We're installing McGaughy's 2/4 drop with spindles on my RCSB this weekend. The rear was easy.

We moved right on to the front and now we may be stuck until monday. We've only managed to knock the heads off of the rivets on the drivers side which was pretty effortless with an air chisel and a grinder. We drilled through one but it took nearly an hour and it's still not completely drilled out. The remaining 3 rivets on that side seem nearly impossible to drill through.

Anyone have any advice? This is the only thing holding us up.

 

I usauly push them out with the air hammer after I knock the heads off. Most of the time they will push right out, But not always! I would try that first if you have the right adapter, if they dont push out you can always drill as a last resort. A torch always comes in handy if you have one.

 

I don't know if your set up is different than what I've worked on. I use to do as you did with the air chisel sharpening after knocking each head off with a bench grinder. Then I would use a punch to knock them out and along with a BFH(big f...in hammer). This worked for every thing I can remember. However it's been almost 9 years since I did any work on cars. I guess I'm a newb again.

 

the last time I did something like this I was about 15yrs old. I started with a small pilot hole in the center of the rivet head, then used a 1/2" drill bit to remove the meat of the rivet head, then used a hand chisel, visegrips to hold it, and a 3lb sledge to knock the rivet heads off.

 

Posted by moregrip..then used a hand chisel, visegrips to hold it, and a 3lb sledge to knock the rivet heads off.


That sounds familiar, I did forget about the visegrips!

 

just cut the head off with a grinder. The rivets will easily pop out with a punch and hammer.

 

No such luck yet, and a couple of us are pretty strong guys.

Good advice everyone. We'll keep trying

 

put some heat on them and then knock them out. should slip right out.

 

The last time I knock out the upper ball joints, I drilled a 1/4" inch hole all the way through the rivot, knock the head off with a air hammer and used a torch to melt the rest of the rivot out. As with drilling you will need several sharp bits, if you use a sharp bit it will drill through metal like a hot knife through butter, but it don't stay sharp for long, and you need a drill that can spin abut 1,000 rpm, less chance of heating up the bit. Heat is the worst enemy for a drill bit. I had 4 bits and a Drill Doctor, all 4 bits ended up being 1/4" shorter after I got done, also it helps to have a BFD (big f**kig drill)

I meant to say <400 rpms, not 1,000 rpms.

 

LOL.

Yeah I got the BFD yesterday and it's just about gotten the job done. We still could not punch them out no matter how much we heated them but at least we have a lot of good drill bits...