question for anyone who has changed cabs

[benoit454]

Ok, here's my story, I have a 76 c10 3 speed on the column, I am trying to get a cab for it. I looked at the 86 k10 we have out front to find the cab mounting bolts, I can see the front 2 easy, one on either side. Where are the back ones? Pics would help greatly. I know the fronts are in the round rubber w/ a round pedistal that comes off the frame, I assumed the backs were too but not on the k10. I am not able (at this time) to get under the c10 and look due to it being at my grandma's and not here. So if someone has some pics showing me where they are I'd be grateful to you. I would also like to know any tips or tricks you have used to make taking one off easier, like removing the bolts or just cutting thru them and the rubber mounts to use new mounts.
Anything I could use and would be helpful to removing one. More then likely I will have to remove the one I get for the 76 off a frame too. So I'l have 2 cabs to remove and put the donor cab on the 76 frame.

My next question would be how many guys did it take to raise the cab off the frame and put the other back on?
My dad claims them to be no heavier then a complete bed, I think they would be heavier, we have removed a bed from an s-10 before a 92 using ratchet straps to lift the front allowing us to slide in landscape timbers, which then allowed us to lift each side seperately by grabbing the 2 timbers, raising one side and sliding a saw horse under the timbers, then doing the same on the other side. So how heavy are they? Two average man job? or more average men needed? By average I mean 2 guys about 5,9 to 5,10 around 175-180lbs. I think I'll need more then me and my buddy what do yall think?

[roundedline]

C10 and K10 have the same cab mounts.  The front are on the outer front corners at the foot wheel.  The rears are at the center between the framerails.

It will take about 4 guys to remove a bare cab (empty with no doors).  An S10 bed is a lot lighter than a fullsize cab.  We ran 2 4x4's throught the door opening and walked it off.

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[benoit454]

I would have never thought a complete s10 bed lwb or even short wheel base( ful of bondo and spray foam and fiberglass, a drop in bedliner, tailgate and other stuff) would be heavier? The long wheel base bed was empty but me and 2 buddies lifted it off, and set it inside a gmc s15 on top the original bed. I knew they made em out of better metal and heavier back then but not that much lol. The cab I am looking at is stripped only thing in it is a seat and back window everything else is gone.

[roundedline]

If it is that stripped down it shouldn't be that bad.  The kicker is getting somewhere to hold on to it.

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[Blazin]

I have swapped a cab with glass, wiring, dash, brake booster, etc. with five guys. It was no fun. we all guessed it weighed around 600 maybe 700lbs. As rounded line said there is no place to grab it. I have used a few other methods such as a backhoe, log truck, concrete form truck, but mostly a chain fall on a I beam gantry with a rolling carriage. With the doors on I roll down the windows and slide a rough cut 4x4 through the cab. I drill holes in the end and put eye bolts in either end, I weld the eye bolts closed as I have had them bend open. run a 3/8 or bigger chain from eye bolt to eye bolt and hook in the middle. I have even done a few with the nose attached, I ran a rope down from were the chain fall hooked the chain and tied it around the core support under the hood latch.

[1984 K20]

When we remove a cab we usually take a heavy duty fabric strap and put it through the doors. It also helps to put the strap close to the front of the cab. Then we use a tractor to lift the cab off but u might need someone to help guide the cab so it doesn't hit the bed or tractor.

[Blazin]

Well going to be swapping the cab on my 86 3/4 ton tomorrow or Sun. Going to sand blast and paint the frame in the morning. Striped it down to patch the floor weld in new rockers and cab corners. Mount good used inner and outer fenders. Found rear cab mount area to be very rusty big holes hiding under what looked like scale. Front RH cab mount same way. Had resigned to fixing it when a neighbor reminded me he had an 83 C10 with a pretty nice cab sitting in his back yard. He said haul it so it turned into a cab swap. Swapping out the dash wiring harness so I can use the 86 column etc. Still needs rockers and a little RH side floor work. Going to build a steel flat bed for it too. Story of my life put it off until last minute or when I have the money and it turns into a huge project. P.S. it needs to be done for plowing this year.  

[DnStClr]

Blazin- your downfall is that there are too many of these old trucks sittin around waiting for a guy like you to show up with a project in mind. You never should have learned how to mig weld.

     

[Blazin]

My down fall is I work on everyone else's rigs and leave mine till last. I am still kicking my self in the *** for junking an 83 diesel cab. I sold my house and had to move it and didn't have room for it at my girls house were I am living. I hauled it to the junk yard and told the owner not to crush it because it was way nice last time it was registered was 88. His simpleton toothless wonder kid came in the next morning and tried to shake the cab off of the frame with the forks on the loader.                                                                    " I thought it was rusty and would fall right off " Big like tree smart like rock.

Edited by: roundedline at: 12/17/04 6:31 pm

[Blazin]

well I knew my 86 wasn't going to be finished in time for yesterdays storm so I brought the 1 ton in and finished putting the plow on that. Get back on the 86 tomorrow.

[skynyrdfan86]

i just switched out a cab off of a 86 chevy 3/4 ton and put a better cab on it and all i did was took a 2x6 and rolled the windows down and stuck it threw and took the boom pole on the tractor and stuck inside the cab and lifted it off just fine but the fullsize cabs are very heavy with everything in them.

[aprice]

i dont mean to brag but when i switched cabs on my mudder it was only me and my dad. we liffted it up and walked it to the rear of the old frame and then from the rear of the new frame to the correct postion within a few inches. the cab was without a bench seat  and without doors. my dad and i both stand at 6 ft 3 in prolly 225-250lbs and are pretty well built though

[s002rat]

I am about to swap a 84 2wd cab onto a 79 1/2 ton 4wd 3spd on Column.   What type of problems am I going to have with linkage at the firewall or floors?   I am body lifting for clearance issues on tranny, which I don't think will be an issue anyways on a 3speed?

Also I was told VIN's are stamped under the cab? Is this true?

Any heads up on this?

Thanks guys,
Ryan

[Blazin]

I have heard that VINs are stamped on the cab frame etc. but out of all the Chevys I have owned and worked I have never seen one yet. As long as you use your steering column the linkage should work in the new cab.

[s002rat]

What about my clutch pedal.  Are the mounting points standard on all cabs?  How about switching complete dash's out?  How easily will the whole dash come out of a cab?