Rivet Removal

[SteveG]

Hands down, the best way to remove rivets. The compressor at work shuts off at 160 psi. I always let it build up to max pressure before starting a new rivet. Sometimes the chisel will knock the heads off in just a few hits. The closer to the compressor, the better. I love that chisel!

[SteveG]

Other ways to remove rivets.

A good, sharp hand-held chisel and small sledge hammer.

Place the chisel at the base of the rivet and give it a couple good whacks. If you can get a clean swing at it and hit the chisel accurately, you can sometimes cut the heads off in one hit. It's hard work and you will sweat, but it works.


Grinder

Pretty straight forward. Grind the heads off until the rivet is flush with the frame then use a punch to knock it out. I like to start with a grinding wheel then switch to a flapper wheel as I get close to the frame so it doesn't scar up the frame rail.


A good trick for any of the above.

Put a 1/16" thick cutting wheel on your grinder and put an "X" in the head. This will split the job up into 4 pieces and make it a little easier.

Drilling

Use a center punch to mark the center of the rivet head. Start with a small bit (1/8" or smaller) to make your initial hole. Then step up gradually until the rivet comes out. If the rivet starts to spin you can use a chisel to cut through the remaining portion.
--This method is good for a garage or driveway job since it won't blow your neighborhood up with annoying grinding or chiseling... can be done at all hours of the night.


That's all I can think of at the moment. Feel free to add your own.

[damon1272]

Sharp chisel, snap on chisel gun, it is the only way to remove rivets! Been doing it for years and works like a champ.

[CBDuner]

Not exactly on topic but my 96' had NO rivets holding any of the suspension brackets. Radius arm brackets and pivot brackets are all bolted on from the factory....Is that common on later broncos? This thread just reminded me of it.

[SteveG]

Not exactly on topic but my 96' had NO rivets holding any of the suspension brackets. Radius arm brackets and pivot brackets are all bolted on from the factory....Is that common on later broncos? This thread just reminded me of it.

Bolt-on radius arm and beam pivots are normal. The coil-buckets are always use rivets .

[SteveG]

Added to the second post. Feel free to add.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

I've noticed on the crossmember the beams / engine are mounted to, that they're in there tight! I had to drill them out quite a bit before using a punch to drive them out.

[philofab]

Sometimes rivets get replaced with bolts over the years. The rivets can loosen and there was a Ford TSB about it.

[ChaseTruck754]

I've tried all of the above and never had luck with the air chisel. Then again I have cheap ones and not a good one like Steve.

My current method for rivets is to plasma off the head, then chisel or grind off the slag (depends on whether I am just removing the part - coil bucket, bracket, whatever - or actually taking the rivet out to replace it with a bolt.

I do trade back and forth between all of the above though...

[philofab]

I've gotten good with the torch... I can blow the head off without hurting the parent material about 80% of the time.

[ChaseTruck754]

I'm that way with the plasma. And since I got the plasma years ago I haven't touched my oxy/acet torch...

[CBDuner]

I second the plasma. All the brackets were riveted on my Explorer, plasma made pretty short work of them.