How do you remove rusted rivets from bumper holder strips

[Bmachine]

The holder strips (the long ones that you secure the rubber bits to) on my bumpers are completely rusted. I need to remove the rivets/screw that are still in there. I can't really drill them out because most of them spin with the drill. I was thinking of using the angle grinder but there is not enough room to do that from the inside and I am nervous about going at them from the outside for fear of damaging the chrome if I slip or get too close.

Is there a better way to do this?

Thanks for any help.

B.

 

[deQuincey]

The holder strips (the long ones that you secure the rubber bits to) on my bumpers are completely rusted. I need to remove the rivets/screw that are still in there. I can't really drill them out because most of them spin with the drill. I was thinking of using the angle grinder but there is not enough room to do that from the inside and I am nervous about going at them from the outside for fear of damaging the chrome if I slip or get too close.

Is there a better way to do this?

Thanks for any help.

B.

the best way is to drill them out
i assume that you might be able to stop spinning by using vicegrips from behind

 

[inovermyhead]

Try punching them out with a fine nail punch, worked on the tiny rivets holding the front of my headlining in.

Cheers. John

 

[Ohmess]

I drilled mine, and they were quite rusty. Switch to a smaller bit and drill slowly; you don't need to remove the entire rivet, they are pretty soft and if you get the bulk of the rivet out of there you can usually yank out the rest.

Another option is to use a small file and slowly file off the head.

 

[Bmachine]

Thank you deQuincey, Ohmess and John.

Great tips all of them. Will try that this weekend.

Bo

 

[rsporsche]

you can also take a small chisel and knock off the head, then push the rivet body through the hole