Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets??

Posted By: AtomicDog

Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/19/11 12:53 PM

I've got to put ball joints on a Dodge Dakota and the original joints are riveted to the control arm. What's the easiest and safest way to remove those pesky rivets?

Posted By: gtx6970

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/19/11 12:55 PM

air chisel.

both sides should take less than 30 minutes

Posted By: AtomicDog

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/19/11 01:02 PM

Quote:

air chisel.

both sides should take less than 30 minutes

Can you please share more info regarding details of the technique you use with an air chisel? For example, do you try to chisel under the mushroomed part of the rivet to cut clean across it or ??

Posted By: gtx6970

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/19/11 01:11 PM

jack the front of the truck up / support it under the lower control arm to take the pressure off of the suspension.
Then use the air chisel to take the head off of the rivets. then drive the chisel between the ball joint and the upper arm to seperate it.( it pops right out ) then jut tap the rivets out of the arm to completely remove them

Posted By: stumpy

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/19/11 04:28 PM

I cut the heads off of mine with a Dremel and cutoff wheel.

Posted By: Todd

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/19/11 05:43 PM

Quote:

I've got to put ball joints on a Dodge Dakota and the original joints are riveted to the control arm. What's the easiest and safest way to remove those pesky rivets?

What year Dakota? Its possible that it is covered under the D-47 recall.

Posted By: MoparforLife

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/19/11 05:50 PM

Quote:

I cut the heads off of mine with a Dremel and cutoff wheel.

Mikita and cut off wheel.

Posted By: AtomicDog

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 03:52 AM

Quote:

Quote:

I've got to put ball joints on a Dodge Dakota and the original joints are riveted to the control arm. What's the easiest and safest way to remove those pesky rivets?

What year Dakota? Its possible that it is covered under the D-47 recall.

I read the recall and that's for upper joints. I'm replacing the lower joints and its an earlier model not covered by the recall. Thanks for mentioning.

Posted By: 70Cuda383

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 12:58 PM

I would take a few minutes and grind off as much of the rivet heads as you can before attacking it with the chisel, just be sure not to grind into the control arms at all.

Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 01:07 PM

Quote:

I would take a few minutes and grind off as much of the rivet heads as you can before attacking it with the chisel, just be sure not to grind into the control arms at all.

Either grind it or start with the air chisel, grinding before using the chisel actually is harder... You want the full rivet head so the chisel grabs it well... & you'll be chiseling/grinding into the balljoint not the control arm....

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 01:08 PM

Using a air chisel is safer for both the operator and the car because there are no sparks flying around, and faster too. My

Posted By: crlush

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 01:15 PM

Quote:

I cut the heads off of mine with a Dremel and cutoff wheel.

Posted By: gtx6970

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 01:18 PM

Uppers or lowers ?

my method above is for the uppers,,,it's been so long since I've done any lowers I don't remember the steps involved

And when I did, I was flat rate, priorty #1 is get them R+R'd quckly, safely and out the door.

to sit there and grind them down with some cutoff wheel is a waste of time. A sharp air chisel can have them cut and out in under a minute each.

I could have the truck racked, wheel's off, and both uppers replaced and headed for the alignment rack in under 20 minutes, 30 tops if the cotter pins fight me

Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 01:21 PM

Quote:

Uppers or lowers ?

my method above is for the uppers,,,it's been so long since I've done any lowers I don't remember the steps involved

And when I did, I was flat rate, priorty #1 is get them R+R'd quckly, safely and out the door.

to sit there and grind them down with some cutoff wheel is a waste of time. A sharp air chisel can have them cut and out in under a minute each.

I could have the truck racked, wheel's off, and both uppers replaced and headed for the alignment rack in under 20 minutes, 30 tops if the cotter pins fight me

Gotta keep a bucket of water close by to cool them wrenches when your workin flat rate...

Posted By: Todd

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 01:22 PM

I've done tons of them. The easiest way I have found is to cut the head of the rivet off and drill the out the rivet. The reason is that the ball joint is in a sleeve in the end of the control arm and it has to go though 3 differnt layers before its out. The rivets are soft so they drill out easy.

Posted By: AtomicDog

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 01:49 PM

Quote:

Quote:

I would take a few minutes and grind off as much of the rivet heads as you can before attacking it with the chisel, just be sure not to grind into the control arms at all.

Either grind it or start with the air chisel, grinding before using the chisel actually is harder... You want the full rivet head so the chisel grabs it well... & you'll be chiseling/grinding into the balljoint not the control arm....

Air chisel method sounds like the cleanest way so far. I have a good air hammer, but I need to check to see if I have a good sharp+hard chisel to use with it. Sounds like that's the key.

Posted By: gtx6970

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 01:57 PM

cut the rivet heads off, pop the ball joint off the remaining shank of the rivet, , change the chisel to a punch and knock the remaining rivets out,,,,make sure the rivet remains don't get sandwitched between the rotor shield and the lower arm and/or spindle , bolt new ball joint in - done

a good sharp air chisel bit are key

Posted By: therocks

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 02:09 PM

I agree air chisel and punch.The Mopars Ive done all had some easy rivets to cut.First set I did in a Durango I was a bit leary as the time was a bunch for all 4.I had them done in about an hour and that was walking next door to get the joints.They had press in lowers and those you have to make sure the snap ring is positioned in the right spot on assembley.Rocky

Posted By: Todd

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/20/11 02:15 PM

I believe the OP is talking about the lower ball joints on a 2wd.

Posted By: AtomicDog

Re: Easiest/safest way to remove ball joint rivets?? - 07/24/11 06:49 PM

Quote:

I've done tons of them. The easiest way I have found is to cut the head of the rivet off and drill the out the rivet. The reason is that the ball joint is in a sleeve in the end of the control arm and it has to go though 3 differnt layers before its out. The rivets are soft so they drill out easy.

I had no problem knocking the rivet head off with my air chisel. I tried punching them out with my air hammer punch, but like you mentioned, the Dakota 2WD lower ball joint is sandwiched in between an upper & lower section of steel in the lower control arm and the punch is not budging the rivets at all. Looks like I will have to drill them out or torch them out the rest of the way. If someone has other ideas, I'd love to hear them. There are 4 rivets per lower ball joint on these...