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Tools for tonneau fittings

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IanIrving

Jedi Hopeful
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I've just received a new tonneau for my 65 BJ8 which is supplied with a bag of fittings rather than with the fittings already in the tonneau. The fittings include tenax, press studs and a fitting called a "lift the dot socket" which seems to need 5 holes punching to fit into the material of the tonneau. Does anyone know of a source of the tools needed to insert the various different fittings into the tonneau materials without doing damage. It seems to me that at least two sizes of punch and two sizes of rivet press are needed.
Ian Irving
 
I had my tonneau made at a local auto & boat trim shop and had to install all my own hardware.

Image52.jpg


Here a source for a couple of sets of punches.

I have THESE -
https://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-hollow-punch-set-3838.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-hollow-punch-set-67030.html

They may have the rivet press too.
https://www.harborfreight.com/

They'll probably ship them to you over there.

Tim
 
The "lift the dot" doesn't require a tool to punch 5 holes. There should be a ring with 5 sharp points on it. Once you determine the location (major importance here) insert the ring up from the bottom, once punctured place the top part onto the points and bend the points over. Personally, if I were you I'd take it to a professional to fit it correctly.
 
Thanks for the links guys. Given the price for the tools, and the possibility of one hole in the wrong place and I'd mess it up, your advice to get someone in seems the right way.
Thanks again for the advice.

Ian
BJ8 32419
 
If you do change your mind.

Did mine myself without the tools, not too difficult, pick a warm day though and work slowly from the back to the front. Guage the middle of the tonneu cover at the back with the middle of the car, decide on the edge margin for the fixings and press over the existing studs to get the positions indented on the cover then install the fasteners, I think that I used a sharp pointed knife to get a start through the fabric, move to the front and stretch the cover over the studs and indent the fabric again. Fill in the rest of the details after that in a similar manner.

Bob
 
If you decide to go the fit it yourself route kids sidewalk or other similar chalk is a great way to mark where the holes should go, fit it up mark with chalk and cut.

Upholstery is definitely not my thing, but I fit the tonneau to me 100 not much trouble at all, don't know if the later cars are more complicated, don't know if I would try to fit a convertible top, but the tonneau, not too bad a job. I just used a sharp utility knife to poke holes, but I am sure there are more specialized tools.
 
I recently used a punch kit for brass grommets that I found at a craft store. It worked well for the tonneau fittings. In the past, I've used an empty 30-06 shell casing as a punch. It was the right size and sharp, but tended to deform after a few punches. Collect a whole box of them the next time you go hunting.
 
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