Don't know the answer to your problem about rivets and bolts etc but if anyone wants to know how to remove side steps easily - go about one inch too close to a dry stone wall

The rivets / bolts on mine have sheared very cleanly, and the supports seem sound on the chassis, but I bet its going to be a horrible job to fix Now - Black 2012 FR2 SD4 XS really miss the RRS
Gone - Black 2008 3.6 TDV8 RRS orgasmic
Gone - Black 2006 2.7 HSE RRS problems
Gone - Green 2008 SWB Defender fully loaded; brill
Gone - Green 2005 Disco diesel; brill
Gone - Black 2003 Disco diesel; brill

Camper,
Swmbo managed to knock off my n/s step on a high curb. It sheared the actual step off the three metal prongs that go under the car.
It was fairly straight forward to fix.
You'll need some tigerseal and some 2" (ish) bolts that can self tap through the hole left where the rivets went into the step (the step is aluminium).
Take the prongs off the car and drill all the way through where the rivet used to be so now the prongs should be able to allow your bolt to pass through. Clean up on the underside of the step and apply the tigerseal. Then place the prong back where it used to be before it got knocked off and do the bolt up. This should hold it all nice and tight.
Do all three prongs this way and slide the step back on to the car 'adjusting' the prongs with small hammer until it all slides in nicely. Nip up the bolts and hey presto. All fixed.

You can't re rivet it as you cannot get into the inside of the step to do it

Thanks for that whahoo, I'll give it a go when the post holiday blues have passed  Now - Black 2012 FR2 SD4 XS really miss the RRS
Gone - Black 2008 3.6 TDV8 RRS orgasmic
Gone - Black 2006 2.7 HSE RRS problems
Gone - Green 2008 SWB Defender fully loaded; brill
Gone - Green 2005 Disco diesel; brill
Gone - Black 2003 Disco diesel; brill