Aluminum rivets on pad eyes?

Can you use aluminum rivets on pad eyes for a primary salt water kayak?

Will they rust?

Yes it will . But it's not as bad using a steel rivet . The key is to rinse as soon as you get to the land .. Best is to use Monel rivets ( stainless steel) if you can find them to purchase ..

you wanna use these types of rivets to install padeyes; standard rivets will will enlarge/expand the hole when riveting.

these actual have "spider legs" which clamp the back of the wall your are riveting....

you wanna use these types of rivets to install padeyes; standard rivets will will enlarge/expand the hole when riveting.

these actual have "spider legs" which clamp the back of the wall your are riveting....

Those are the ones I used from West Marine but the packaging say aluminum.

Aluminum doesn't rust. It will corrode if not rinsed. I'm not sure what other manufacturers are using but Jackson uses aluminum rivets and they hold up just fine.

Aluminum doesn't rust. It will corrode if not rinsed. I'm not sure what other manufacturers are using but Jackson uses aluminum rivets and they hold up just fine.

I bought some from West Marine that looked just like the ones Glenn posted.
Then when I bought the tool from Lowes it came with some as a kit.
They both are aluminum except the West Marine ones have the black portion and the ones from Lowes are all bare aluminum in color.

Do you think it will make a difference??

Aluminum doesn't rust. It will corrode if not rinsed. I'm not sure what other manufacturers are using but Jackson uses aluminum rivets and they hold up just fine.

I bought some from West Marine that looked just like the ones Glenn posted.
Then when I bought the tool from Lowes it came with some as a kit.
They both are aluminum except the West Marine ones have the black portion and the ones from Lowes are all bare aluminum in color.

Do you think it will make a difference??

Yo Hammer "Hard" Head ,


Buy them from Austin Kayak, I dont wash/rinse my kayak and never had any issues...

Buy try as much as possible to use a s/s screw & nut and drill as smaller hole than the actual thread diameter, so you are actually tapping the screw into the plastic; this (couple with some silicon) should create an air-tight seal.

Thanks Gizz! 

Oops my bad GWhiz 

That "slip" on the name could stick!

I like Yoda better. Aluminum is fine. If you can reach it stainless hardware is best.

Stainless rivets need a different (heavy duty) rivet tool than steel or aluminum...  You've been warned

Stainless rivets need a different (heavy duty) rivet tool than steel or aluminum...  You've been warned

Think both Craig and I were referring to S/S nut, bolt and washers; not s/s rivets.... not even sure i've came across s/s rivets before....

Uh, no they don't.

They do make standard as rivets but I have not seen the expanding ones like that in ss

If you go SS rivets make sure the mandrel is also SS not steel. The folding rivet is pretty strong. I use a lot of those in automotive applications.