Another cab mount question
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Freshman User
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Another cab mount question
I've been following the recent threads about cabmounts (and checked out 's site) and I have a question about repairing some rust damage.
When I got my truck safetied last week after I bought it, the mechanic pointed out a hole in the driver's side cab mount, and said I needed to get a body shop to weld a plate over it.
Is that going to do much/last long?
My brother has an oxy/acetylene rig, so we could probably do it ourselves (I know a MIG is better but we don't have the $), but we don't have access to a shop so I thought I'd wait until next spring to do anything serious. In the meantime, is it worth getting a patch done by a body shop, and if & when I do tackle it myself, can I repair the hole or am I looking at more work, e.g. replacing the whole mount, which I assume means taking the cab off?
I've put a pic up in my gallery - just created it so hopefully it works. If not, let me know and I'll try again.
Thanks.
When I got my truck safetied last week after I bought it, the mechanic pointed out a hole in the driver's side cab mount, and said I needed to get a body shop to weld a plate over it.
Is that going to do much/last long?
My brother has an oxy/acetylene rig, so we could probably do it ourselves (I know a MIG is better but we don't have the $), but we don't have access to a shop so I thought I'd wait until next spring to do anything serious. In the meantime, is it worth getting a patch done by a body shop, and if & when I do tackle it myself, can I repair the hole or am I looking at more work, e.g. replacing the whole mount, which I assume means taking the cab off?
I've put a pic up in my gallery - just created it so hopefully it works. If not, let me know and I'll try again.
Thanks.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Black Hills of SD
It took 30 years to get that way. I wouldn't worry about driving it a few more months unless you are having serious issues with the steering column being out of alignment with the box. Save your money for when you do attack it because you will no doubt find more rust than you think you have.
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Thanks, makes sense to me. The steering's a bit loose, but it doesn't pull to one side or the other. I find it kind of amazing there isn't more rust on the truck, given the age and the winters up here and all the salt on the roads, though I'm sure you're right I'll find more when I start taking things apart.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: TEXAS
The driver cab mount on mine has a hole but some one put some serious metal on there like a inch thick or more square peaces and they did a good enough job i was going to put new one on but i am going to leave this as skeleton and put something over it......I was going to take my amazingly perfect cab mounts of my 1971 swb but i am selling it instead......i would say you could wait awhile be fore any problems unless you can stick your finger threw the rusty metal....?
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The hole's about 2" dia. and there's solid metal about maybe an inch back of that. The rest of the rust seems to be on the surface though I didn't take a wire wheel to it yet.
I like the idea of 1" metal over it, though I tend to overkill for most things I build/fix.
What do you mean by leave as skeleton and put something over it?
I like the idea of 1" metal over it, though I tend to overkill for most things I build/fix.
What do you mean by leave as skeleton and put something over it?
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From: TEXAS
well i try to get some pics and show you basicly the mount was gone and they buitl all the metal and it kinda like a skeleton just need something to go over it ..not real cause i doubt rust will eat it but...make it look nicer and make my offroading adventures a easier clean....to dark for camera now bout probally tommarow
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Some pics would be great. I think I know what you mean now. I don't expect I'll be doing any offroading in my truck, it being 2wd, but I've taken my quad mudboggin and it was certainly easier to clean having skid plates etc., same idea I guess. Right now there's all sorts of junk accumulating in the hole in the cab mount which isn't the best thing so maybe I'll just cover it up until spring.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Black Hills of SD
One thing to remember is these trucks rust from the inside out. Sometimes a couple pinholes or rust bubbles that look minor end up with a whole panel that is too far gone to work with. I have found that in the doors many times. When the first pinhole shows through the paint it is already gone.
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That's pretty much what I figured, just curious. What's lol mean? I've been trying to guess but no luck.
Let me know when you've got your pics up, no hurry. I'm just doing research now, it's too cold to work on much of anything. I can't wait for spring. Thanks.
Let me know when you've got your pics up, no hurry. I'm just doing research now, it's too cold to work on much of anything. I can't wait for spring. Thanks.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Black Hills of SD
You really can't tell the extent of the rust without really getting into it. You might judiciously poke at any suspicious areas with an icepick. On my 72 there was only a couple pin holes in the doors but when I looked inside there was at least 100 more pits that were almost through. I was more familiar with that truck than I was my wife and still was amazes at the extent of the unseen rust when I really got into it. I started out doing cabmounts which led to floorboards. My kick panels showed no sign of rust but I ended up halfway to the dash just to find solid enough metal to weld to. The sad part was that after all that work it was a mess 3 years later from other rust that hadn't showed itself yet when I redid the floors.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: iowa
that cabmount is gone time to replace, motorhaven has them at a good price. i think around 30 bucks. your rail is in worst shape then mine and i am already in the prosess of changing mine but that cab mount needs to be replaced, soon enough it will colapse and your steering will get all wacky.
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I guess I'm going to have to reconsider leaving this till spring. I don't want to pay someone else to do it, that's a big reason why I bought an older truck, so I could learn how to do most of the work myself.
I'll search the forums to see if anyone has already described what's involved and pick up a shop manual. I've got a friend in the country who has a heated machine shop so maybe I could work out there.
Willowbilly, from what you describe, if I start with the cabmounts it may well lead to more than I bargained for. This is probably an impossible question to answer, but can I get away with replacing the cabmount(s) now as Opiewan recommends and leave other problems I find for a few more months? Depends on the extent of those problems I guess.
Thanks all.
I'll search the forums to see if anyone has already described what's involved and pick up a shop manual. I've got a friend in the country who has a heated machine shop so maybe I could work out there.
Willowbilly, from what you describe, if I start with the cabmounts it may well lead to more than I bargained for. This is probably an impossible question to answer, but can I get away with replacing the cabmount(s) now as Opiewan recommends and leave other problems I find for a few more months? Depends on the extent of those problems I guess.
Thanks all.