I still got some parts on my truck that are riveted. The only thing I have is a grinder, with i think 5 1/2 or 6 inch zip cuts. Thing is, i cant get flush against the surface, such as, the frame. And I end up grinding on an angle, therfor grinding some frame which Id rather not do.
What have you all done with your rivets?
Thanks for any ideas fellas.

 

I've grinded, I've used a cold chisel and I've used an air chisel. The frame always gets a few marks on it but nothing serious. Next time I'm thinking of drilling them or using a hacksaw first. It takes a bit of time depending on how well you can get to them. You could also try heating them with a torch but again it depends on which ones and whats in the way.

I guess rivets worked well on the assembly line but are a pain for working on!

 

I have drilled the head off the rivet and then driven the remains through the frame. It is easier to start with a small pilot drill first.

 

Use the edge but do not grind the head completely away. When there is just a thin part of the head remaining you can punch it thru.

Do NOT use a torch or you will ruin the heat treatment of the metal.

 

Me... Ive tried lots of things... from spending 15 minutes grinding each rivet down, to drilling the rivets out..

The best and my favorite method is to heat the rivet heads cherry red, then take a flat chisel on my air hammer and "POP" the heads right off.. And while the rest of the rivet is hot I snap in the punch for the air hammer and blast the rest of the rivet across the drive way ... lol...

 

Awesome, thanks fo the replies guys,
Ill probably go the drill them out route.

 

I ground the heads off and then drilled out the centers. Come to think of it I suppose just drilling them would do the trick. Just make sure you are dead center because you don't want to egg the holes out. Here's a thread with some pretty good info on hardware you should use to bolt it all back together: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=408760

 

Here is part of an article on frame construction from a machine design magazine. The link still works for me but I am a member.
=============================
Understanding Frames and Side Rails

May 1, 2000

Truck frames and side rails are the basic ingredients to manufacturing a
commercial vehicle. Yet few of us understand the frame manufacturing process,
the terminology of side rail engineers, or the nuances of modifying side rails.
That was a topic of conversation when truck equipment distributors gathered in
St Louis, Missouri, February 23-25, to attend the 36th annual NTEA convention
and exhibition.

Attendees had an opportunity to learn about the side rail design, manufacturing,
and the terminology used in describing them. Gerford (Red) Carver, an
engineering consultant with over 30 years' experience with companies such as
A O Smith and Midland-Ross Frame, presented the day-long workshop.
Carver also served as chairman of the Society of Automotive Engineers Heavy-Truck Committee.

-snip-

Types of Failures In the order of highest failure levels, fatigue, static
bending, deflection, corrosion, brittle fracture, and buckling failure will
damage side rails. Many of these problems fit into the category of damage caused
by load shock, poor sales engineering to fit a specific application, or an error
in the manufacturing engineering.

Nevertheless, two types of simple and solvable problems can haunt the upfitter:
Fatigue induced by improper side rail modification and corrosion caused by poor
assembly practices.

Fatigue fractures usually originate at a stress concentration point, Carver
said. "The problem would most likely start as a hole or a poorly performed
welding procedure." A crack or fatigue of the metal will start at a right angle
of the stressed point and continue until arrested or total failure ensues.

"Welding on a heat treated frame is catastrophic," Carver said. Heat damage will
occur and the fatigue strength will be greatly reduced. "The damage is not
always evident immediately after welding. It may appear after the unit has been
returned to service for some time." But the damage is traceable back to the
point of origin, the welding done on a heat-treated frame.

"Many upfitters are unaware that they can cause corrosion," Carver said. Leaving
excessive burr remains on drilled holes can possibly cause loss of bolt tension
and subsequent corrosion if the unit is placed in a harshly corrosive
environment. Upfitters have been found liable because of side rail failures on
snow removal equipment and some types of construction equipment, said Carver.

"It can start anywhere, and a good place to start is between an inverted L and
the main side rail," Carver said. That's not the upfitter's fault, Carver added.
"Sometimes metal shavings can get between the rails during assembly and create
space for road salts. It may be worthwhile to advise customers that the upfitter
isn't assuming future liability for this type of damage."

Another issue for the upfitter is adding holes to a side rail. According to
Carver, a small clip-hole drilled in a frame can cause greater problems than a
properly drilled 5/8" or larger frame fastener.

Holes should be added in the neutral area of the frame or the mid-section. "Any
hole placed near the webbing part of the side rail is apt to cause rail
failure," said Carver.

Carver noted that in drilled versus pierced holes, the pierced hole seemed to
have a somewhat better cyclical rate than the drilled holes. Carver recommended
that bolts should not be cut off by using a cutting torch, which is a common
upfitters practice.


From: http://trailer-bodybuilders.com/mag/...g_frames_side/
© 2005, PRIMEDIA Business Magazines & Media Inc.

 

Good info Torque1st, thanks. So are all frames heat treated or just heavy trucks?
Makes me wonder how many frame repairs are out there waiting to fall apart? This is really true for 4x4's that get modified, patched and repaired only to take a serious beating again and again. I have even read here that folks are extendinding their wheel base by welding in frame sections. According to this info welding the frame is "catastrophic" so how do you properly repair a damaged frame? Or modify one?
Don't mean to hi-jack the thread but this is great info.

 

When frames are repaired they are usually reinforced in the welded area. Just simply welding them back together will not do. Many people use the "Z" method to splice frames. Whenever they are are reinforced and welded they must be "stitch" welded or the heat affected zone around the weld will seriously weaken the entire area. Reinforcement plates are used as well as boxing frame sections. It all must be stitch welded tho. I see a lot of frames that have been welded all the way around tho and I have seen them crack... There are people that are certified to weld and repair automotive frames. It is a lot more complex than what I have outlined here. AFAIK even light duty trucks have heat treated frames. We see more exotic heat treatments in newer vehicles just as part of the weight savings program for CAFE. Some of the over the road stuff has exotic aluminum alloys WITH heat treatment...

 

I recently removed the tranny support angles off the frame. I used a 10 inch Harbor Freight grinder to grind the heads off then punch the tails through. I tried drilling and chisel-forget it. Grinding was tons easier. I also used a plasma cutter and straight plunged through the head. It worked good but the big grinder was easiest of all.

 

When replacing the rivets with bolts use one with a shoulder so you dont put the threads in shear. I alway use at least grade "5" hardware.

 

I find grinding the rivets the easiest, I use a 4 inch grinder (with the round grinding stone).

A minimum of a grade V to a grade eight bolt, washer and nut combinations as a replacement for the rivets.

 

I might be wrong but it was my understanding that the 73-79 truck frames were not heat treated. Does anyone know this for sure, one way or another? I know for a fact they don't use any special alloy but I'm curious about the heat treatment. I used 1" stitch welds on my drop hangers and all the other junk I had to add to the frame just to prevent warping, and then peened to relieve stress.

 

Longview, don't use zip disc or cut-off wheels with the grinder if you go that route--use a regular grinding wheel (for metal). It will help to keep you from gouging into the frame.