Author Topic: lowering back  (Read 4551 times)

Offline chevy99

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lowering back
« on: August 25, 2010, 02:04:05 pm »
Hey guys have the 79 chevy longbed getting ready to lower the back 4". What is the best way to take out the factory rivets? Thanks for info.

Offline got2haul

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Re: lowering back
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2010, 02:38:36 pm »
I used an air chisel to remove the rivets holding the hangers on.  Mount a 1/16th inch thick cutoff wheel on a grinder and slice a cross through the rivet heads.  The air chisel will then make short work of taking the heads of the rivets off.  Then using the punch attachment to your chisel, pop the insert through the frame.  I had a little trouble maneuvering the grinder into place around the fuel tank.
1980 Custom Deluxe Stepside
        Stepside thread: http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=7505.0
1980 Silverado Short Bed Fleetside
1976 GMC Sierra Grande C15

Offline Old77

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Re: lowering back
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2010, 04:10:03 pm »
haha....you think a cut off wheel and a fuel tank full of gas might be bad??? hmmmmm  ;D
1977 C-10...Restored/Mod will never actually be "finished"
2005 Grand Prix...My daily driver
2007 Suburban...Wife's daily driver

www.chevygmcofkc.org
'77 build thread: http://www.chevygmcofkc.org/forums/showthread.php?1728-Working-on-the-77-once-aga

Offline Captkaos

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Re: lowering back
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2010, 04:30:03 pm »
I would think he would be cutting the rivets off with the gas cap on.

Offline got2haul

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Re: lowering back
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2010, 08:39:39 am »
I used a large, thick piece of cardboard molded around the tank to shield it from sparks.  If I remember correctly, I couldn't get to two of the rivets with the grinder, so I had to use the chisel exclusively for those.
1980 Custom Deluxe Stepside
        Stepside thread: http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=7505.0
1980 Silverado Short Bed Fleetside
1976 GMC Sierra Grande C15

Offline junkman.

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Re: lowering back
« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2010, 01:26:53 am »
Maybe there's no gas tank because the rivets fell out  ::)