Hey Rocket that is a nice paint job and very stand out, loud. I still have no idea what to paint mine, but I do have a question for you since I did see a body lift. When you put the new bushings and body blocks in what was the order you put it in? Also did you use the retainer sleeve to place into the new bushings?
I am in the middle of a body lift myself and I wanted to know how they get put back together. The instructions I have tell me nothing and no pictures, and I have had to call customer service. Can you help?

I want to get it right, but I want to get it right the first time without having to take it all apart again.

Motorhead26

 

Motorhead,

Does this picture help you any ?


Yes, I used the stock bushings inside the new cab mount bushings. I was lucky enough to soak them for a while with PB Blaster, then hit them with the air hammer and have them come apart. I used the thin flat washer on topy of the poly cab mount bushings, then set the lift block on top of that. Then, there should be another washer on top of the body block.
On the front end, I ended up cutting a spare lift kit bushing down and placing one on each side in the front. For some reason, I needed to do this to make the cab and the front end line up better. I think I used about 1".
Does this help you with what you were asking about. I know what you mean about the directions, I just looked at my donor truck and copied the original orientation as much as possible.

 

Sorry, the pictures are good and i have seen them in the link that you posted yesterday, but I cut my last retainer sleeves and probably will have to buy 4 new ones for the cab mounts. No big deal and all since they are about 16 years old anyway, but I just need some pictures of step by step how they are out BACK together, ya know! Let me know if you can take any pictures of any bushings that are visible from the side so I can see how everything stacks up, literally. I appreciate the help though and I can't wait to get my truck up and off the frame so that it can be painted and restored. That would be great, plus the lift. Please, anything else Rocket. I'm struggling bro on getting this job done. Thanks.

Motorhead26

 

Well guys I got the bed done today. That was only a two day project other than the cab. The ONLY reason the cab is slacking on getting back together is because that core support was all rusted away on one side. I did get a local support form a guy that will sell it to me for $20 if I come and pull it. If that is the case I will punch out the buching sleeves on his 1990 Ford and use them for my radiator core. Then all I have to do is buy two buching sleeves for the front and possibly two for the back. I have not cut the rear cab buchings in half and the bolts are already out.
I am trying to figure out what to use to punch out the metal sleeve that holds the bushings to the frame. I can reuse them if I can get them out in one piece without damaging the nut that is welded to the bottom of the metal sleeve. (Take a look under your truck for those who have the stock bushings still and you will see what I mean. Once the bolt is out the hard work is not over. The sleeves still have to be seperated to slide the old bushings off.)
I wish I would have known this before! To late now. Any ideas guys. Here are some pictures of before and after the bed lift. Hope you like, I sure do.
Before....
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s156/Motorhead26/IMGP0507.jpg
After....
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s156/Motorhead26/IMGP0865.jpg
Stock hardware....
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s156/Motorhead26/IMGP0859.jpg
After upgraded hardware....
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s156/Motorhead26/IMGP0860.jpg

The cab is crooked because the passenger side is on a wood block, which is the side I will star the cab lift on first. The drivers side will be jacked up and put on a lift last. This kit has 14 blocks, and 4 of those blocks/bolts are supposed to go forward of the rear wheel on the bed. I only have 2 blocks/bolt holes forward of the rear wheels, so I am 2 blocks extra on my kit, as well as two bolts extra too. After upgraded hardware picture shows the bolts on either side. 6 blocks for the bed 4 for the cab and 2 for the radiator support = 12 blocks/bolts. May come in handy for the future!

Motorhead26

 

Sweetness!!

How I got the bushing sleeves apart on my '78 is by threading the bolt back in through the top and letting about 1/2" of the head stick up. . .then beat the begeezes out of it with an 8 lb beater Came apart, then I just unthreaded the bottom and pulled it all apart

 

Question: Won't that tear up the threads on the bottom of the bushing sleeve? If not then I will probably do just that, because I need the original sleeves to clean up and thread my bolts through for the lift. Bed looks good huh! I can't wait until the cab is together.
Got another question for you Franken-Truck about my steering arm extention. I will ask you tomorrow though.

Motorhead26

 

It shouldn't. . .make sure you put more than 2-3 threads in it and you should be fine, at the most maybe clean it up with a tap. Think of it like this, if you can't remove them like this you'll probably have to cut them out and you'll have to buy new ones anyways

The bed is looking sweet I'm glad your project is coming together so fast! Mine is moving slow but somewhat steady. . .floors are all welded up now though And guess what I may have found? A good donor truck for the cab and body parts I kill all those brain cells welding and I might just end up dropping a better cab on it

 

HAHA!! Just kidding man. I know what you mean about working so hard on something to find something else that is better at the last minute. I was going to cut the 86 core support to fit the 89 core and piece them together. Changed that plan fast because I figured it would be to much of a headache. I found a guy that has a 90 so I am going to pull that and go from there. Since I cut the front cab bushings in half then I might have to buy some new ones or just resort to junk yard parts. The only reason I say that is because one rusted part out of my truck cleaned up looks like any other rusted part off a truck as old as mine cleaned up. We'll see i am undecided and running low on cash. I just need to get the support/front end and the cab up and back together.

Motorhead26

 

So tell me what you think. I had a rusty old frame and really do not have the time to take the entire truck apart and put it back together, so I improvised. I wire wheeled the damn thing and busted knuckels in the process, was fun! Then I hit up Home Depot and got some rusty metal primer and applied. It's dried since then and I still have the other side to so as well as under the engine when it gets pulled later, but it looks ready for some aluminum industrial enamel. It will bring back the silver look that everyone is trying to get. Oil based and that stuff will not come off either. I look forward to the rest of it being done. For now I will just work on the front grille assembly and finish this body lift. It has definitely made a diferrence. After this project I think the drivers side electric window will be next. Little stuff first right? Tell me what you think, but remember I am only on limited resources so be a good critic!

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...6/IMGP0913.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...6/IMGP0914.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...6/IMGP0915.jpg
A little heigth just makes the ride that much prouder...
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...6/IMGP0917.jpg

Motorhead26

 

Awesome!! I really dig the frame detailing. When someone goes to the trouble to detail something most people never see or care about, speaks more to me about the total quality of their project and their workmanship, than the guy who might have a $15,000 cuztom paint job but a rusty/dirty/greasy frame

Very nice!

 

Thanks for the compliments Franken-Truck. I appreciate it, especially when I do try to do the best I can do with what little I have. I have to get outside and finish this core support welding though. Took care of those pesky cracks yesterday and reinforced the part that connects to the wheel well. Now its time to reinforce the other side and scrub down the passanger side frame before primer is applied. I probably won't do that until friday though. I'll post more pictures tonight so you can check out my crappy welding with a mig and see what a novice can do.

Motorhead26

 

Hey guys, where is your pics at, this is supposed to help others!!! I'm posting mine on here this week. I'm done with my lift and my front end is back together. Just need to lossen up that emergency brake, but I am not sure how!!! Any help would HELP?