How To Install Replacement Hold Fast Cradle For Thule Archway And Apex Bike Racks

Question:

The caps can either have a screw holding them on or a rivet. If there is a rivet it will have to be drilled out a screw can be used in place of the rivet once installation is complete. This is cut/pasted from another question. My question is: any tips on how to drill out the rivet? And subsequently how to get a screw in as a replacement? This seems like a massive obstacle to getting these items onto the bike rack.

asked by: Jay B

Expert Reply:

When replacing the Replacement Hold Fast Cradle for Thule Archway and Apex Bike Racks # 7521513002, the previous cradles may have screws in which case you can just reuse them and be done with it.

If it happens to have rivets, which you can look on yours to check, then you would just take a drill bit that fits the rivet size and drill it out. Then go to the hardware store and match up some screws to secure the cradle in place. If you are handy with a drill or basic tools then this should be a fairly simple task, but if you are new to this type of thing then you may want to have someone else do it or at least look up a video related to drilling rivets out.

expert reply by: Andrew N