempted this without this site and the knowledge that I had a backup shop if my efforts failed. Thanks to all of you, especially XJ8JR. If anyone would like a more detailed discussion of the procedures and tools I used, please PM me. I'm reticent to take the time since there was so little play on this thread. BTW, riveting is fun & was able to find a new, up to quarter inch pop rivet gun for 21 bucks!

I know this is not the proper forum for this, but since my R's warranty ran out, I have been sorely disappointed in my local dealer. My issues are not over price, but a lack of enthusiasm and knowledge re their products. I won't regale you with anecdotes for some, you wouldn't believe.

By contrast, I called the local Tesla repair facility. The lead tech answered the phone and with great enthusiasm he explained so much of how their S is put together... I wish Jag would get the message. However, they have a very successful business model; too bad it doesn't work for me any longer.

 

I'm very glad to hear everything worked out. I too have discovered that my local dealers are bottomless pits of misery. They are extremely overpriced, extremely incompetent, and extremely lackadaisical. Sometimes I wish I could get a job as a service advisor or something so I could teach them a thing or two about these cars!