Is it recommended to remove factory rivet nuts when installing corner armor?

[Irun]

I'm doing a mockup of Genright corner armor. I've done a couple corner armor installs before and never removed these. Figured before setting up to drill holes in the body, I'd ask this time around. There are two circled in the picture.

If it matters, I'm not going to re-install the factory flares. I'll be using Genright flares.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I used a larger diameter punch and BFH to push them in just enough to give me a flat mounting surface.

 

[E-Ticket]

I just installed the Genright sliders and armour today. My first attempt to get the sliders in place led to a gap and the front that I attributed to the factory nutsert. After I removed it, the slider fit up well. Of course, more nutserts are going in tomorrow so perhaps I will be back to the same gap but I went ahead and took out all of the factory nutserts while I was at it.

 

[hosejockey61]

I just did mini-boatsides (and corner armor) and I removed all of those factory rivnuts that were in the way. As stated by E-ticket, they'll leave a gap. The rivnuts I used have a very thin face on them. The gap is closed now.

 

[L J]

I removed them.

 

[Apparition]

I removed them.

Same

 

[jjvw]

Removed

 

[psrivats]

I just did mini-boatsides (and corner armor) <snip>

I am hoping there is a BFH garage video showing the BFH usage during the install

 

[sab]

I spot-faced the corners because I'm running the stock flares. See second picture in this post:

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/what-did-you-do-to-your-tj-today.1784/post-1339332