Specifically the 1/4" rivets in car doors that peel open like a banana on the back side. How are you supposed to remove them?
I hit the stem as hard as I dared with a center punch, but a drill wouldn't bite, so the van's owner used an angle grinder which was kinda messy.
-jsw
Pincers?
They're like any single-side pop rivet. You either drill into the head, using a drill about the same size as the hole, centering on the hole; or you cut them off with a thin cutoff wheel in a Dremel. The former is preferred.
Is the steel mandrel shank still showing in the hole? Sometimes they break off near the top of the hole and you first have to drive them down with a punch. That can be a problem in very thin metal.
I hate removing those damned things, but they are a slick device for initial assembly. The peel types are made for weak materials and the "petals" spread the load. The mandrel has four little cutters on it to cut and expand the petals.
I worked on cars for 25 years (15+ of those for a living) and at a body shop for over 5 years, but I can't say that I've seen the backside of a door ever riveted on. Most door frames are pressed and punched sheet steel, with a skin which is folded over the outer edges. Only some of the stiffeners were riveted in, but most were spot welded. Got a pic?!?
Put a 1/4" drill bit in the chuck, tighten down a stop 1/16" from the tip, and drill away?
They attach locks and window regulators, things I don't want to pound on too hard to knock the rivet stem out.
-jsw
If you're talking about those used to mount window power units he did the right thing . Only way I ever found to get them out .
I've always drilled out rivets, including door window motors in doors and tailgates. It sometimes took a pair of needlenose visegrips on the back, but they came off easily.
With enough room (prop the window up), wiggle the banana peels back and forth 4 times and they break right off.
Oh, well why didn't you -say- so? That's "window regulator rivets", not "door back". (see my other posts on it)
AKA "Knuckle Peelers". The grinder is the easiest, fastest, and safest way to remove them.
The first time I came across them was when I was working at a motor racing company and they called them "shit fight" rivets because they were often used to repair damaged body work during a race, hence the shit fight.
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