Body swapping

[DTrain]

I've got a '79 and an '84 K10, one has a perfect body and one has a perfect frame and is an all original matching number mechanically sound chassis. So I have been thinking about swapping the bodies. I've never done more than a bed and a front clip before. So I'm wondering how much a cab weighs? And does anyone have any secrets and tricks they would like to share?

[zieg85]

A stripped down cab with no doors is a 4 man job.  Easier with a car lift if you have access to one.

[heavychevy91]

Just as Zeig said its about a four man job. When i swapped mine i left the doors on. maybe not the best idea, very heavy. Might not be a bad idea to get a set of body mounts. Remember the mounts have to match the year frame they go on.

[DTrain]

I'm using the '79 frame, so I'll get a mounting kit for that. But will everything from the '84 body line up to that frame? The only I ask is, why are there different kits?

[zieg85]

Some have reported the mounting of the front core support to be off somewhat but I am sure someone who has actually done the swap will chime in.  Also the front frame horns are different due to the shape of the bumper but should be easy to figure out what needs to be done when you have them side by side.

[zieg85]

Also GM changed the power steering box to a metric thread with o-rings but I am not sure when... so don't ditch the 84 stuff until the swap is done.

[heavychevy91]

Some have reported the mounting of the front core support to be off somewhat but I am sure someone who has actually done the swap will chime in.  Also the front frame horns are different due to the shape of the bumper but should be easy to figure out what needs to be done when you have them side by side.

I found this out when i did my swap. I have an '86 cab on an '80 frame. It seemed as though the core support was off a little but with enough adjusting i got everything to fit with no modification. The front frame horns are not to bad to trim you should be able to tell the difference and how to modify them. If you want to use the outer bumper brackets i found them to not line up so i just used the bumper brackets from the '80. Other than that you should be good. Everything else will bolt right up.

[bake74]

A stripped down cab with no doors is a 4 man job.  Easier with a car lift if you have access to one.

     Even easier with a fork lift or overhead crane.   

[DTrain]

I found a really cheap 2000 lb winch on Craigslist, cheap enough to wear it out on this job. Do you guys think if I strap it right that would work?

[bake74]

I found a really cheap 2000 lb winch on Craigslist, cheap enough to wear it out on this job. Do you guys think if I strap it right that would work?

     Just don't run a line all the way through the truck cab in case the weight buckles the cab or door post.  I would use 4 mounts to the corners and then a single line to the winch to pick it up, that is the way I did it once with a fork lift.  The other time I used steel rectangle tubes across and through the cab and strapped to the ends to pick up the cab, both worked out great with no damage.

[Blazin]

I use a 4x4 through the cab with a strap around both ends. I also clamp vise grips to the pinch weld to keep the 4x4 from sliding toward the back of the cab as the fire wall is the heavy part. Have used bakhoes, log truck loaders, my gantry with a chain fall. Have even swapped a couple out leaving the nose on. I removed the hood, and ran a second strap down the core support.