LP4-3 that just won't come out

I've managed to put myself in a corner I can't get out of and I need some sage advice.



I pulled an LP4-3 in the middle of the stiffener on the left elevator that goes to the reinforcement plate on the trim tab. "Rivet the E-1008B Rib to the E-01410 Trim Access Reinforcement Doubler and E-01411 Reinforcement Doubler Brace as shown on Page 09-19 Figure 3."

The rivet was not fully in the hole even though I thought it was because I was using a piece of angle to pull the rivet off center in the tight fit. In hindsight I might have should have used an AN470 instead because I could have gotten to it easy enough.

Outboard side:

Inboard side:

Can someone give me some good idea for getting this out? I just can't manage to get a drill started on either side. Because I used angle to get the puller head to the rivet the mandrel was left 1/8" long - I managed to grind that off. I suppose I could try and grind it out the rest but the stiffener has a little rolled flange to it that might suffer.

Do you have a Dremel with a decent diameter cutting wheel? Cut the end off or slot it then use a punch?

The Dremel and cutoff disc or a carbide burr would work, but risk collateral damage.

Lets start at the beginning, first the center needs to be punched out to remove the pulled rivet. Second, then drill the head and push out the remainder. The typical failure in this process is that the rivet rotates. If you can not block that in some way, then I just angle the drill bit so even if the rivet rotates, the bit will still cut. That may damage the hole, but it will get the rivet head off.

Now you have some options. I am sure others will provide more.

Good luck!

Be careful with the dremel so you don't touch the surrounding structure. I might use a dremel to make a flat surface on the rivet, cutting about half the head off. Then with a center punch, repeatedly mark a divot in the center where the rivet's hole hole is. then try drilling again.

Tip for drilling out pull rivets:

Use very high speed and push VERY lightly so the rivet doesn't begin to just spin in the hole. If it does spin without ceasing, try holding the other side, maybe with needle nose pliers.

Bevan

I almost did as you suggest! I used the burr from my dremel set to make a flat spot of sorts with the right angle drill attachment to let me get in there. I then was able to use a small drill and come in at a slight angle and create a spot on the right side that permitted me to get to the hole and get the rivet out.

In the process the hole on the trim access reinforcement doubler is slightly enlarged; if I used an AN470AD4-4 the head would cover the hole. But that wouldn't be very strong.

I feel like I should make a triangle shaped doubler to fasten the assembly properly. In the second imagine a triangle with the bottom corner where the bad rivet was. Up to a corner above the bad hole. Left to the bottom piece with a joggle going left. This would get some strength from the existing hole but reinforce the entire assembly for its weakness?..