Running Board Brackets

[GeorgeLeonard]

What is the best way to remove the rivits that attach the running board brackets to the frame? I want to re install them so I need to do as little damage to the surrounding area as possible. Thanks

[Atommik]

I cut the heads of with a cut off wheel then used a hammer and punch to drive the shank out.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by Atommik

I cut the heads of with a cut off wheel then used a hammer and punch to drive the shank out.

If you do that from the inside of the frame you won't mark up the bracket. you might have to work on the rest of the rivet after you get the bracket off though.

I took the brackets off my first frame when I was redoing it and wished I hadn't afterwords as I seemed to have trouble with the bolts coming loose after I put it back together and drove it and there really isn't a good reason to remove them if they are in good shape.

[GeorgeLeonard]

The reason I want to remove them is to replace a couple that are bent and to de rust the underneath part of the frame. Also, I thought the truck might look interesting without the running boards. I guess I will have to see. I looked for pictures of ADs without running boards and couldnt really find one. Im guessing that it looks wrong but I wont know if I dont at least try it. I know the fenders would extend down below the frame. Has anyone ever bobbed the fenders to fix that? How did it look?

[duwem]

I ground the heads flat with the frame and then pounded them in with a hammer and punch. I discovered that using a sledge hammer makes a lot quicker work, only a couple of hits, vs 20 with a regular hammer.

That makes for 18 less times to wack your hand if you miss the punch head....

[mr48chev]

Ok, bent or rusted means that they need replacing nuff said. I agree with Duwem, bring out the big hammer for this job.

Otherwise I was speaking from my own experience on my own truck. I took them off because I wanted to sandblast the frame and put the brackets in the sand blast cabinet. It ended up being a proverbial pain in the butt from that time on.

[robin58]

Originally Posted by GeorgeLeonard

I looked for pictures of ADs without running boards and couldnt really find one. Im guessing that it looks wrong but I wont know if I dont at least try it. I know the fenders would extend down below the frame. Has anyone ever bobbed the fenders to fix that? How did it look?

I think it would actually look pretty decent without running boards if done right BUT... I think to be done "right" and look really good it would need a body drop. Otherwise it is going to be perched up kind of high even if you drop the suspension a good bit.

[robin58]

BTW here's a 48 with no runningboards and a custom bed:

http://www.collectorcarads.com/Chevrolet-Pickup/44257

and another one:

http://www.hotrodders.com/gallery/da...m/DSC00513.JPG

and one more:

http://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/im...afeed/3511.jpg

[GeorgeLeonard]

I got three off this afternoon. For me, the best way was to knock the heads off with a hammer and chisel and then cut down the remaining metal with a grinder. From there I used a hammer and punch to knock them through. Let me tell you, after some sixty years of doing their job, they did not give up easily. It took many whacks with a heavy hammer. On the plus side, hammering on the frame made a lot of rust fall off that I wont have to remove later. ;^)

Thanks for the pictures. They look good. I think I may like the truck without running boards. And, if not, they wont be very hard to re install.

[_Ogre]

those running board-less trucks look pretty good, don't like the new beds though.