The right way to clean an AD frame?

[ryans69chevy]

Wondering how far you guys have gone when cleaning the frame of an AD? Have a '49 and preparing to clean it, but wondering if all the brackets that hold the running boards on and the battery tray and the other misc brackets on the frame are worth taking off and cleaning behind them? This will mean cutting all the pop rivets. I'm willing to do this, but does it need to be done? Or should it be done? If I do take all these brackets off what is the best method of putting them back on? Rivets or bolts?

If I go hardcore on this such as removing every piece on the frame is anything gonna flex? Or is this normal to disassemble every piece of the frame when doing a frame off resto?

Thanks so much!

[Dan in Pasadena]

There are as many answers to your question as there are guys here. You can "clean" your frame to whatever degree you have an appetite, money, time and space for. Are you going for a frame-off restoration, a show vehicle, a clean driver? What?

Personally, I'm going for a clean driver and I'm willing to do it bit-by-bit as my budget allows and since I don't have room for a long term derelect in my driveway, I prefer doing it this way. I doubt too many guys grind out rivets to "clean" behind running board brackets, but whatever blows your dress up!

I'm NOT doing a frame off but I tend to be anal about cleanliness so I'll pull my bed, scrape, wire wheel, degrease, and anything that bothers me that I can't get with these I'll break out my little Sears siphon feed sandblaster and clean up the remainder that way. Then primer & paint and..."Bob's your Uncle" as they say. Plenty good enough for me to feel proud of. Later, the front clip will come off and get the same treatment. YMMV.

[LEEVON]

I wouldn't advocate removing rivets just to clean, replacing them is not easy and required special tools and skill and they are very important to the strength of the frame (more related to the crossmembers, etc. than running board and battery supports though). Not to mention removing them is a chore. I'd just have the whole thing sandblasted and then powdercoat or paint to your liking.

To answer your last question, no it's not normal for a restoration, even the highest end. Everything fixed to the frame via rivets is usually left intact unless it will be replaced with newer parts (front suspension to IFS for example).

On my truck since I switched to IFS and custom trailing arm suspension I removed all of the stuff associated with those parts and left the running board supports, etc. The sandblaster cleaned behind them well enough for me and now that space is painted.

[BigDan3131]

I've never had to remove any rivets. The sandblaster does a very good job of getting in every crack and crevice. If you go sand, blast out the areas with air several times to get the sand out before primer and paint.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by LEEVON

I wouldn't advocate removing rivets just to clean, replacing them is not easy and required special tools and skill and they are very important to the strength of the frame (more related to the crossmembers, etc. than running board and battery supports though). Not to mention removing them is a chore. I'd just have the whole thing sandblasted and then powdercoat or paint to your liking.

To answer your last question, no it's not normal for a restoration, even the highest end. Everything fixed to the frame via rivets is usually left intact unless it will be replaced with newer parts (front suspension to IFS for example).

On my truck since I switched to IFS and custom trailing arm suspension I removed all of the stuff associated with those parts and left the running board supports, etc. The sandblaster cleaned behind them well enough for me and now that space is painted.

Just use bolts to replace rivets.Petrebilt,kenworth etc used bolts for many years.

[mr48chev]

I don't think that most of us would go that far as riveted items that are removed and bolted back on later tend to work loose after a while. I know my running board brackets did. A good sandblaster who knows what he is doing can usually get the frame clean and clean in most all the cracks and crevices to where holding paint isn't an issue. I would do a serious degreasing and clean any and all oil residue off first along with removing any bracket or item that won't be used in the build. You don't want to pay for 15 minutes of cleaning on a crossmember that is going to get removed the first day you get the frame back.

[duwem]

I stripped mine down all the way. Only way to insure you get all the rust between the joints. Maybe down south you can get away with it but up here in the rust belt there is rust between the parts.

I also sandblasted it myself which took something like 7 hours. Didnt cost much but it was a PITA and I have a BIG air compressor.

I'm welding nuts on the inner frame rails so I can bolt the pieces up after I box the framerails.

Here it is after blasting. The few crossmembers remaining will get removed once I weld in mine for the front and rear suspension.

[ryans69chevy]

Okay, thank you guys! I guess I didn't realize the sandblaster would/could get in between all those spots! I think I will just leave all the brackets on and work the sandblaster around.

Thank you!