Plastic body fasteners look similar at a glance but work completely differently. Replacing one type with another usually ends with a panel flapping at 40mph. Here's how to tell them apart.
Push rivets (expansion rivets)
Two-piece design: a body with split legs, and a center pin. Insert the body, push the pin, and the legs spread behind the panel. Removable and the standard on ATV/UTV fenders and panels. Identified by the visible center pin in the head. This is what we sell.
Christmas tree clips
One-piece ribbed shank that looks like a fir tree. Push in once; the ribs bite. Common on automotive door panels and fender liners. They shred on removal and are single-use by design — if your old clip came out with mangled ribs, it's this type.
Screw rivets
Look like push rivets but the center pin is threaded — you unscrew it with a Phillips driver instead of prying. Common on Japanese motorcycles and some jet ski hulls. If the head has a Phillips slot, don't pry it; unscrew it.
Quick identification
- Center pin, no screw slot → push rivet → we've got you
- Ribbed one-piece shank → christmas tree clip
- Phillips slot in the pin → screw rivet
Measure the hole (our size guide shows how) and you'll order the right part the first time.