They're installed with "nutserts" from the factory. If you want to install it like they did from the factory you could buy some nutserts and the installation tool- the one I have is called a "threadsetter" it works kind of like a rivet gun.

 

Chevyriders,

Where did you pick up that tool and how much was it?

 

Mine came off a tool truck that comes to the shop I work at, but here's one for 85 bucks on Amazon.

 

I found a nutcert tool with great reviews and priced at $40 was not an unreasonable amount. spent $40 on the tool and then another $12 on an assortment of Metric rivnuts....M5; M6; M8; M10 & M12. Used it for 1st time putting up the rack and it worked great. Gonna use it to mount my fender flares also...this thing is gonna come in quite handy. Attached a pic; sorry quality isnt the greatest. Truck is still up on jackstands and guess I didnt have enough lighting.

Here is link to the tool on Amazon:

 

Looks great man! It doesn't look bare up top anymore!! Glad it worked out well for you. Looking forward to seeing the fender flares when you do them too.

Make sure you put thread sealer on the roof rack bolts so you don't get leaked on

You got a slamming deal on that tool too!

 

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Thnx Chev

Once I found out about the tool I had been searching around and keeping an eye out for one that had good reviews and wasnt too expensive and I think I found it. $40 bucks...compared to alot of others that I looked at this was/is a great price; barely any negative reviews about the tool itself and a few about the company. I like that it has long (13") handles; made it easy to use/install the rivnut. couldnt imagine trying to squeeze one out one handed like a regular rivet gun. this thing worked great; the first 2 were a learning process (but useable) and by the 3rd I had it down. When I can be patient and look for good equipment and good prices I have been pretty lucky with Amazon...took my time; found the rite tool and got it for a good price. this thing is going to come in handy for so many things. Hell I have spent $40 bucks at the bar and had nothing but a hangover to show for it....lol (not for quite awhile tho). Changed out all the suspension stuff today. Nothing in the way...was a piece of cake doing the idler and pitman arms. See atch photo.

 

Those tools do come in handy for a lot, if you're into wood working they work great for a that sometimes too.

Oh yeah, so much room for activities in there! Lol. Makes it a lot easier with no engine in the way. Is that still the factory coating on your frame? It looks super clean in there.
Out of curiosity, what's the motor out for?

 

You can buy the factory mounting nuts at the dealership. I had to replace some of mine when I removed my rack for painting as they were stripped out. I believe they are friction mounted (like Riv Nuts) to keep them in place and not turn while tightening. So drilling the holes would have to be undersize a little and some way to pull the nuts through the sheet metal. I had few that would slip while tightening. I resorted to Epoxying the flange side (Underside of the roof). The Epoxy worked well to keep the nuts from turning. (You might even be able to use a RIV nut gun to pull them through)

 

The frame has been gone over with my angle grinder to remove loose rust and crud and then treated with rustoleum's rust reformer and then undercoated with their rubberized pro spray. Amazon Prime Photos Link below is a few pix of what I started out with. 4th pic is piece of bearing pulled from oil pan.



Motor had 225K miles on it and spun 2 main bearings on the crank and then just for good measure spun 3 bearings on the rod journals. Block was salvageable and everything else inside is pretty much new...Initially had problems with machine shop trying to cut corners on used crank but put kiabosh on that as it was not what was quoted or paid for.

 

I am curious about the tool and the rivnut installation. Did you install the rivnuts from the underside or from the topside of the roof. If I read the instructions on the tool correctly you thread on the flange side of the rivnut first and than insert into the hole. Is it even possible to install the rivnuts from either side and still allow you to screw the fastener to the rivnut. I have never used the rivnut tool before.