Cross member rivets

[wdsteeves]

I have 3 cross members to remove.What is the best way to remove the rivets? Thanks

[msgross]

get a $2 4" cutoff wheel and attach it to your hand grinder. Knicks em right off if you can get to em. punch the rivet out then with a hammer/chisel or air chisel.

[ghetto_superman]

we torch em.. starting from the top of the rivet and blow it away... no damage to the frame.

[ghetto_superman]

and it involves fire- which is usually pretty sweet!

[67Fleet]

Originally Posted by ghetto_superman

and it involves fire- which is usually pretty sweet!

I take a grinder and cut an X pattern in the rivet, then use an air chisel and knock the head off. Then put a bull point bit in the air hammer and punch the rivet out.

[ghetto_superman]

Originally Posted by 67Fleet

I take a grinder and cut an X pattern in the rivet, then use an air chisel and knock the head off. Then put a bull point bit in the air hammer and punch the rivet out.

pretty good idea! i just always used the torch cause im a pyro... it would be much easier not to have to get that thing out every time i suppose!

[roj2323]

i've done it 3 ways and by far the easest is an air chisel. a bit that looks like a wood chisel "flat on one side with about a 30% angle on the other side." granted a torch is faster but also more dangerous to yourself and the frame if you don't know what your doing. i've also had great luck with a grinder with a 40 grit flap disk.

ondrew

[Shane]

Originally Posted by 67Fleet

I take a grinder and cut an X pattern in the rivet, then use an air chisel and knock the head off. Then put a bull point bit in the air hammer and punch the rivet out.

Same here ... X with a Zizz wheel and then the ol' cold chisel and a big a$$ hammer!

Haven't found one yet that wouldn't come out using this method. Although some require a larger hammer than others.

[SanitysBane]

When in doubt, get a bigger hammer.

[lilpup69chevy]

on my 69 some jerk took a torch and cut the 3 spd crossmember out of it leaving part of it on the frame still with the rivets attached, why he didn't just blow off the rivet heads i do not know but thats something left for me now

[leftcoast66]

Originally Posted by lilpup69chevy

on my 69 some jerk took a torch and cut the 3 spd crossmember out of it leaving part of it on the frame still with the rivets attached, why he didn't just blow off the rivet heads i do not know but thats something left for me now

I did that on mine because I didn't want to get too close to the fuel lines which run inside of the passenger side of the frame if I remember correctly(haven't seen the truck in 4 months). Now that I read this thread I'm gonna go and cut them out with an airchizzle and a grinder, cuz I didn't know that method at the time.

[ghetto_superman]

Originally Posted by lilpup69chevy

on my 69 some jerk took a torch and cut the 3 spd crossmember out of it leaving part of it on the frame still with the rivets attached, why he didn't just blow off the rivet heads i do not know but thats something left for me now

its actually pretty surprising how many ive seen done like that..

[bagged69c10]

Im about to do this. I think Ill use the X method with an air hammer and cutoff wheel.

[Jeremy536]

I have found that an air chisel can be the quickest and easiest way.

[SCOTI]

Try getting to those top rivets on that crossmember & you'll know why some people just cut it off flush w/the frame rail. You won't get a cut-off wheel or air chisel in there & not everyone has access to a torch.

On the few trucks I've done, if we didn't have a torch & the truck was completly assembled, we just cut the c.member flush w/the frame so that it was out of the way.

If the body was off, we removed all rivets & pieces completely.