Remove Frame Rivets for Powder Coat or Not?

[dcody619]

Hi guys,

I was going to CLR/wire wheel my frame like everyone recommended here, but I quickly realized that will take forever especially with a 1 yr old at home.

I found a good deal which is $450 for sandblasting and powder coating frame.

My question is do I remove the frame rivets for this or will they be fine?

This is not an all out restoration. Just want to take care of rust and get her running again.

[dicer]

If you remove the rivets it all falls apart. I think most everyone leaves them in and the whole frame intact. If you were to remove them what were you planning to put back in their place to hold the frame together? And wow that is a great deal. Like half the price I got qouted here. I'd do that.

[dcody619]

Originally Posted by dicer

If you remove the rivets it all falls apart. I think most everyone leaves them in and the whole frame intact. If you were to remove them what were you planning to put back in their place to hold the frame together? And wow that is a great deal. Like half the price I got qouted here. I'd do that.

Brothers sells a frame bolt kit but I had my doubts about bolts vs rivets just bein a lil paranoid about any rust between rivets and the metal theyre touching....But I am leaning towards leaving it, just wanted to get some more opinions on the idea.

[chev3600]

Sometimes powdercoating is pretty thick, you may end up having to scrape some of it off to refit the crossmembers and brackets. Prob better to leave it assembled and square.
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[Number 9]

I have used grade 8 bolts for an entire frame with no problems.

[Kabwe]

Leave the rivets in the frame that is just over kill to remove them. They are a pain to remove anyway. Try to remove one and you will quickly learn to leave them in.lol

I removed the front crossmember after I installed my Mustang 2, (It did not clear the rack and pinion) and removing those rivets was the hardest part. The fastest way I could remove them was to grind the head flush and knocking what remained through with a hammer.

[lakeroadster]

Originally Posted by dcody619

This is not an all out restoration. Just want to take care of rust and get her running again.

Stick with the rivets.

The nature of the rivet and the way they are installed makes them better than bolting in regard to the rivet head conforms to the surfaces.

This means better fit = less chance for rust.

What the General hath created let no man put asunder

[mr48chev]

The only reason that I could see for taking the rivets out of a frame is to remove a crossmember or change one or if you have a damaged frame rail and need to change it out with a good replacement and that doesn't happen very often as most guys would just swap frames.

[dcody619]

Thanks for the input guys....I'll just leave them in.

But does anyone know how to remove the tailgate?

I cant get the bolts that act as hinges off...

[lakeroadster]

Gotta take one of the trunnions off to get the tailgate off. That means you will have to take one of the bolts out. The bolts go into a tapped round steel disc, item #7 in photo below. Problem is the disc / bolt assembly will just spin when you go to remove it.

Soak it down good with some liquid wrench 1st.

That disc has a slot in the outside of it. Lets say you will be removing the passenger side trunnion. If you push the tailgate all the way to the drivers side that should give you enough space to either wedge a screwdriver into the slot on the outside of the disc, or get a pair of needle nose vice grips on it.

Hope that helps.