Bracing cab before cutting floor

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Mar 30, 2007 | 12:40 PM

Minger

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Bracing cab before cutting floor

About to teach myself some body work and am going to be welding some 1" square tubing in to the cab to keep the cab square before cutting out the floor. But, is there anyway to check that the cab actaully is sqaure before starting? The floor is rusty but intact (with a few patches already welded in). The doors are off and the cab is just sitting on (not bolted to) the frame. Anyone know any way to measure some diagonals or something to check the square-ness?

Oh and just where do y'all attach the tubing?

Thanks

Minger

Mar 30, 2007 | 12:58 PM

1Digger

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From: Churchville, VA

In my experience, not much on our old trucks are still square today. I know it would be a huge pain, but your best bet would be to put the doors back on, get the gaps adjusted properly, then, with the doors shut, add your bracing.

I think the labor spent now will pay off in the long run.

Mar 30, 2007 | 01:07 PM

Minger

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Darn that long run. Makes sense. I guess if i am gonna invest my sweat and time, i might as well only have to do it once. You'd think I'd have learned that by now but sometimes, I try to cheat fate.

Mar 30, 2007 | 01:20 PM

1Digger

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Joined: Oct 2005

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From: Churchville, VA

I should take my own advise. I didn't think the cab would move when I was patching the floor--Driver side door gap tells the story.......

Mar 30, 2007 | 03:01 PM

49willard

Cargo Master

Joined: Apr 2005

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From: Harpswell Maine

When I replaced my floor with the cab on the frame bolted home I tack welded X bracing in the door openings on the inside and then removed the doors and put a 3rd X from door jam to door jam in front of the dash. This allowed me to set the cab on its sides or wherever I want it to cut and fit in the floor and forward cab corners. I replaced the floor all the way back to just forward of the rear door jams.

Mar 30, 2007 | 03:36 PM

59flatbedford

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Joined: Feb 2006

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any suggestions on where to measure from to check for squareness. id like to check my cab as i didnt brace it when i replaced the floor. and id kinda like to check it to see how close to square it is.

Mar 31, 2007 | 03:41 PM

CharlieLed

Lead Driver

Joined: Aug 2006

Posts: 8,093

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From: Brentwood, TN

Any diagonals will work. Take a measure from the point where the floor meets the door jamb near the passengers feet up to the corner of the cab near the driver's head. Doesn't matter where these points are just as long as you can measure the same points on the opposite side. Square is always proven by diagonals that match. Personally I wouldn't mess with mounting the doors, get the cab square, brace it, weld in the floors, check the square again, and then mount/adjust the doors to fit.

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Mar 31, 2007 | 04:13 PM

Minger

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I ended up doing both. Hanging the doors was a pain and bascially revealed that tolerances 50+ years ago were bigger than they are today. My diagoals across the floor were off by less than 1/2". Kinda hard to weld and apply pressure at the same time so will weld in braces tomorrow when I can get an extra set of hands. I figured 1/2" isn't terrible but will try to address it. Any tips on how to push/pull/apply pressure to shift the cab some?