So do any of you fellow frame-offers remember how many drunken buddies it took to lift the cab of your rig off its frame? I'm just trying to think ahead as to what I'll need to have ready to take the cab off one frame and move it to another. I'll take the doors off (again) and the seat/gas tank out, but me thinks the glass will still be in the front, back, and sides. (5 window) The two trucks are sitting on a shop floor as nice as the Boopster's Dad has (gravel) and they will be about 2 feet apart. Any add-vice would be most welcome! I know I can count on yous guys!
Got a tree? If you take the doors off you could strap it and come along it off , or up and off roll one frame out roll the other one in. You did not mention the steering column or is there a way to do it still attached? hmmm Let me know John new guy '66 chevy farmers bed stepside, '52 GMC 1 ton dually stake-bed
Yup, there's a tree, but betwixt it and the top of the cab is a power line to my nieghbor's house. I'm sure no one stopped and thought, "Hey, while we have this sucker off the frame, lets check and see how much it weighs just in case some pin-head wants to know..." I'm wondering if a couple-o-landscape timbers through the door openings and four tall men could move it. Catch the cab at the top of the door opening? I dunno, just a starting point- Thanks for the suggestion though! Oh yeah- the juries still out on if the column will still be in place or not. I'd like to keep it, but it doesn't have cruise control and self-canceling turn signals...
Zig, have you thought about using 2 landscape timbers under the cab and using 4 jacks to lift it up? That way you can drink more, roll out the old frame, check the underside of the cab for possible needed repairs, drink more, study it over, walk to corner store (don't drive) for more beer, study more, etc, etc. If you do that, don't crawl under it unless you've got jack stands or something equivalent, AND WE ALL KNOW WHY!
Believe it or not My dad and I moved my cab by ourselves from the original frame to the S-10 frame. Mine did not have a floor or glass in it though. I would think that four guys would be plenty. The cab really is not that heavy at all. About the column, take it out. You have to, to get the cab off of the original frame. Take the gear box and everything off. Do not disassemble the column from the gearbox. It's only 4 bolts I think to the gearbox and take the steering wheel off and feed the column through the floor of your truck. If you decide to put a pole through the cab and lift it then LEAVE the doors ON. This will give your cab more structural integrity and will not allow the top to bow on you. If it bows then that's a REAL bad day for you. Tough to straighten out, not impossible though.
Got an engine hoist and some angle iron? I move my cab by myself. They're lighter than I expected. I built an H shaped thingamajig out of some scrap angle I had laying around, added some tabs to loosely secure it with the chain bolt on the boom. leave the bolt loose enough to let the H pivot, and place a couple 4x4s on top of the H. guide it into the cab (doors off) lift it up a little and find your balance point. Once you got that, crank it up and away you go. Stay tuned, I'm really getting close to getting my broject posted on a website....
It helps to have friends Just pulled the cab off one of my trucks on Tuesday. I have a friend that owns a steel fabrication shop and he brought over his boom truck. Lifted it off and set it on 6 X 6 landscape ties. Took all of 20 minutes. My kids it's their truck really) were so excited. Will post pictures when the film comes back (battery dead in digital). I know people that have done it with four strong men. You have to take the steering column off as a unit with the gear assembly. Andy
Thanks! See? I knew I could count on a variety of ideas! I must say, reading Ken's 50... I caught a buzz just following those directions! Burrrrrrrrrrrp! 'scewz me! I just gotta piss my neighbor off I guess, cause his power line is about 10 feet off the ground, and about right over my truck. How the $#@* that ever was passed by inspection is way beyond my thinking abilities! Well, it's supposed to be sunny and @ 60 this weekend, so with these ideas and a glass o red wine, I shall ponder my delema! I'll give up my idea of reinforcing the floorboard, setting off a charge that would blow it off one frame and onto the other.
Cab Swapping I did it with two people back when I was young and skinny , I'd think 4 guys will be plenty . NO BEER untill after though ! Bud don't make you wiser . I'd think you could call the Code Enforcement Officer and get your neighbor's power drop fixed , 10' off the ground means sooner or later , someone is going to get zapped and flash burns are not fun .
Oh, it's gonna be moved. That fine gravel lot is gonna' be a garage someday, and his line is smack-dab in the way! My wife loves her potting shed I built her and my daughter's playhouse is entered into "Better Homes" outdoor kids space contest- Just IMAGINE the kinda' garage I'm going to build! I tink I'm due a lil' summsumm, know whadImean? Not to mention all the stuff I've done to this old home.
