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Removing rear crossmember?

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by gscj5, Sep 7, 2004.

  1. Sep 7, 2004
    gscj5

    gscj5 H2 Recovery Team

    Kettering, Ohio
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    339
    Well I have the tub off and I am down to the frame. I need to replace the rear crossmember. I have all the bolts out of the rear crossmember except two that look like they have rivets in them. Any ideas how to get these buggers out? :?
     
  2. Sep 7, 2004
    blevisay

    blevisay Oh Noooooooooooooooo! Staff Member

    Portland Tn.
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    4,348
    Bluetip wrench......or grinder and punch.

    Plan on using the Omix ada rear bumper / x member?
     
  3. Sep 7, 2004
    blevisay

    blevisay Oh Noooooooooooooooo! Staff Member

    Portland Tn.
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
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    Oh and expect the bumper to be welded to the frame top and bottom as well as the center plate
     
  4. Sep 7, 2004
    gscj5

    gscj5 H2 Recovery Team

    Kettering, Ohio
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    339
    Bluetip wrench?
     
  5. Sep 7, 2004
    blevisay

    blevisay Oh Noooooooooooooooo! Staff Member

    Portland Tn.
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
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    4,348
    Torch :D

    If you plan on just replacing the rear x member with the Omix Ada replacement ,the center bracket will not line up with the holes in the new bumper.......you may have to make a new center bracket
     
  6. Sep 7, 2004
    gscj5

    gscj5 H2 Recovery Team

    Kettering, Ohio
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    339
    Hey thanks Billy, I should have figured that one out eh? Is it easier putting it all back together than it is tearing it apart?
     
  7. Sep 7, 2004
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2003
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    4,538
    Always! :beer: :beer: :beer:
     
  8. Sep 8, 2004
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
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    4,275
    Short of using the ol' mexican speedwrench you can drill out the head of the rivets with increasing diameters of drill bits, working up to a bit that is almost the size of the shank of the rivet. Then you hit the head with a cold chisel and it pops right off. :D

    Of course, a good set of drill bits, a 3/8" air drill and an air chisel help too.....

    (I know, I know. Dontcha just hate magazine articles that start out with "Start by chucking a piece of T-6 aircraft-grade aluminum into the ol' Bridgeport milling machine and...." :twisted:
     
  9. Sep 8, 2004
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    6,193
    FWIW, I had to cut off the original front bumper on SSDutch, so had the same rivets to work with.

    I used a grinder with a thin cut off wheel, and start by making "X"'s in the head of the rivet, then nibbling down until the outline of the shank appears. At that point you'd think you could hit it with a chisel and pop the rest out, but only a couple worked this way. On the others, the backside of the rivet is apparenly rusted/just plain stuck to the frame too well yet. I don't recall which ones remain, but I'm not going to run as many bolts into the replacement bumper, so they might just get left.

    I have to fix the frame cracks before I can do much with them, as any striking or prying just wants to bend the frame section instead.
     
  10. Sep 8, 2004
    gscj5

    gscj5 H2 Recovery Team

    Kettering, Ohio
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    339
    ol' mexican speedwrench? Thanks Steve that sure helped alot....? j/k I am sure I will get a chance to use each method at least once. Hey Mike I also have cracks in my frame just ahead of the front shackles, I thought it might be from someone using the front crossmember to pull someone out because my xmember is crimped on the top and bottom in the middle.
     
  11. Sep 8, 2004
    gscj5

    gscj5 H2 Recovery Team

    Kettering, Ohio
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    339
    I know you guys talked about drilling a hole in the end of the crack and fileing it into a v shape before welding.
     
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