Hey all!

How much do you think a 78' F-150 4x4 with just the frame, the axles (the axles still have the tires and rims and shocks along with leaf springs on them), and the cab (cab is completely gutted except the glass) would weigh?

Thanks!

Mike

Rompin 78'

 

Hi Mike
this is a wild guess but Id say 4000lbs? Heck I could be wrong! Anyone care to confirm or disprove??
regards
Ben

 

Really? That much? I found someone who posted a thread that a 60's era cab weighs about 300 pounds, but of course I am about 2 decades out!

The reason I asked this question was, I am at the stage of getting my axles rebuilt on my resto project I am doing on my 78' F-150 4x4. I figured the easiest way to get the axles off the frame would be to lift the whats left of the truck, which is the cab, axles which are still attached to the frame with the rims and tires.

I looked around and found some steel saw horses that where rated to hold at least 1000 pounds each! Well I figured what is left of the truck couldn't weigh more then 1500 poounds so I figured I would put 2 sets of saw horses on both ends. And would be able to "gently" take the axles off leaveing the cab on the frame right now, and the frame with cab resting on the saw horses.

Well I jacked up the front drivers side, placed one of the saw horses under it, figuring I would go the front passanger side next and place the other saw horse under that side then move to the back and do the same thing. Well what can I say, the beast started crushing the steel saw horse like it was beer can!

Any one else have any ideas? How do the rest of you guys get the axes off, I am a garage mechanic so its not like I have a lift, lifting it from the rafters is not an option, the wife would kill me.

Do you think if I took the cab off, it would be lite enough then? Or maybe if I lift the front and place both saw horses under the frame at the same time to distribute the weight equally at the same time they would hold the monster?

Any insight I would appreciate it! Thanks!


Mike

Rompin 78'

 

If you really wanna find out and have access to a few of the following resources here's how. Get access to a car trailor, hook it up to your pulling vehicle and go weigh it empty somewhere at a scale house (Dot scalehouse, grain bin scalehouse, anywhere close that has a set of scales for large trucks). Come back home, get your truck on the trailor, then go back and re-weigh trailor and truck. The rest is simple math. Good Luck!

 

I am not sure how much your truck weights but I have a 75' f-100 with a flat bed on it it tips the scales at about 4750. yours with no engine or bed should be considerably less.

Ben-jammin

 

There is nothing else on it, when I mean just the cab, I mean just the cab! ha ha No doors, no steering wheel or other parts, no dash, just the windshield and back window glass is all that is left! and its not an ext cab either!

I think I may try to left the whole front and place both saw horses in front at the same time and then do the same in the back this weekend.

Thats a pretty good idea mudcobra, but I don't have a trailer big enough to haul her down to the local gravel company to use their scale, and I am trying to keep the cost down so I really don't want to rent on either. Thanks for the idea though!!

anyone else have any thoughts? Thanks!

Rompin 78'

Mike

78' 4x4 F-150 (which is all in pieces currently!)

 

Build your own stands. At least you'll be trusting your life to yourself instead of someone else's engineering. I wouldn't trust sawhorses.
You asked.
Greg

 

I thought about that!

But then I thought what would I make them out off, how they should be made so that the truck is stable and so on and so forth. Any ideas? Would you make them just like a saw horse? out of 4x4 lumber?

I don't have access to what some of the other guys do on here, like welders and steel pipe just laying around. If any are willing to donate to the cause, I would be more then willing to take it off your hands!

Mike

 

I have a 78 F-100 Shortbed and with the big ol 460 and all, it weights 4200 Lbs. Mind you its not 4x4 but the friggin motor weighs 800 lbs.......

 

I would go get GOOD 6000 lb rated jack stands, one at each corner. then you have em to use when the truck is in full trim. Safety should always be your first concern and is not where you want to cut corners. To get the axles off put the frame up on the lowest setting that will keep the axle off the floor(pull the rims and tires off), find some rollers and make yourself a couple of dollies like they use to move furniture for each axle, and then unbolt em. you may want to set up some kind of straps on the dollies to keep the axles from trying to roll around on them too much. Just remember to be careful, it doesn't look like much torn down but there is still plenty enough weight there to kill ya. Good luck

 

If I was to make some stands I would take some landscape timbers cut to about 18" and stack them like a log cabin only without the notches. Run spikes thru' the corners as you build. You can make them any height you want. Might even be more stable than jack-stands. At least you'd have a larger top surface to set things on. I used to have access to a set like that and they would hold anything I wanted to set on them.
Remember, safety first.
Greg

 

Thanks for all the ideas guys!

I know there is still a lot of weight there, I remember back in a high school a kid I knew was putting is tranny back into his car and it slipped off the jack, he had stiches run all the way down one of his fingers, after seeing that, I always use caution, and try to make the best judgements I can! And I know a lot worse could have/can happen!!

Well after all the insight I think I will break down and take the saw horses back, except the one that looks like I drove over it, back, and get the 6 ton jack stands harbor freight has got. They are only $3 a piece extra, compared to the saw horses I got. Shoulda done that the first time around, don't you hate that?!?!

Rompin 78'


Mike

 

Safety first is right... I'm relieved to hear you are going for the jackstands. They are the safest thing to use. And you'd be suprised how much you will use them in the future - good investment. Jack stands may seem a little pricey but - How much is your hand worth, or you leg? Jack stands are pretty cheap when you look at it that way...

Marty