The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Rivet removal

How do you remove rivets? I am trying to remove the leaf spring brackets and front transmission crossmember. they are riveted to the frame. I have cut one end off of a few using a cutoff wheel. They won't budge from the punch and hammer. Do I need to drill them out after cutting the heads off? This is on a '48 panel.

Drill about 1/16-1/8" smaller than the rivet size, but don't drill the last 1/8-3/16", then try a slightly loose fitting punch inside the hole.

Grigg

If you have been using a punch and hammer after cutting off the head then you're using too small a hammer and punch. I would suggest you get a 12 or 15 inch punch and use a short handle sledge about 4 lbs. One or two licks with that and the remaining rivet will shoot across the room.

I find drilling easier than grinding.

I usually drill a small hole, like 1/8th, followed by a larger one closer to the size of the rivet. I find they punch out faster if that larger hole is all the way through the frame, but not the rivet.

Good sharp bits and some lubrication make it go fast. Last time I had a bunch to do I used two drills so I didn't need to swap bits, but could just keep moving.

Then a punch smaller than the hole will drive the rivet right out.

My preferred method for rivets up to 3/8" diameter is a 1" wide cold chisel about 12" long. Followed by a similarly stout tapered punch. both driven by a small sledge (actually an engineers hammer) with an 18" handle. If you're not scared to swing a hammer this method works quickly, about 3 or 4 licks to shear the head off, and one more to pop the remainder out of the hole. I removed a few dozen from my 2 ton frame, and then reinstalled almost as many new rivets.

Grigg

For and old man like me OLDSUB has hit the rivet on the head
(Pun intended)
Griggs idea works fine but I"m scarrrred!

I use a torch to melt the heads off. It takes about 5 seconds and out it pops with one swing of the hammer.

For some of us who have screwed up hands youll save yourself some pain and vibration from the impact of the hammer.

I was gonna say. Drilling is my prefered method. After years of wrenching, my hands are starting to feel tired. So the less hammering I can do, the happier I'll be!

my preferred method is to drill also. i drill a 1/4 " hole into the center of the rivit going a little deeper than the head.then take a sharp chisel and after about three or for wacks with a medium to large ballpein they slice right off.then with a tapered punch a couple more wacks takes em out real slick like.................dave

I tried drilling a few. Start with a small bit, and redrill with a larger bit. Couldn't get it dead center, some the drill won't fit right over. I ground those heads off, and one I hadn't drilled and it went just as fast. I could see a hairline crack between stud and frame, so I know I could center a hole on that. I'm tempted to use an air chisel, but I would need to get more tools, not a bad thing. That punch is about ten inches, I'll see what the sledge can do with it. I don't plan on using the holes when I'm done, but the less damage the better.

I prefer to use a air hammer, with a sharp chisel. Watch out it will knock them heads off real quick, then take a punch and and they will come flying out. From the air hammers viberation, it busts that rivit loose to where you can use a punch and hammer and drive it on through. That worked the best for me, and it makes for a real quick job.

Kevin

I have tried the air chisel, but at least the one I had, a really nice Snap-on, was not as good as the big hammer and chisel. The air chisel stretched the holes more than the big hammer and chisel.
the air hammer with a punch tool did work pretty slick for punching them out though.
I was concerned with damaging things because I did reuse most all of the holes.

I think it's been said before, but no one way works all the time.
Best to have a a few plans of attack for those stubborn or hard to get to rivets.

Grigg

Drill it out, then have two air hammers, one with a chisel tip the other with a punch. Drill a pilot hole, drill out the rivet, cut the rivet head off, then punch it out. With two drills and two air hammers, you can make some rivets fly.

I've got some to do tomorrow...

I agree with you guys with the busted knuckles, the hammer can be painful. I don't hold the chisel or the punch with my hand, I use a big Vise Grip to hold the tools while I swing.

The best way that I found was to first burn the heads off with the smoke wrench.Then grind it smooth.Next use an air chisel with a punch bit,and push it thru.

I've always been a hammer/chisel sort, myself. Then punch 'em out. Keep your cold chisel sharp. It's a method best mastered with time, concerning angle, not smashing your knuckles, etc.


Where did you get new rivets that size? I could use new ones in a few places, but I have no idea where to get something like that. Thanks!

~Bruce

My fist choice is: http://www.mcmaster.com/
search for: Rivet
Page 3227

Second choice, and for the sizes that McMaster does not have: http://www.bigflatsrivet.com/

Grigg

Excellent! Thank you so much. You've been a good source of info on other things, Grigg. I spend a lot of time reading these forums, and have not gone to bed once without learning something! Thanks again.

~Bruce

Grinding the heads off was easy, but wasn't enough. I found drilling works best for me. I started a tap hole, and gradually increased drill bit size until the heads came off. Drilling through past the frame for the smaller bits, and just to the bottom of the heads with larger bits. Then pound them out with hammer and punch. I got some new 1/8" drill bits, a drop light, center punch, and chuck key. Why I even tried without those basics?

plasma cutter works great also! the sharp chisel and BFH method seems to be "the proven method" with me also. but those BFH'S are getting tougher to swing these days. scarfing tip on cutting torch works well.

I cut an X across the head with a cut-off wheel, then shear the head off with a cold chisel, followed by a tapered drift/punch to remove the body of the rivet.

-Brad