How hard is it to remove a cab and install it on another frame?What things need to be bought? can the bushing be reused?

 

the wires need to be seperated and or removed. the column needs to be split at the box. you need to disconnect the shifter and brake master. you will need to remove heater and a/c hoses (if equipped). then pull the nose off and then the body mounts. no don't reuse mounts. they get soft over the years and for a hundred or two you can get new ones. then you need to lift the cab off.

 

You don't need to remove the dog house if you don't want to. Rusty is right, buy new mounts. Better in the long run. I did the cab swap of my 70 2wd onto a 79 4x4 chassis. you can see it here. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...-4x4-frame.html

 

If you have a side mount gas tank, you'll need to remove that first to get to the driver side back mount. I had too do that. It's not that hard at all. If your bolts are rusty(mine were very bad) you'll need either a sawzall or a torch.

 

It's really not hard at all, just make sure you get all wires. You have to take the steering shaft off. You have to undo the parking brake cable too so don't forget that. I would definitely buy all new cab mount pieces. When I did mine I snapped two of them off and the others were all rusty and the rubber was fairly hard and cracked.

 

What they said. And unless you are into Sadomasichism, cut the old mounts with a saw and replace them. For the cost, not worth the effort to try to save them. They are available at quite a few sources.

 

I was able to save all the metal cab mounting hardware when I removed my 77 F150 cab, but I purchased new polyurethane bushing kit. I just put my cab back on the frame last Sunday and it's starting to look like a truck again :-) I will say one thing about a cab swap that you should know, a fully assembled truck cab is very heavy. When I put my cab back on it was completely stripped down and it took four guys to put it back on. I would guess that the stripped cab weighed ~ 500+ lbs or so. I would guess a fully assembled std truck cab might weigh as much as 1000lbs, so you may need some kind of overhead hoist to lift a fully loaded cab off the frame.

 

I just took my cab off also and like Daltonw said dont forget the e-brake cable and dont forget a bout the sped-o cable that is attached to the tranny tail. dont forget u need to atleast try to reuse the body mount shells. I found them to be expensive to replace aprrox 240$ for the cab and radiator hardware new. with the body off i used a pickle fork and torch to separate the two peices of the mounts they just popped off. I used this method cause trying to use the bolt and hammer to seperate the two just got the bolt stuck and then the mount was junk

 

I would imagine that a full cab would be very heavy. Mine was stripped of every single part that came off when I took it off the frame because I'm in the process of a 100% restoration. And it was still heavy. It's been almost a year since I took the cab off and can't really remember the little tricks which I could've passed on to you

 

I just pulled a cab 3 weeks ago using my engine hoist. I removed the doors and seat. When I went to pick it up it ended up being nose heavy due to the dash, brake booster, master cylinder, steering wheel. What I learned was to use one strap right around the area of the front cab mounts and use a lazy leg for the back of the cab attached to the front strap. I also built a cart to move the cab around using 2 pallets and a set of casters.

 

When I took my fully assembled cab and front end off, I used two engine hoists (cherry pickers, one on each side) with a 2"x8" through the open windows, as far forward as possible. I used rachet straps wrapped around the the board to connect it to the hoist hooks. I may have had to lift on the front end to keep it balanced - slightly

Yes it was heavy. I then mounted it on a rotissore' (spelling). There are pics of it in my gallery. unfortunately not of the picker set up.

If you're going to put it on another frame I assume it would be right away? If so I would'nt take any more apart than needed in order to save time - Like removing the front end. The front end will hang out there just fine as long as all the bolts holding it to the cab are tight and it is not rotted. We swapped cabs in a weekend once and was driving it Sunday night - We were young then.

Things to be sure to remove: (I mean things that raise the blood pressure as you're lifting the cab off the frame). assuming front end included. Most if not all these items are listed above by others and I am sure I am forgetting something.- I usually do

1. Ground strap Cab to frame Passenger side I think
2. Starter main cable from starter relay
3. Speedometer cable
4. Steering shaft
5. Wiring harness going down frame to tanks and rear lights, and to engine
6. Radiator and heater hoses if engines is there
7. Emergency brake cable (killer pizzoff, it has got me before)
8. Brake lines at master cylinder
9. Clutch Linkage if there's a clutch
10. If floor shifters then open the cover on the floor to allow for more wiggle room.
11. Accerator cable/ linkage
12. Fuel line if in cab tank.

Yep buy new urethane mounts.

We just set the cab back on my truck last week. It was completely stripped even the dash. Not a single bolt or screw left. But did have new windshield and rear slider. I had four friends come over and each grabbed a corner. I removed the rear wheels and let the jack down to the ground so they could walk it on from the rear without having the get around the tires. It was lower that way too. (4" lift) Funny how it was my truck and didn't have to do any lifting. They said it was very easy. - was for me. I guided it as to not scratch it up against the motor.

Use a digital camera and take lot of pics before you remove things. I also use ziplock freezer bags for all the fasteners. Label them. I use alot of bags to keep stuff separated. example one bag two little screws labeled Dimmer switch. makes it real easy to put back together. Whats a box of bags $3.

Easy Deal - Good Luck

Shawn

 

Drac is right on keeping everything labeles. I bought a little plastic bolt bin with drawers for about 15 bucks and I just labeled the drawers. It's real easy to get mixed up because I took every single piece, screw bolt, whatever off of the cab and made sure I labeled it. Will probably save time in the long run

 

When I pulled the cabs off my trucks I just rolled the windows down and ran some tow straps through it and then used a skid steer w/ forks to pick it up.

No problem!

If u have to pick it up by hand try to get everything u can off cause es they are very heavy me and my brother can barely pick myne up and it has everything stripped out of it.

Dan