The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts sand blasting frame

Down to the frame on my 46 1 1/2 ton and was looking for some advice. The frame has some steel plates attached by what looks like rivets. I assume these were to strenghthen the frame. Should I drill out the rivets to sand blast and then reattach or leave them on? Also if I take them off how do I reattach?

I had this same trouble in places on my 47. Some aareas were pushed 3/4" apart with rust and dirt. I decided to remove the ones at the back. I used a 4" angle grinder to remove the top, and a large punch to get the slug out. These rivits are put in the frames hot. You will need an air tool and a torch to reinstall them. You can replace some rivits with common grade 5 bolts. Most of the time rivits are a little bigger or smaller than a bolt. If you use a bolt make sure that none of the threaded part is in hole, as it will cut it and not remain tight. I use a longer one and then cut off the extra length. I also found the triangle brace on one side was rust almost completely though, and wouldnt have know it if I hadn't of remove the rivits. Another place this happens is on the spring stops on the outside of the frame. The process is similar. just remove, clean it up and reattach them.

Thanks Jeff

tsamm

If the plates are in a high-stress area & carrying weight, replacing them with slightly larger bolts as Jeff mentions is fine but the holes need to be reamed out & installed one at a time, so that each bolt is a drive (hammer) fit.This ensures all bolts carry load. If they are fitted with any clearance at all, they will progressively slog out the holes as the chassis flexes.