how hard is it to remove the cladding
- Thread starter 2smokey
- Start date
Chest Rockwell
Active member
Re: how hard is it to remove the cladding
Info can be found right here.
Cladding Removal:
First: you should remove the bumpers, front and rear.
I started at the back of the truck and worked forward.
There are bolts on each end of the rear wheel arches holding each piece to the rockers, they are also screwed along the inside lip of the wheelwells.
Use a punch to push in the center pin in the rivets along the body.
Then use a smaller drill bit just to get a pilot hole started into the rivet body.
Switch to a larger bit that is somewhat dull, using light pressure so you don't spin the rivet.
I would stop just before drilling all the way through as not to damage the cladding underneath and use the punch to knock the heads off.
At the front fenders there are 2 bolts through the rocker into each fender piece.
By the time you remove all the rivets you will understand why its best to use plastic rivets to reinstall...
The plastic rivets are easily available from www.autofastco.com
Info can be found right here.
Cladding Removal:
First: you should remove the bumpers, front and rear.
I started at the back of the truck and worked forward.
There are bolts on each end of the rear wheel arches holding each piece to the rockers, they are also screwed along the inside lip of the wheelwells.
Use a punch to push in the center pin in the rivets along the body.
Then use a smaller drill bit just to get a pilot hole started into the rivet body.
Switch to a larger bit that is somewhat dull, using light pressure so you don't spin the rivet.
I would stop just before drilling all the way through as not to damage the cladding underneath and use the punch to knock the heads off.
At the front fenders there are 2 bolts through the rocker into each fender piece.
By the time you remove all the rivets you will understand why its best to use plastic rivets to reinstall...
The plastic rivets are easily available from www.autofastco.com