Tearing down the Stepside bed..

[62step]

Hey everyone
I am about to send my bed off to get soda blasted and I was wondering whats a good way to take the stepside fenders off? I noticed they are a little rusty and what not, but I want to take the fenders off so they can blast behind that seem..

Should I try with a handheld impact driver (one you hit with a hammer and turning at the same time), or should I get some nuts and weld the nuts on the end of the phillips head screw?

Once I get them out (if I get them out) do I just re-tap the insert with the correct thread, or will I have to replace the hole that it goes into...

Hopefully this makes sense... lol

Any advise will be appreciated!

Thanks, Mike