Removing the stock floor rails.

[MusPuppis]

Allrighty,

 

Looking for opinions on recommended methods for removing what remains of my stock floor rails. I'll be welding in subframe connectors starting (hopefully) a couple days after Thanksgiving, and I'm gonna get the car ready starting tomarrow or the day after.

 

I did some searching on this and found some info about spot weld removers, but this idea doesnt entirely appeal to me. Mainly because I think my drill isnt up to the task. As a matter of fact I'm almost sure it isnt. Its been pretty mad at me lately and I'm fairly sure its failing. I dont have the money for a new drill right now. Even a cheap one.

 

I do however have a fully functioning 4 1/2 grinder and an air chisel.

 

Would it be possible to just grind the spot welds out? Pretty much just grind the weld flush with the metal below.. Ive also seen a chisel for my air chisel with an odd shape.. It has a normal chisel end, about half and inch or so, then it tapers into a kind of hooked, thinner end. Would that be worth a damn or would the hooked end dull out quickly? I also kind of worry I couldnt get the air chisel on all the welds at a proper angle.

 

Any advice would be appreciated. Below is a picture of the welds I'm trying to remove.

 

[ezzzzzzz]

You'll work yourself to death. The chisel will cause more damage than good too. Maybe you can convince family, friend or lover to get you another decent drill motor for an early Christmas present?

[DaleMX]

Personally I'd use the grinder and call it a day.

[mom'sZ]

I did a lot of body work, mostly heavy collision and resto. You can use a drill, a grinder or an air chisel. Any of em' will work but here's some suggestions. First off, the best tool for the job is all three! Usually a combination of all these items ( and then a few... like a whiz wheel) is needed to seperate panels. Rule one is try not to mutilate the panels to badly. I've removed panels on antiques that were so rusted out I had to drill and use a cold chisel by hand because the air hammer would have destroyed them and they were the only thing I had to use for a template to make the new part. They make a spot weld removal bit for air hammers. It looks like a flat chisel with a notch in the middle. It works so so, perfect in some places, useless in others. Like you said, with an air chisel you need access from a lot of different angles. My favorite air chisel bit was just a plain flat one. But for the price of an air chisel bit you could find a used drill... two words PAWN SHOP! The last one I bought from the pawn shop was ten bucks. If your going to use a drill, have a little cup of oil (any kind, old motor oil or whatever) to dip the bit in between holes. This will keep it cool and not burn up or get dull. And drill smaller pilot holes first (about an eighth inch). Two drill motors are nice for this. If you drill, it is better if the holes in the panel can be used as spot welds later. If you grind, often with a good grinder, you can see the first layer of metal begin to glow orange around the spot weld. Sometimes you can seperate the layers a little with the air chisel, and then grind. Be careful, go slow.