I tried searching, I really have. I try searching for every question, but after spending 10-15 going through totally unrelated topics with nothing, I have to post a thread.

What size drill bit is the bit to use for drilling out the rocker rivets that hold the rocker to the uni-body? My car has metal rivets and I have to get the rockers off to inspect completely underneath and take care of anything there.

If they are the small soft ones on top, I just shear them off with a chisel and qucik tap on the hammer... push the bottoms through.

They are metal. I don't want to mangle the rocker, but I guess I could since the rocker is shot anyways.

I would rather just drill them out and do it cleanly once.

Most rivets can be taken off cleanly with the head popped off.. then again, if you drill, it doesn't need to go down futher than wearing through the head. The spinning rivet will likely make it just as much of an impact...

1/8" is enough to remove the head.

If they are soft you can use a drift punch. It will generally drive the pin through enough that the deformed head can be removed with snips without hurting anything. Remove the head & all falls through. Then, remove the lower fasteners & prepare for a surprise!

check this out http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...c=25978&hl=

This is what I posted back in 2005

I just put my rockers back on today. I was going to use screws, but to keep it looking original, I put the rivits back in. Took five minutes to do. Use 1/8 (1/8x1/4 to be exact) rivets with any rivet gun. Just put the rivert in the hole with the long end of the nail pointing up. Put the nail point in the rivet gun hole and squeeze the handle a couple of times. On the second or third squeeze the nail part will break off and the rivet will be flush. It is a lot easire than it sounds. GOOD LUCK

EDIT: Oh yeah, The bolts on the bottom of the rocker covers are 6MM X 12 (or 16 mm long) and the two screws in the fender well are #8X3/4. I used a hex head for both, as I think they are less prone to strip out. The bottom three bolts are tight with the hex head, but fit. I was unable to find stainless 6MM bolts so I ended up with zinc and stainless washers. GOOD LUCK

RIVET GUN:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_0...ters+%26+Rivets

RIVETS:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?...pid=00974618000

Wilcheck, great info, we have been looking for metal replacements. I'll copy your info and post it in the originallity forum.

I use the largest drill bit that fits in my drill with a conventional shallow angled end on the drill bit- not one of those funky stepped hole starting drill bits..

Drill straight in along the pop hole until the angled end hits the corner between the head and the shank of the rivit...

The head detaches, sticks on the drill bit and spins preventing further depth of cut.

Just be careful to not let it wander..

Push the shank into the hole to release it....

Or, drill partway down and whack the weakened head from the side to pop it off...