What is the best method to drill out rivets holding the adjuster on the rails

[429dhm]

I want to get my rails a anodized but need to remove the rivets holding the adjuster bracket. Are these rivets really hard and tough to drill out?

Thanks

 

[gmustangt]

Took my boards off yesterday, I hate taking out rivets.

A good 3/16" bit and patience, you can cut some off them with a zip disc then they are very weak and hit them with a punch/hammer.

Pull the sled over on its side so you dont have to lay on your back.

 

[skibreeze]

The simple way to drill out rivets is to first use a punch to punch out the mandrel. Once that is done, the rivet heads will drill fairly easily.

 

[mountainhorse]

The rivets holding on the adjuster are swaged...not pop rivets... grind them flush with the adjuster and then punch them out... sometimes they are an SOB!!


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[danduvall]

I just drilled my adjuster rivets out aswell.
On the flat side of the rivet I .... center punched it... drilled a shallow 3/16" pilot hole..... then used a 1/2" or 5/8" 135° drill bit to basically mill the rivet head off. Then tapped the rivet out with a punch.

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[volcano buster]

I like using the step (taper) bits for drilling rivets. Once the rivet is ready (punching out the mandrel or center punching, the step bit chews through the metal well without chattering like a twist bit. When you get very close, the angle up to the next diameter hole does a great job of cutting the "washer" off without much damage to the parent material. By having the step in the bit, it acts as a centering guide as you drill through increasing diameters until you reach the desired size. I have had issues with twist bits sliding off center if the parent material is softer than the metal being drilled and it doesn't jar you like a twist bit can when the bit almost pops through the metal and grabs. Bonus, I only make one trip to the bench to get the "right" size bit, unlike twists bits where I seemingly always have the wrong size.

 

[Sickbuild]

Leave it, they can anodize with it left in. They can " mask" it.