How do you remove the rear crossmember?

I'm thinking that I may just go ahead and replace that cross member eventually after looking at Classic Enterprises. It has an old dent in it that I've been trying to straighten out and I have somewhat, but I don't think I'll ever get it straight enough to line up the body mount. So, what does it take to remove? Sorry about the newbie question, but do I just grind the heads off the rivets and cut the weld on the end of it to the frame? TIA

 

Cool, the only thing that I'm hesitant about that I should have mentioned would be cutting the weld without accidentally getting the frame. Don't have a torch or plasma cutter and probably won't anytime soon. Can it be done with just a grinder?

 

Thanks guys! I have a sawzall, but hadn't though about using it. Seems maybe a bit easier than I thought.

 

An air chisel works well on the rivit heads.

 

If you want to keep the rivets to make it look original, take an air powerd die grinder and cut the metal around the rivet heads and and cut the welds. Then drill the holes in the bumper big enough to fit the rivets through. Then just weld the bumper on. I had to replace mine, but I didn't do this although a wish I did. Right now it is bolted on with stainless steel 5/16" bolts. I did do this however on my right rear shackle mount. You can't even tell it isn't original other than no pitting.

 

Thanks guys! I have a sawzall, but hadn't though about using it. Seems maybe a bit easier than I thought.
And thanks for the idea willyscjmj!

 

mine was bent like that after my dad backed into a stump. I tied it to a tree to straghten it out. Then after it was straight and looking good i welded a brace to the back of it to triangulate it back to the frame

 

Check out Midwest Militarys rear crossmember that's what I used, see link to my replacement;

http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=3176

 

Thanks, jeeper50, I'll read that tomorrow.