CPP Drop crossmember.. Whats the secret?

[Envy]

I started my cpp crossmember install today, but the factory rivets were killing me. I cut the heads off the rivets with a cut-off wheel and used an air chisel to push them out. The four top rivets came out easy but the bottom eight didnt budge after an our of hammering with the air chisel. Before i take a torch to them, any suggestions?

[62gmc910]

I have had better luck cutting the rivits off with a chizle. when you grind the head off the expanded part is still on the surface. if you have ground them all I would recomend that you heat the RIVIT to red with the torch , then let it cool on its own ,go have a coffee or beer . when they have cooled they should pop out fairly easily. when you heat the rivit it will try to expand but the hole won't let it so when it cools it should shrink and come out easier, works with broken bolts too

[shrunken66stroker]

Try to heat them up and hit em with the hammer again. If not torch em. You could also drill a small diameter hole and then hammer. Are you chisling the heads off before hammering?

[Envy]

good deal guys, thanks, i thought about using the torch but didnt want to mess up the holes, but the cooling/shrinking trick is helpful. thanks again.

[64GMCHorsepower]

I ground mine down,then hit them with a hammer and punch when they were cool, and out they came.....

[Captainfab]

I usually knock both heads off with the plasma and then blow a hole thru the center of what's left of the rivet. This can be a little tricky though so as to not ruin the hole in the frame/crossmember.