What is the trick to carpet snaps?

[DnCrs13]

I recently completed a top side restoration of my roadster, including new carpets. I put the snaps in, with the spike ring on top of the carpet and the receiver piece on the bottom. The issue I keep having is that the spike ring will pull out of the receiver. Are people using a tool to put these on? I just bent the tips over towards the center of the snap. Should I be bending to the outside? Some of each? I've redone the foot well ones at least three times already and I am getting tired of redoing it. The receiver to the male snap part on the floor is so darn tight, that the base gets stuck to that and the ring pulls out. Maybe I need to put some sort of lube on the male end on the floor? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[mraitch]

pix?

[DnCrs13]

This is the best pic I have. It is the underside of the passenger carpet. The silver circles are the receivers that I am talking about. The spike ring comes through the front of the carpet and is bent around the receiver, but they keep pulling out, because the receiver snaps so tightly into the male part on the floor. I am wondering if I am connecting the spike ring to the receiver wrong or if the male part needs to be lubricated or something?

[DnCrs13]

snaps.JPG

[greydog]

I've not had issue with the ones I've applied.
Once I had the prongs thru the snap, I pushed them over (toward the outside) with a flat blade screwdriver. Then once I had the prongs all pushed over, I went back with a block of wood under the ring and laid the flat of the scewdriver blade on the bent prong sticking thru the snap body, then smacked it with a ball peen to foce each prong outward and down on the snap body.
Seemed to crimp the prongs well and tightened the ring up on the carpet. Clinched 'em down pretty well.
I'm pretty careful to work my fingers under the snap when I remove the carpets but so far I haven't had any issues.
Dan

[mellis18]

I recently completed a top side restoration of my roadster, including new carpets. I put the snaps in, with the spike ring on top of the carpet and the receiver piece on the bottom. The issue I keep having is that the spike ring will pull out of the receiver. Are people using a tool to put these on? I just bent the tips over towards the center of the snap. Should I be bending to the outside? Some of each? I've redone the foot well ones at least three times already and I am getting tired of redoing it. The receiver to the male snap part on the floor is so darn tight, that the base gets stuck to that and the ring pulls out. Maybe I need to put some sort of lube on the male end on the floor? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I used a tool that came with the kit I bought at the arts and crafts store. It properly curls the lip so its a secure install. Pix of snap and receiver. I can send pix of tool later if you like. I did have to go to an upholstery shop to get buttons with longer shanks because my carpet and felt backing was so thick.

IMG_0654.JPG

IMG_0651.JPG

[DnCrs13]

I've not had issue with the ones I've applied.
Once I had the prongs thru the snap, I pushed them over (toward the outside) with a flat blade screwdriver. Then once I had the prongs all pushed over, I went back with a block of wood under the ring and laid the flat of the scewdriver blade on the bent prong sticking thru the snap body, then smacked it with a ball peen to foce each prong outward and down on the snap body.
Seemed to crimp the prongs well and tightened the ring up on the carpet. Clinched 'em down pretty well.
I'm pretty careful to work my fingers under the snap when I remove the carpets but so far I haven't had any issues.
Dan

Thanks! I was not using that much force to put them together. I was also bending the tabs in. I will try it again with a little more persuasion.

[1966spl311]

Gentlemen,

Just had my fun with a carpet kit and the snaps challenges as well.

What happened was a vendor's website showed separate padding and carpet which is fine, the way you want it ! This way you can trim the pad as needed for the thickness and reach of the top side of the snap attachment ring, either a button or the style of snap and ring discussed in this thread.

HERE'S THE RUB - This well known vendor shows on his website pictures of separate pad and carpet pieces but ships something different. They must have switched vendors to a one piece integrated carpet and pad which sounds good but is very much not on all least two levels. The first being the snap kit that is sold as an option does not work because you have to trim the pad where carpet side ring hardware attaches, (due to thickness) but you cannot. Reason why is the pad manufacturing process does not allow this with out damage to the pile of the carpet if you try to remove any of the padding for any reason it pulls the carpet pile fibers out. The other reason I would not have bought the integrated system is you loose the opportunity for a separate pad and carpet system providing better sound and thermal properties than this using integrated process.

I recommend anyone buying carpet kits going forward to ask and confirm what the vendor is selling. I have a 30 year Auto Interior shop doing this work and it has become the only issue with the entire interior installation. Sad this vendor has become so disconnected from what they are selling. I suspect they don't even know what issue they have created and that the $ 28.00 snap kit they sell as an option for their carpet kits does not work with the integrated one piece carpet they now ship.

You can use some very high quality jute carpet pads and trim around the snaps to fit as needed when purchased as a separate piece from the carpet.

Opportunity was lost for this project to use snaps effectively in the foot well carpets as we will have to glue them in now unless the Interior shop can source "super" snaps. Same problem for the trunk as well. Time and money now burning !!

Net effect on results are, lost my goal for snap out foot well carpets, project will not deliver on time, will be stuck in the shop now another at least another 5 days with the Holiday 7/4 this week which will cost me and the Interior shop $$$ and back up the next project in line as floor space is used up with my late delivery.

Extremely unprofessional on the carpet vendor, will definitely be asking for a refund on the Snap Kit when the dust settles.

[Gregs672000]

Regarding above, I would recommend some constructive feedback to the vendor as you did above, as it is far more likely that the vendor WANTS to provide a correct and fully functional product but may not have known what problem the change would cause. It happens. Talk to Microsoft!!!!

Customer services is not an issue when things go well; it is when things go bad that "service" becomes important. With the amount of effort put forth by ALL our vendors to provide quality and affordable solutions to our group, I have no doubt they will want to know what the issues are so they can be addressed and others can be instructed... it's a community! Thanks for helping!