Removing rivets for a lift

Fraser1989 · Mar 24, 2013

I am having a really hard time removing the rivets on the driver'sside axle ppivot bracket.
I have been drilling hard and hammering it with my air chisel and no success. Any suggestions?

adsm08 · Mar 24, 2013

Oxy torch.

Fraser1989 · Mar 24, 2013

Unfortunately that's something I do not have access too

Tractor Dan · Mar 24, 2013

Not sure if you have room for it but angle grinder? I know that's what my dad used to grind the rivets off the spring hangers on the back of my truck if i recall correctly. I will say if you go the grinder route, get some ear plugs. Gets a tiny bit loud after a while. Ohh and a face shield. Or atleast glasses for your eyes.

wizkid00104 · Mar 24, 2013

Ground mine flat to the bracket, and the air chisel took the right out.

For me, the oxy torch worked too, but I am not great with it, so my cuts were a little messy.

Sent from my iPhone

2813josh · Mar 24, 2013

Angle grinder,hammer and a pry bar is what I used.

Fraser1989 · Mar 24, 2013

I attached a small 150 psi air compressor to my air chisel and blew em out. 120 psi wasn't enough.

Andy D · Mar 24, 2013

I drilled them out, slow and easy. If the bits are sharp, you dont have to push. Start with a 1/8 pilot work up by 1/8 to 3/8. You only have to drill the depth of the rivet head. Then finish off the head with a 1/2 bit.

Tractor Dan · Mar 24, 2013

To add to what andy said cutting fluid helps in drilling to keep the bit cool.

70roadrunner · Mar 24, 2013

i have always had the best luck with a grinder. grind them flush, then drive them through. you may need to let them cool first, and hit them with a little penetrating oil

88_Eddie · Mar 25, 2013

i had two ways of doing it on my b2. i used an angle grinder and cut an X on the rivet, then used this chisel i had laying around and a 3 lb BFH to make them flush with the frame. then used a punch to pop them out. that worked the best for me. then i'd also use a sawzall to cut them flush with the frame, then punch them out. i drilled out a few, but that was a PITA. the other two ways were much faster for me. luckily, i think i've removed all the rivets that i'll ever need to remove. (both coil buckets, trans crossmemeber, driver side pivot bracket and radius arm brackets)

jhammel85 · Mar 25, 2013

Grinder and a air chisel.

englewoodcowboy · Mar 25, 2013

I used an angle grinder with a thin cut off wheel and cut them flush to the frame, then hit them with the pointed air chisel and out they came. Either way, do not be in a rush, it is not as fast a process as some may think.

bobbywalter · Mar 25, 2013

englewoodcowboy said:
I used an angle grinder with a thin cut off wheel and cut them flush to the frame, then hit them with the pointed air chisel and out they came. Either way, do not be in a rush, it is not as fast a process as some may think.

not fast is relative to experience?

the method you describe with a 2 pound and a drift gets ALL of the brackets off for me in 20-40 minutes...

thats not too bad. or is it?

bobbywalter · Mar 25, 2013

Fraser1989 said:
I am having a really hard time removing the rivets on the driver'sside axle ppivot bracket.
I have been drilling hard and hammering it with my air chisel and no success. Any suggestions?

do you mean the passenger side pivot bracket behind the crossmember?

drop both beams out from under the truck and use the cut off wheel from the bumper side of the cross member. with a quality cutoff wheel and a flapper its a 5-10 min job tops, cut the heads and whack the bracket and it will pop right off and land under the trans if you hit it right.

Removing rivets for a lift

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