Finally got around to installing nutplates for the hardtop hardware. Ended up being much less of a nightmare than I prepared for, so that was a bonus. I had to do something, because I built the rear quarter sub enclosure, and once the cage is installed, you cant remove the enclosure, so no access to the bottom of the bolt. You would have to take the cage out to bolt on the top, but then you would be unable to reinstall the cage with the top on! A jigsaw puzzle of pain-in-my-ass. The logical thing to do was rivet in some aviation grade 5/16-24 nutplates, solving basically all of the above problems.
Pretty basic for anyone who hasn't done it. Set the nutplate on the bedrail, run a bolt up into it from the bottom with it centered in the hole, then mark/drill/countersink the 1/8" rivet holes on either side.
A basic nutplate, plus the bedrail thickness necessitates about a 3/8" long rivet. I bought 1/2" rivets to be safe and cut them down. Broke out the rivet gun and weight and started making noise.
A Video for those who have never done it. (Click on picture below)
Work awesome and very easy to install.
I looked into nutserts, but read some bad reviews about long-term quality. I know some members on here have had good luck with them though. I'm Active Duty Air Force, and use these (or similar) nutplates on aircraft everyday, so hopefully they will hold up in the Bronco like they do on the jets!

Pretty basic for anyone who hasn't done it. Set the nutplate on the bedrail, run a bolt up into it from the bottom with it centered in the hole, then mark/drill/countersink the 1/8" rivet holes on either side.

A basic nutplate, plus the bedrail thickness necessitates about a 3/8" long rivet. I bought 1/2" rivets to be safe and cut them down. Broke out the rivet gun and weight and started making noise.
A Video for those who have never done it. (Click on picture below)

Work awesome and very easy to install.

I looked into nutserts, but read some bad reviews about long-term quality. I know some members on here have had good luck with them though. I'm Active Duty Air Force, and use these (or similar) nutplates on aircraft everyday, so hopefully they will hold up in the Bronco like they do on the jets!
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