body mount bushings-Update: Job completed

[CGT80]

I searched ck5 and the net but didn't find a lot, maybe someone has some links.

I have a 79 chevy c20 pickup that needs the cab and core support bushings replaced. I bought energy suspension 3-4103 a few years ago. Today I tried to loosen the bolts for the mounts.

Passenger side front of cab- the bolt starts to loosen, but the captive nut twists back and forth also. My impact will not work with the loose nut but i could turn it with a big ratchet. Will I need to cut the floor and reweld the nut, or is it possible to replace the mount the way it is? Does anyone have pics of the top side of the nut with the floor cut away?

core support-one nut will come loose, the other just spins the bolt. I have not been able to see the top of the bolt yet, but I can feel it spin. Does the top have a head for a wrench or am I looking at some more fun for this one?

The rear bolts at the cab start to come loose, but I am afraid of what might happen as I remove them. How is the nut secured? Is it possible to have to cut the floor for those also?

I sprayed all the bolts with penetrating oil today. I have been putting this off because I have read that it can be a chore, but now I am missing big chunks of the old mounts and need to get it done.

I also bought the rear spring bushings. I have a 14b ff with 9 leaves in each pack. How big of a job is it to do these? Any links? I'll do a search for this one right now.

Unfortunately this is my daily driver/work truck, and my k5 is down, so I can't have it undrivable for more than a day or two at a time.

Thanks guys

 

[ryoken]

the captured nuts for the cab where spinning on my 87.. cut a 3 sided square in the cab floor, folded it back, welded the nut, bent the floor back and welded it up...

 

[sweetk30]

yep had to do a few over the years my self. cut / weld / heat up / remove and weld shut.

 

[CGT80]

I just finished replacing my cab and radiator support bushings. I got ahead of myself and caused myself more work than necessary. I loosened some of the bolts a few weeks ago to see how hard the job would be. I used an impact at first. One of the front cab bolts rocked back and forth. The nut inside the cab was a bit loose. I didn't want to take the bolt all the way out, just in case I couldn't get it back in.

A few weeks ago I thought about pulling the bolt all the way out at a later date, when I would have a whole weekend available to fix whatever may happen. If the bolt came out and then went back in, even though the nut was a little loose, then it would be OK. If it didn't work I would cut the floor and fix it.

I started this morning by cutting the floor board in the passenger front area. I should have just removed that bolt to see what would happen. It was really rusted in there and I figured it may snap off anyway. That steel used for the cab floor is some tough ****. It is reinforced right there with a second layer underneath. When I got it opened up I said oh crap.

The nut would rock back and forth, but only a little. An impact wrench would not work due to this, but my big ass ratchet did. I knew this much before. The nut is square and inside a rectangular cavity. As long as it doesn't rust away or get rounded off, it should all be good. The cavity or brace of the cab has two ears folded down to keep the nut from pushing all the way up to the floor. this was the part I wasn't sure about. I opened up the floor for nothing other than to have a way to spray penetrating oil on the captive nut.

I managed to change out all of the bushings. I was missing a few washers from the energy suspension kit, so I scrounged up a few from my dad's garage. The bushings on the core support squish down further than I would like. It seems that the sleeve from the factory is a bit short or the new lower bushing a bit too thick. I can deal with that later. I didn't get to drive it yet. I hope it will ride a little better. The old mounts were toast and the rear ones were collapsed and missing 30-50% of the rubber.

I previously asked it the core support had standard bolts put in from the top. I found out this is the case, I just couldn't feel the sides of the bolt. I borrowed a 3/4" offset end wrench from my mechanic uncle and had no problem getting to the bolt head.

Hopefully my troubles will help someone else out. Maybe I will be able to post a picture of the nut inside the cab floor for future reference.