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Cab install, no crane/lift

Crazyguyla

Active member
815
121
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Location
Altus, OK
I searched the posts, but I haven't found answers I was needing. How can I get the cab back on the frame without any type of lifting device. The cab is completely stripped down. Any help would be appreciated.

TIA,

Marcus
 

Barrman

Well-known member
5,132
1,505
113
Location
Giddings, Texas
That cab is heavy. Very heavy. Is your steering box and steering shaft installed still? If it is, that will add another level of difficulty to your task.

I did my cab removal and install with an engine hoist and ratchet straps by myself. I think you need to rent or buy at least an engine hoist to do this.
 

Karl kostman

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Fargo ND
crazyguy your title sounds like the start of a very bad story! Think this through and get some help, I dont want your next post to be the REST of that bad story!
 

jeffhuey1n

SMSgt, USAF (Ret.)
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Laramie County, Wyoming
I went to Harbor Freight and picked up a couple overhead gantries. I used them to pull a water tank from a G506. It’s better to have a couple people helping you out but I made it work since I just wanted to be stubborn.
 

Crazyguyla

Active member
815
121
43
Location
Altus, OK
I figured a stripped cab was about the same weight as a VW bug body. I would use a engine lift, but my work area is nice soft sand. Gotta love central Florida. To bad I'm on bad terms with the only guy that has tractor with enough oomph to lift the cab. My dogs love chasing his ancient blind horse, ducks and chickens. C'est la vie. Now to find people who like dark beer to come help..
 

jeffhuey1n

SMSgt, USAF (Ret.)
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,806
1,239
113
Location
Laramie County, Wyoming
I figured a stripped cab was about the same weight as a VW bug body. I would use a engine lift, but my work area is nice soft sand. Gotta love central Florida. To bad I'm on bad terms with the only guy that has tractor with enough oomph to lift the cab. My dogs love chasing his ancient blind horse, ducks and chickens. C'est la vie. Now to find people who like dark beer to come help..
Perhaps offering the gentleman a case of dark beer (black butte porter is the best!) will help alleviate the situation?
 

waayfast

Active member
814
106
43
Location
Lake Fork,Idaho
If it were me , I would look into sheets of plywood laid down on the sand to wheel a HF gantry crane around. Or maybe some channel iron laid down for "tracks" for the crane to roll on?

After this first project, you will have the gantry crane for projects yet to come.....
 

HDN

Well-known member
1,935
4,643
113
Location
Finger Lakes Region, NY
I don't envy any of you removing cabs from your trucks. Just looking at that 5-ton cab with all the wires and cables makes the job look huge!

If I had to do it, I'd want either a 5-ton wrecker on hand or a shop with a beefy ceiling-mounted rail rail crane.
 

charlesmann

Well-known member
699
711
93
Location
Temple, Tx
Like another mentioned, plywood or c-channel to act as a track for a gantry, or just plywood for an eng hoist.

I had to yank 6.9 diesel out of my old 87 ford, so i dug two holes, just wide enough to get the front fenders through, set 2 6” x 3/16” wall x 15’ long pipes in the ground, notched the tops with a torch to allow for a 8’ long section of 4”drill stem to set in, flung a chain over the 4”, put a loop in it and used a come-a-long to hoist the eng out. Once above the front clip, i push the truck back, set the eng down and rebuilt it.

Maybe in that soft sand, the digging will go easier than in east tx red clay, and you might have to sink the pipes deeper, but its doable.
 

waayfast

Active member
814
106
43
Location
Lake Fork,Idaho
Well, finally got some extra time so I will brag (opps, I mean campaign) about my entry, the Ward LaFrance M1A1.

Years ago I drove past this truck while hauling logs into Oregon on a daily basis. Really did not know what is was since I was pretty green in the MV hobby back then, but assumed it was WWII.
Then years later (2015) I see it listed on Craigslist. Called to find out the owner had passed away and the son-in-law I spoke with, was helping to sell off the estate. At the time I was not really in a position (MONEY) to even think about buying it (or anything!) but was curious nontheless. I asked if they had any offers on it and he admitted the only offer thus far was a local that wanted to buy it cheap, torch the winches out of it and scrap the rest.

I told him I would be right down!!

3.5 hours later I checked the old girl out and made a deal we both were satisfied with. Girlfriend Shawn loaned me the money for the buy and I was able to pay her back before she died of breast cancer the next fall. Thank you dear, love you, RIP!

Got with a buddy in the trucking business and he cut me a deal (thanks Brad!) to lowboy it to the house couple weeks later. It started easy and backed off the trailer. Crane works. U-joints are tight and greased. Headlights work, even the blockheater works!

At present I am just slowly rounding up parts , cleaning, checking, greasing, repairing things as I can afford in both time and money. Title work is in the system and those involved seem optimistic about that turning out well. I am now semi-retired so hopefully time will allow things to move a little faster.

Actually have started on getting wheels and tires rounded up as what came on it are all rags and all the wrong size. One of the air tanks located under the bed has a hole rubbed through by the chain that powers the crane so it won't build air. Bought some NOS air tanks (m35) to install in a different location to eliminate that problem and get some brakes working on it.

This will be a motorpool resto. The idea here is to take the grand boys for a ride while they are young. NOW. As slow as I move, if I were to do it show quality, these kids would be grown and gone before I got it to "show quality". May not be perfect in some folks eyes, but at least it's not been scrapped!View attachment 829759View attachment 829760View attachment 829761View attachment 829763

Besides being fun it has also proved be pretty handy around here as well!
 
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