rivet removal

[94 lngbd]

I'm removing electric window motor & electric door lock & intetior & exterior door handle from a 93 ranger donor door & my titanium drill bits aren't doing much to the rivets as if there a hardened material,so I started to use a cut off wheel ,but I dont want to do the cut off wheel method on my good doors. Is there a special type of drill bit thats needed?

 

[twitch]

u could do what i do and use a grinder and care fully remove the front of the rivets and then pound them out softly with a nail punch or use a dremel to remove it would be easier than a grinder lol

 

[Explorin94]

Use your cutoff wheel and put a cross in the rivets, then use a good sharp chisel. Should be able to pop the 4 parts on the rivet off without ruining too much.

 

[metalmacguyver]

Titanium coated bits don't do much in my experience. If you need to drill something hard, use Cobalt or Molybendium drills. Don't use Cobalt Coated bits. Use drill bits that are made by a brand you know. Coated bits wear out very quickly.

 

[alain]

Drive out the "nail" portion of the rivet with a punch. The rivets themselves are aluminum, should not be difficult to drill.

 

[hunt-n-fish]

Titanium coated bits don't do much in my experience. If you need to drill something hard, use Cobalt or Molybendium drills. Don't use Cobalt Coated bits. Use drill bits that are made by a brand you know. Coated bits wear out very quickly.

+1

Coated drill bits are a gimmick. We use carbide drills here at the shop if we need to drill hardened tool steels, but carbide is rather expensive.

Edit: How fast is your drill turning? If you try to drill too fast all you'll do is burn the end of the bit and dull it out.

 

[mhughes165]

i had issues popping out the rivets in the passenger side beam bracket when i was putting the lift on my ranger, the new style gold bits suck ass, i burned up sooooo many of those, i finally wnet grabbed a few of my pops old drill bits that he had since i was a kid, those went straight through the rivets like it was nothing, just old fashioned hardened steel bits

 

[BrokeRecord]

10-4 on the TI coated bits. They look pretty. We used Cobalt bits in the shop to drill out tuff stuff. Always buy "Jobber tools" if you can.

 

[red85]

I bought a set of DeWalt carbides and they chew through everything. After years of using the cheapies (ti coated), I'll never go back. I threw out about 30 dull bits after I started using these things.

 

[ZMan]

Drive out the "nail" portion of the rivet with a punch. The rivets themselves are aluminum, should not be difficult to drill.

ding ding ding! Do this and drilling those rivets will take you about 5 seconds. Hell sometimes I don't even need a punch to knock those centers out, just the ball side of a ball peen hammer usually knocks em right now.

 

[merc2dogs]

I normally cut a cross in the head, then chisel it. With aluminum rivets I use a wood chisel because they're sharper and single sided to slip right under the head. cuts them much better than a regular cold chisel. Depending on the size of the rivet, you don't have to drill or cross them.

Ken.

 

[94 lngbd]

thanks guys all try all methods mentioned. Also is it best to replace the pop rivets or use button head screws with star lock washers & square nuts

 

[rickcdewitt]

ding ding ding! Do this and drilling those rivets will take you about 5 seconds. Hell sometimes I don't even need a punch to knock those centers out, just the ball side of a ball peen hammer usually knocks em right now.

the shafts on these rivets is hardened.this is the correct way to deal with these rivets.don't listen to the guys taking about under body rivets.z-man and i have both worked in body shops.the ford door handle rivets can be a pain but you need to punch out the mandrel(center pin)

 

[94 lngbd]

thanks alot guys i'll see what im able to get done today or tomorrow

 

[Danger-Ranger96]

I bought a set of DeWalt carbides and they chew through everything. After years of using the cheapies (ti coated), I'll never go back. I threw out about 30 dull bits after I started using these things.

+1 i picked a 50 piece set up for 150 and i haven't broken a single bit yet, I love them. As for the rivets they shouldn't be to hard to drill out, i do alot of riveting and aluminum work on my ski-doo and haven't really had any troubles with rivets. I'm also going to agree with the drill speed question, if you have a drill with a low/high range selector, i'd use low range. I have a 19.4V craftsman cordless and with the low range it can drill those rivets out with ease.

Also if they are like the rivets on the window regulator in the door (and there's room) i'd just replace the rivets with 1/4 bolts and nuts, i did when i fixed the regulator in my door