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Removing rivets - best way?
martyn1137 - 22/3/11 at 01:27 PM

Anyone any tips for this?

I have to remove floor and a number of panels from the Indy so broken or cracked rear chassis rails can be welded or replaced.

What's the best way of removing the rivets without causing damage to the panel or frame. Drill bit the same size of the rivet or a broad drill just to take the head off the rivet, then lift away the panel and deal with the rest of the rivet later with a smaller drill or punch?

Does anyone know if MK used standard steel or high tensile for the frame.

Thanks, advice based on experience would be appreciated.

scootz - 22/3/11 at 01:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by martyn1137
Drill bit the same size of the rivet or a broad drill just to take the head off the rivet, then lift away the panel and deal with the rest of the rivet later with a smaller drill or punch?


Thats pretty much what I do... No5 bit to take the heads off, remove the sheet, punch the rest of the rivet through.

loggyboy - 22/3/11 at 01:41 PM

Would you drill one larger hole at the end of the rails to remove the rest of the rivet or leave them rattling around?

BenB - 22/3/11 at 01:45 PM

As advised, then stick a load of waxoyl in the chassis tube afterwards to stop the drill ends rattling around.

liam.mccaffrey - 22/3/11 at 01:54 PM

it won't be high tensil steel in the chassis

martyn1137 - 22/3/11 at 03:02 PM

Thanks for the input.

Waxoil in the holes is a good idea.

Martyn

Ben_Copeland - 22/3/11 at 05:51 PM

Makes me laugh when people say about rivets rattling around in the tubes???

You think you'll hear that about the wind noise and exhaust?

It's hard to talk to you passenger at any type of speed, let alone hear a few rivet end rattling around

Waxyoils a good idea anyway, kills two birds with one stone.

Hellfire - 22/3/11 at 07:41 PM

Just drill the rivets out using the same diameter drill bit you used for the rivet holes in the first place. It'll save having to punch the rest of the rivet through. Personally I wouldn't worry about the bits rattling around either.

Phil

Peteff - 22/3/11 at 07:56 PM

I like to use a big drill to drill the heads off, I get fed up of the heads turning into washers and running up the 1/8" drill and getting stuck.

hicost blade - 22/3/11 at 09:11 PM

A sharp chisel is the right way to do it, cut the heads off. Then you don't enlarge the hole

This information is from somebody who built, raced and rebuilt crashed space fram racing cars eg. formula ford, f3, f5000, sports prototype etc