Frame rivets - easy ways to remove

[old Rusty C10]

the way i did it on my 81 was to take the dremel ( electric) with cutoff wheels and score the rivet heads every sixteenth of an inch which meant about eight cuts through the head of it and i got em down as close as i could to the frame without actually cutting into the frame then with a hammer and chisel i cut off what was left of them and used a punch to pop out the remainder of the rivet... if youre steady handed, you can use the dremel to cut off the pieces of rivet too but you have to be careful to not cut into the frame.. i used three or four cutoff wheels for each rivet.. it was time consuming but it worked

[panhandler62]

WHufff..... Angle grinder, air hammer, pry bar and BFH, and I have more to go.

They aren't doing much "jumping out of the holes." lol

[jlaird]

Originally Posted by panhandler62

WHufff..... Angle grinder, air hammer, pry bar and BFH, and I have more to go.

They aren't doing much "jumping out of the holes." lol

I know what you mean. Some do and some DONT!!

[68GMCCustom]

seems like to me that drilling through them before cutting them off was the easier route (came apart easier) but then I didn't do that many. when I get to my '68 frame that will be a different story.

[joe231]

Originally Posted by project1968

I just put bags on my truck and relocated the shocks so I had to remove several rivits. I tried all the above mentioned tools and methods. The air chisel was the fastest and best by far for me. I used a flat chisel to knock the head off and a bull point to punch it out.

i agree, a good air chisel (the longer the stroke, the better) and good compressor are priceless.

[lchall]

The best way I have found is to get a GOOD resin fiber disc and angle grinder to grind the heads completely off, somewhere around 24-36 grit. It only takes about 15-20 seconds to grind the entire head off with a good disc. I started off with x-cuts and an air chisel, but this was MUCH easier to do.

Then I used an air hammer with a punch to drive the rivets out. This works probably 90% of the time, but occasionally you'll need a monster hammer and punch to get some stubborn ones out instead of the air hammer.

[panhandler62]

I did manage to get one crossmemebr out so far ... I guess it took about 90 minutes altogether.



I need to get one more out and then remove some of the smaller stuff before I can go about getting the frame stiffeners out.



I'm hoping that I can get the bump-stop perches off from the backside so I don't have to go after the three rivet heads in their groove.

I'm going to loose the small cross brace altogether because I want to tuck a gas tank up in there.

As you can see here -- ignoring the rust in the stiffener would be a mistake. :P You can also get a pretty good look at what's left of the rivets here, even after all the gringing and chiseling.

[LostMy65]

Thanks for this thread.

[Navy Mechanic]

Originally Posted by lchall

The best way I have found is to get a GOOD resin fiber disc and angle grinder to grind the heads completely off, somewhere around 24-36 grit. It only takes about 15-20 seconds to grind the entire head off with a good disc. I started off with x-cuts and an air chisel, but this was MUCH easier to do.

Then I used an air hammer with a punch to drive the rivets out. This works probably 90% of the time, but occasionally you'll need a monster hammer and punch to get some stubborn ones out instead of the air hammer.

I recently jumped into the rivet removing business and tried all suggestions in this thread....X-heads, chisel, etc. I found grinding the heads completely off to be the best way for me.

[canadian trucker]

A way I found, grind the head flush with the metal. Then use a punch and a hammer.
Came out easy for me.

[68GMCCustom]

I've found that my grinder is my best tool for this...preferably outfitted with a cutoff wheel. Then my air chisel setup with a punch to drive them thru.