front clip removal
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From: Wyeville
front clip removal
how hard is it to take the front clip off and swap it for a new one? where are all the bolts located and what all needs to be done?
also, what years and models are bolt ons to replace my front clip with and what the bed?
also, what years and models are bolt ons to replace my front clip with and what the bed?
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From: Virginia
I have never done the complete front clip on one of these trucks, but most American vehicles are the same. There is a bolt down low near the lower front corner of the doors on both sides, a bolt up at the top on each side near the hood hinges, and there are two big body mount bolts up front. There may be a few smaller ones in the wheelwell area.
You need to take the hood off first. And unplug some wiring and hoses.
86-down will swap with no mods. 87-up will swap in, but the lower rear fender bolts are different and need a little bracket made for it to fit. And the 87-up front of the frame is a little different, so the 87-up front bumper will not bolt on correctly on a 86-dwn frame
You need to take the hood off first. And unplug some wiring and hoses.
86-down will swap with no mods. 87-up will swap in, but the lower rear fender bolts are different and need a little bracket made for it to fit. And the 87-up front of the frame is a little different, so the 87-up front bumper will not bolt on correctly on a 86-dwn frame
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From: Lewis Center OH
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From: Virginia
It will bolt on with the little mod to the lower rear fender bolts. You have to take the whole thing though, it all works together. And watch out for the radiator supports, some of them were different for different radiators.
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From: Wyeville
what about the boxes for the different body styles? the box on the 89 is in better shape than my 86.
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From: South Carolina
The box will bolt on. IIRC, the 87+ beds have 6 bolts instead of 8. But they are in the same spots, so youre good to go. When switching, remember about gas fill hoses and wiring.
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I took mine off for the work i did this summer. Aside from breaking a few rusted j-nuts it wasn't very difficult. I just wish that I had done a better job at sorting the small parts into labeled baggies.
The hard part is getting all the body-lines right when you put it all back together. Nearly every hole has either vertical or horizontal adjustment. No matter how many times I adjust, and re-adjust I can not get the hood, fenders and grill to line up as well as I want. Will ultimately probably end up going to a body shop and paying for a few hrs of time to have them do it right.
The hard part is getting all the body-lines right when you put it all back together. Nearly every hole has either vertical or horizontal adjustment. No matter how many times I adjust, and re-adjust I can not get the hood, fenders and grill to line up as well as I want. Will ultimately probably end up going to a body shop and paying for a few hrs of time to have them do it right.
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From: Lewis Center OH
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