Fasteners for Truck and Bus Body Building

In truck and bus body building, the chassis, frames and body panels all depend on fasteners. They are small parts, but they decide how safe, durable and easy to maintain the finished vehicle is.

What fasteners must do

1. Structural integrity: secure the frame, side panels, doors and roof so the body keeps its shape under load.
2. Safety: hold the body structure together under the forces of braking, cornering and impact.
3. Vibration resistance: rough roads, engines and braking cause constant vibration, which can loosen conventional fasteners over time.
4. Durability: withstand moisture, temperature extremes, road dirt and chemicals.
5. Maintenance: allow parts to be repaired or replaced where needed.

Which fasteners go where

• Lockbolts: for the main structural joints in bodies, frames and trailers. The swaged collar cannot vibrate loose, so joints stay tight without retightening. See Lockbolt Fasteners: How They Work and Why They Last.
• Rivets: for body panels, sidewalls, doors and roofs in aluminium or steel, giving a strong, permanent joint and a smooth finish. Structural breakstem fasteners carry higher loads.
• Bolts and nuts: for large components and parts that must be removable.
• Screws: for smaller fittings such as lights, mirrors and interior parts.
• Washers and locknuts: to spread the load and resist loosening where bolts are used.

Where the industry is heading

Manufacturers are using more aluminium and composites to save weight and improve fuel efficiency. Joining these materials needs fasteners designed for them, with the right material to avoid corrosion and the right design to clamp without damage.

Avlock supplies heavy engineering and light engineering fastening systems, and the tooling to install them, to body builders across South Africa.