Rivit removal.

[Cntymnty77]

i started the process of swapping out the front shackle hangers to the ORD FUSH kit. I’m having trouble with the rivits though. I ground them down and got rid of the heads but I can’t hammer them out. I have an air hammer but haven’t had the chance to use it yet. Will that be enough to get the rivits out?

Here is the way it looks after taking the heads down.

 

[Kain]

that or a BFH and a punch

 

[rampage]

I have an air hammer but haven’t had the chance to use it yet. Will that be enough to get the rivits out?

Air hammer will make short work of it, or use a punch and a bigger hammer and swing like a man.
Also if you have an air chisel then put an X in the rivet head with a grinder and chisel the head off.

 

[Cntymnty77]

Air hammer will make short work of it, or use a punch and a bigger hammer and swing like a man.
Also if you have an air chisel then put an X in the rivet head with a grinder and chisel the head off.

I’m so weak though... hahaha!!

 

[rampage]

I’m so weak though... hahaha!!

+

 

[6872xtc]

I have a GOOD air hammer and chisel for it. It will take a rivet head off without any cutting! But I usually put one cut in the rivet head with a cut-off wheel, and they fly off with the air hammer. And then I use a punch in the air hammer to drive the rest through.

 

[handloader90]

As it sits a punch and a mini sledge will knock those rivets right out.

I us a long tapered punch and a 3 lb. Estwing mini sledge or "BFH".

The air hammer with a punch bit on it will work great too.

I used to drill out and grind the heads off of all the rivets until I got my hands on a good air hammer. Sharp chisel bit and a punch bit and you can do the whole frame in like an hour. Probably less if you aren't replacing everything with bolts like I've done.

Take you're time and don't sing your frame up!

 

[Greg72]

Find the faint outline of the rivet at each location. Centerpunch to allow you to keep a drillbit centered and then go into each of those with maybe 1/4" drill bit no more than 1/4" deep.

You can followup with a larger bit after that. The idea is that you want to weaken the part of the rivet that passes through the frame so that it will distort easily when you hammer on that area. Put a drift into the drilled hole and give it a strong whack. Those rivets will come out surprisingly easily.


-G

 

[HankScorpio]

Hold the punch with a pair of channel locks and then you can swing like a lunatic without smashing your hand. Welding gloves add a bit of armor too. My air hammer sucks and only gets some of them out. Sledge for the win.

 

[skunked]

Fire!

BFH+Big Punch and some beer

 

[Chevk587]

+

Lmfao

 

[black dawg]

I use a good air hammer and a chisel that I get from napa, 6-5220 part number, takes about 5-10 seconds per rivet.

 

[K85 Octane]

If I had known, 8 years ago, that I would be taking so many rivets off, I would have invested in a MUCH better air hammer than my Harbor Freight one. To be fair, it has done all the work on both my trucks, just slow. Those more expensive ones, with a stronger hammer stroke, would have been nice 8 years ago.

 

[red EOD]

A good long stroke air hammer and the rivets will fly out. They work well on the 9/16" rivets that are used on larger commercial trucks and on these little trucks it's a breeze.

If you don't have that, a pin punch and a 2-10lb short handle sledge hammer will have it off in less than 2 minutes.

 

[shady]

Plasma cutter

Just have to practice a few times on a non important part. Then you can burn off the head without damaging any of the other metal in a second or two.

 

[Cntymnty77]

Find the faint outline of the rivet at each location. Centerpunch to allow you to keep a drillbit centered and then go into each of those with maybe 1/4" drill bit no more than 1/4" deep.

You can followup with a larger bit after that. The idea is that you want to weaken the part of the rivet that passes through the frame so that it will distort easily when you hammer on that area. Put a drift into the drilled hole and give it a strong whack. Those rivets will come out surprisingly easily.


-G

I center drilled them and then hit them with the punch bit on the air chisel and they came out like a dream! The ORD FUSH kit is officially installed!

Thanks everyone for the help! She’s almost back on the road.

 

[Dan Myers]

i started the process of swapping out the front shackle hangers to the ORD FUSH kit. I’m having trouble with the rivits though. I ground them down and got rid of the heads but I can’t hammer them out. I have an air hammer but haven’t had the chance to use it yet. Will that be enough to get the rivits out?

Here is the way it looks after taking the heads down.

View attachment 273195

Yep. Hook up the air hammer and get with it.

 

[trukman1]

And don't forget your safety glasses!!! Particles will fall down. Trust me!