hey, i am getting ready to pull the cab on my 53 f-350 and wanted a few opinions on how to do this. i will mostly be working alone, i want to put a 2x6 board i have throught the cab from one side to the other, (i have the doors removed) than hook a chain to either end of the board and lift it off with my front end loader, roll the frame out of the way and set it down on some dollies and roll it back into the shop. I will have another guy there to keep an eye on it to be sure it isnt hung up on anything but he won't be able to do much due to medical problems so i just wanted some opinions on doing it this way. Would the door openings be strong enuff to support the weight of the cab, how much does the stripped cab weigh???

 

I would think that would work, that cab is pretty tough, I did mine by myself, I unbolted the cab from the frame, tilted it back, slid a 4x4 post from frame rail to frame rail under the front, went around to the back did the same thing, then I took a couple pieces of 1-1/4" conduit and layed them at an angle between the cab and the frame on the passenger side, got on the drivers side and pushed, slid down nice and easy. Once on the floor I slid the 4x4 under the cab. Nice to have help, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

I lifted the cab off of a '57 F-100 with a board through the windows.
Worked like a top. The cab is not that heavy. Use a good 2x6 and attach to it close to the cab.

 

Should work fine. A story I read on a Canadian hot rod site (I think) about a guy that got 6 of his buddies to come over and help him lift his car body off the frame, with beer of course. Big grunt and a lift, nothing except a couple of sore backs and pulled arm muscles, he forgotten a couple of cab bolts! His buddies have never let him forget it.

 

Heres a good thread with some pics I saved. This is how I will do it someday.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...ff-w-pics.html

 

good info thanks for the replies' i have seen before where someone used a engune hoist, i don't have a one so i use what i got and thats a front end loader. when i need an engine hoist i usually borrow one from a man up the road thanks again i will take some pictures of it and post back when it is successful.............

 

It's really not very heavy with the doors off and the glass out. A few beer fueled friends could do it. I did it my self with a cherry picker and some motorcycle tie down straps. On my F1, I attached the tie down hooks to the two front cab mount brackets, and one tie down to the rear of the cab through the fuel tank outlet. Roll the cherry picker in from the side placing the hook fairly high in the middle of the cab and attach the tie downs to it. Make sure the hook is high so the cab won't try to roll over. Lift it off, with a spotter if you have one, and place it on a roll around stand. I built my stand from 2x4's with casters on the bottom. Buy a cheapy furnture dolly from harbor freight and remove the casters. It's cheaper to buy them that way then to buy casters separately. Make a square frame from from 2x4's with a few braced uprights attached to it, and set the cab on that. Make sure the stang is high enough to get under the cab.

 

Here is how I did it a couple of months ago. I used a 2 X 6 as you can see and my overhead hoist. I welded some casters onto the frame so I can move it around my limited work area. As the others have said the cab is pretty rigid and not very heavy.

 

one safety note here...

when you lift through the windows the cab is back heavy and will tend to tilt back... nothing you can't overcome but be prepared..

BTW I did mine alone with a nylon choker and an engine hoist

later
John