yea I understand that I was giving an option for thos who do. You could still grind an x in the head with an electric grinder and then us a chisel and hit the rivits from the side.
Ricky

 

........having removed 16 of these rivets (two trucks) with nothing more than an angle grinder, small socket (held with a pair of visegrips) used as a center punch, and a short handled heavy sledge hammer......because that is all I had access too, I would like to comment.......

I found in my limited experience with these rivets, the key to removal with limited access to tools is:

1. grind the rivet FLUSH WITH THE FRAME

2. Within 10 -15 SECONDS of grinding the rivet flush with the frame and the rivet still being extremely hot, hit it with a short "thick center punch" that is a little smaller than the rivet diameter and continue to hit it. If you wait 15 to 20 seconds, you could hit it 40 times and it may not come out. If you wait too long, grind on the rivet somemore to heat it up.

3. The key is grinding it flush to the frame and hitting it with the rivet being extremely hot.


I did this and within 4 to 12 or so hits, ALL the rivets popped out. However, I used a socket as my center punch since it was just a little less in diameter than the rivet and was short, thereby allowing me to hit the rivet harder with a short handled sledge hammer in the cramped space.

Sometimes if you cut an x in it, the rivet can spread and wedge in the hole making it even harder to get out. If you do not grind it flush with the frame, the rivet can spread and wedge in the hole making it harder to get out.



NOTE: Safety First!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Use as many jackstands and other devices as needed, to ensure that the vehicle is secured before doing any of this! Seek expert advice/assistance as needed.
Also, utilize safety eye wear before hitting on a hot metal rivet!

 

How long did that take grinding them????

I'm estimating that WITH air tools, it two of us about 4 hours to put in lowering springs in front and lowering hangers in back,
here's the results. I wanted lowered and level

 

Just grinding the oem hangers off, grinding the rivets flush and knocking them out, took about 3 hours alone. By myself, I spent 5 to 6 (at least) hours just on the back end.

Even though, I had installed lowering springs in the front, I ended up cutting a oem set of coils (I ruined 2 other sets) for a stiffer ride and lower stance. I installed (bolted in and lowered truck) and removed the front coil springs over 11 times!!!!! during that process. Best thing I could have done for reducing cross winds (already had larger front and rear swaybars, wider profile tires, low profile hard bedcover, very stiff shocks).

However, for me personally, if I ever do this stuff to another truck, I will save a little more and get lowering LEAF springs for the rear, and front drop control arms with some progressive rate coil springs like Eibach.