56 F100: I removed the cab by myself with no help from anyone and was just wondering how others removed their cab. Here's what I done: In my 2 car garage I erected a 4x4 derrick of sorts....One 4x4 vertical on each side of the cab, One overhead 4x4 on top of the vertical ones. Attached plywood stabilizers to keep it from falling over or twisting. Two chain hoists on the overhead 4x4; one on each side of the cab. Hookup the chain hoists to a 4x4 running thru the cab door openings. Up she came....removed the rear wheels and rolled the frame out from under.

 

Well, that was certainly inventive. Did you take any pictures? How about starting a gallery?

I have seen some other techniques that FTE members have used. I'm sure they'll chime in to share here.

With 4 people, the process is fairly simple. But, like you, I wind up working alone a lot.

 

well i ran two 4x4 through my door opening ran a chain around them and the tractor bucket and pushed the lever and up it came easy as could be. its better than how we removed the old ugly to small camper shell we just grabbed it with the graffel fork on the tractor and riped it off after i unbolted it.

 

The guy that did a frame off on the '53 F-100 before me lifted the cab by running strap through the side window openings. It buckled the roof line and snapped the drip moulding upward. The buckle isn't bad but I have a fair amount of hammer and dolly work ahead of me. It wasn't enough to break the windshield and the rear glass but there is a crease in the roof. And it doesn't seem to affect the door gaps but I really wish he had help to do it. As a fix for the rain gutter , he squirted in what looks like bathtub silicone caulking. The truck was white so he used white caulk.

When I remove it from the frame to undo bad work and get it right, I'll get four big guys to lift it at the corners.

 

I built a similar lift to get my cab off. I put yard timbers from Home Depot in a retangular shape on each side of cab, one accrosed top of timbers and one through windows. I used rachet straps to lift body off of the frame. I then removed frame and put body down to work heigth to do bodywork on cab. i will try to post a pic of my contraption later today.

 

do you have any pics I am about to remove the cab off my 50 F1 a few pics would be helpfull thanks

 

I placed a 2X4 on the in side running from door to door and jacked the top of the arm of my cherry picker up to hold it in place. I had to place it centered between the doors and about 2/3 of the way toward the front to get the weight right. I used a couple of straps from the cab to the main frame of the hoist to keep it from swinging and jacked it up and rolled it off.

 

I took the door off and use my engine host ,through the door ,chains on the floor .

 

I removed numerous cabs for '48-52 trucks including a complete bodies from a couple of panel trucks. I use 3" nylon racheting straps and keep the doors on for added strength. I always make sure everything is detached and slowly lift the caps with either a forklift or a tractor with a front end bucket. I usually remove the steering column, but not always. If I have enough room to swing the cab back and follow the column up I leave it on. If I don't have the upper clearance I remove the column. The hardest part is the cabs like to catch the brake and clutch pedals on the way up or down.

I don't have any pictures of the conventional cabs as I took them off but here is the procedure I used this last summer when I swapped bodies on a panel truck:

 

I gut my cabs of everything, including doors, etc.. to make it light as possible. All my nose sheetmetal is already off, so it's very easy. Pull the steering box out. Remove the floor panels around the pedals and tranny. Take everything out of the dash. Remove gas tank. Seat aso. Take the doors off, leaving hinges on the doors. I even take the glass out. Get it unbolted in the 6 places. If it's a floor shift, put it in nuetral and remove the stick from the tranny. stuff a rag in the hole to keep dirt out. Clean the cab of all dirt and debris. I then work it free around the pedals ( a big pain in the ___! ) and then work it over until you can tilt it up, using the running boards as a tilt point. I always tilt it towards the drivers side. ( I'm a lefty! ) I then slide it over and onto the floor. I've do F-1's thru F-6's this way and all by myself. Always works for me!! I don't have the luxury of a hoist or lift to lift it off. It's easier if you do it outside. But I've done them inside and my garage does not have a high ceiling.

Barry

50 F-1

 

i made what you did ferg,on the rear of the cab i put a c-clamp .i then ran a rope up to a pully mounted on a the raffter's to keep the cab from tilting.there are picture's in my gallery.i did some work on the bottom of the frame today and notice i need to change the front spring hanger's.i will replace the factory rivit's with hardin bolt's.

 

With the doors off I just slid it off by myself. After it was painted used two 2x4's through the door openings with pads around them, a sling and a cherry picker, again, alone.
Fred

 

I'm in the middle of doing this today. I'm using 2 2x4's 5' lengths. What I did was to drill a 3/4th whole in the middle and I got a long bolt to be able to go through the 2x4's and the whole where the hook for the boom on the hoist goes. I also took some scrap 2x4 and screwed them inbetween the 2x4's on the furthest end to hold both together or they tend to rotate. I tried it and it lifted the cab with no problems. I have the truck on stands now but to give me more lift I plan on putting the frame as low as possible on the garage floor to give me more clearance without having the cab higher than necessary. My truck is a few feet off the ground now. I need to set up my cab dolly which is a pallet and Im going to attach some wheels I bought at Harbor frieght last week so I can move it around.

I have my cab ready to come off but I need to reorganize my garage to accomodate all the stuff I've got off of the truck. I have the bed in the back yard with the front clip inside it. I need to put the reast of the parts (fenders ect) out back and cover it with a tarp until Im ready for them.

I will try to post pics. tonight when I get back home of what I've done so far. I've got to go meet the wife and kid for dinner or else... .

 

I have switched pickup frames 4 times, and panel the same. On both vehicles all front sheet metal was unbolted.

I did it with 2 floor jacks, a bunch of long 2x4s, assorted shorter pcs. of 4x4s + 2x4s and 4 jackstands. Doing it this way means that you have to be very careful with the pickup body, and will have to keep the front up higher than the back, since the body wants to flip forward. I would not recommend this for most people, since I didn't use any kind of hoisting. I used the front cab mount area as my forward support, and a doubled long 2x4 across the rear of the cab as the rear support.

The panel swaps (all on the same one) were easy compared to the pickup, since, with all the extra weight of the panel body, it remains stable.

I would raise the bodies up about a foot or so and then roll out the chassis by removing the back tires and putting a dolly under the pumpkin. Due to the running board rails, you have to move your supports around some, since they are wider than the supports.

 

I posted some pics in my gallery of what I put together. I haven't removed the cab yet but hopefully will by mid week. So far it seems really stable and I don't anticipate any problems(fingers crossed).