body from frame

[1952b-3F152]

Thanks for all the information on my grandfathers truck. I need to seperate the cab from the frame. The truck is at my parents house and I need the frame so I can start rust/ axle/ suspension restoration. I do not have room for the whole truck in my garage. The best way I can think of is to remove and/or grind the body mount bolts off, remove the font clip, then jack up the cab so I can pull the frame out from under the cab. My question is, since you guys have probably done this before, how hard is it to remove the front clip/ how many body mounts are there to get the cab off, and is there a better way that anyone has used? Thanks Jon

[Jim Gaspard]

Try this thread....blast from the past.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=5398&highlight=remove+front+clip

Doesn't answer all your questions but it's a good start.

Jim in Dallas

[buds truck]

here is a cab puller I made from a pattern from Tom (kuster13)

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=10748

works like a champ taking the cab on and off with only one person, and cheap to make.

[Merle Coggins]

I cheated and used a long nylon lifting strap and the overhead crane in the equipment shop where I work. That allowed me to leave the steering column in place and twist and turn the cab up over the steering wheel. The wheel will actually fit through the floor openings, but I had the cab facing backwards by that point.

Unless you have a tractor with a front end loader, or some other overhead lifting methods, my way wouldn't work for you.

As for the front clip, I dismantled mine piece by piece and reassembled in reverse order after completing the major body work on each piece.

Merle

[grey beard]

Jon and Merle,

Unless you are:

A. building a show truck - or

B. dealing with much floor rust,

why would anyone WANT to pull a Pilothouse cab off the frame? I'm trying to find practical applications for this logic. Only thing that comes to mind is a show vehicle that will not be driven around for fun - not too appealing to this old man . . .

[Merle Coggins]

Well Dave, I can't speak for Jon's plan, but when I got to this point I deciced I wanted to fully expose the frame so that I could completely clean it and coat it with POR15.

So I took it into the shop where I work and lifted off the cab. I set the cab on a large pallet, tarped it up, and set it outside until I was ready for it again.

Then when it was time to work on the cab I put it on a couple of furnture carts, which made it easy to move around and brought it down to a level easier to work on. This also enabled me to turn the cab on it's side and fully clean and paint the underside.

If I didn't have access to the shop with an overhead crane, I probably wouldn't have done it.

Merle

[austinsailor]

I used my engine hoist. Put a board through the cab, set it under the board and jack it up. Very simple.

http://www.geocities.com/rainbow_chaser.geo/47_dodge/feb_24_2.jpg

<img src="http://www.geocities.com/rainbow_chaser.geo/47_dodge/feb_24_2.jpg">

[buds truck]

did mine the same way. got the idea from Tom (kuster13), I put a post on here this summer on how to build one, its different than yours, but much the same. Bud

[1952b-3F152]

Jon and Merle,

Unless you are:

A. building a show truck - or

B. dealing with much floor rust,

why would anyone WANT to pull a Pilothouse cab off the frame? I'm trying to find practical applications for this logic. Only thing that comes to mind is a show vehicle that will not be driven around for fun - not too appealing to this old man . . .

I am dealing with a lot of floor rust and I want to de-rust the frame completely under the cab.

[Jim Gaspard]

Gotta make-do with what you have. I rolled my cab off the frame onto this lansdcape cart using several 4 inch X 5 foot wide pvc tubes. (I watch Discovery Channel. If the Egyptians could do it, I could do it) The cart has outriggers to prevent tipping. I can wheel the cab around my yard as needed with the effort of a wheelbarrow push.

Jim in Dallas

[ChrisCoccia]

With my truck my cab was rusty and stripped before removal. The replacement cab was stripped as well. Without all the glass & etc it is not that bad to lift with a couple of friends. It is more unweildy than heavy.