Make sure the air hammer chisel is SHARP, or it won't cut for crap.

 

Did the same thing here on a buddy's 96. You'll need to either drop the tank or pull the bed to get to those top bolts though when you put the new hangers on if it's like his was.

 

I found the easiest way to do mine was to drill them out and then knock the heads off with the air hammer and use a punch to knock the rivet out. The heads knock off easy once they are drilled out. Start with a 1/8" bit and center it as well as you can. Go a little deeper than you need so you can get the bigger bits to drill in deep enough. May as well do them all at once. Then slowly increase the bit size till you are close to the rivet diameter. Have a couple of 1/8" bits around because they will get dull and maybe break off.

Put the stands under the frame and the jack under the axle if you are working off the ground like I did. Anyway you will need to support the axle and be able to move it around a little to get the bolts aligned in the new hanger.

Good luck. It is an long tedious job but you will feel like you accomplished something when you are done.

It took me about 30 minutes per rivet. I took one off with the air hammer but it took almost as long and seemed to be really hard work for the hammer and compressor.

 

i did it the hard way.
cut a slot in the head with a cutting disc and a die grinder, then beat the hell out of it with a sharp chissil and a big hammer
it took a while but that's all the tools i had, but it got the job done

 

I've always drilled the rivets out and I've never had a problem with any of them...

 

angle grinder, a couple spare wheels, and patience... its WAY easier to do with the bed off too... I did one side before I came to that dumb *** realization

 

This is a massive pita! Never again.

Use a cutting wheel- and dont plan on using your hangers again.

 

It's called a Rivet Buster. Only takes seconds per rivet as long as the tip is sharp.

 

God what am I gettin myself into????, Hey Ben wanna help again probably this Oct.

 

I'm down... when do you feel like doing a cam/springs/converter weekend?? mine's getting ready for some changes.

-the hangers wont be bad Matt. I have already beaten my head on them once... not again. work smarter, not harder LOL