# Expanding Rivets {REMOVAL}



## pseudoX5 (Jan 13, 2003)

Hi Jon,

I was wondering if you can enlighten me by letting me know how to remove the expanding rivets from the wheel arch trim and sideskirts. I have a little project (having them painted) with the truck and it requires removing the trim so I can leave them at the body shop. Is there a way to remove them and reuse them? Thanks. 

Kind regards,
Chet


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## bren (Jul 1, 2002)

pseudoX5 said:


> *Hi Jon,
> 
> I was wondering if you can enlighten me by letting me know how to remove the expanding rivets from the wheel arch trim and sideskirts. I have a little project (having them painted) with the truck and it requires removing the trim so I can leave them at the body shop. Is there a way to remove them and reuse them? Thanks.
> 
> ...


To remove those you have to push the center pin through the "rivet". If you look very closely you will notice a small round plastic pin in the center of the "rivet", use an awl (sp?) to push it through....if you do this gently enough you can reuse it (if you can find it). I did this when I installed the splash guards on my coupe and only lost 1 pin out of about 12 total.


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## pseudoX5 (Jan 13, 2003)

Thanks Bren, I'll try that.:thumbup:


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## operaflute (Aug 18, 2005)

No choice but to break them, if you don't have access to the back side, correct? Hubby is currently trying to remove the plastic panel on the inside of the truck and it's secured with these annoying push rivets.


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## James (Jun 30, 2004)

I'm not sure if they're the same size the but idea might work the same. When taking apart the trunk trim I used a PCI expansion slot cover from a typical ATX computer case to remove the pin from the trunk side and lever it up. Taking your time on each pin and they just pop out pretty easily.

I used these because I had them handy and they were the only thing I could find that fit the job. You might have something else laying about to do it.


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## operaflute (Aug 18, 2005)

I'll forward that to the hubby, but I dunno. The pins are completely flush with the rivets... Good idea, though!


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

operaflute said:


> I'll forward that to the hubby, but I dunno. The pins are completely flush with the rivets... Good idea, though!


Use a wire cutter. It gets under the head and pulls it up a bit. Then you can pry the pin otu in one motion. Very easy and simple. Do NOT cut the head off.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

You mean like we seem to do with at least one per car?


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## operaflute (Aug 18, 2005)

Ah ha! When I bought new rivets (since we ended up breaking all of the old ones in the process) they all had these nice flat heads on them!) My old ones didn't have that at all - just the pin, countersunk into the rivet. Which is why we had to break them to get them out.


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