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Body Off

M

mollyman

1/2 ton status
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Aug 18, 2006
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Location
west virginia
Well I have decided to take the body off of my rig and I was looking for any advice. I am going to unbolt all the body mounts, disconnect brake and fuel lines, but I have a couple questions. First the steering, do I have to take the complete column out or can I just take it out of the steering box? I am going to leave the engine in the frame. I plan on renting an offroad forklift and just lifting the body straight up and off and then just role the chasis out from under it. I am sure there are plenty of tips and tricks out there and I am looking for any, THANKS
 
disconnect the steering at the rag-joint right at the box...

don't forget your wiring, fuel fill, shifter, heater hoses, yada, yada, etc, etc...
 
save the money on the forklift. jack the body up and support it with some blocking. then roll the frame out from under it.
 
gmc4cw said:
save the money on the forklift. jack the body up and support it with some blocking. then roll the frame out from under it.
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I remember loooong ago reading a post about this. I don't recall how it was actually done though. Where on the body would you jack? Is there a way to effectively use a Highlift?
 
fireplug said:
I remember loooong ago reading a post about this. I don't recall how it was actually done though. Where on the body would you jack? Is there a way to effectively use a Highlift?
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Subscribed, and also curious... I've been wanting to see how to do this and different ways of doing it.
 
don't disconnect the brake lines, just un-bolt the master from the firewall, and somehow attach it to the motor that way you don't have to bleed out any lines.
 
Doing it with a forklift have someone watching you and go slow. Theres alot of stuff to unhook you may forget a ground wire or a bolt or some little thing. So go slow and have a couple poeple if you can watch as you lift it up. Good luck
 
I removed mine by myself, I used our trx300 4x4 with the winch to tip the body up on the frame, then just worked it off the side onto the side of the body, worked well for me and didn't break or dent anything. forklift sounds like a good idea. good luck.
 
I used 4 empty 55 gallon drums a bunch of small 4X4 blocks, 2 long 4X4's couple cynder blocks and an engine hoist.
 
I used 4 empty 55 gallon drums a bunch of small 4X4 blocks, 2 long 4X4's couple cynder blocks and an engine hoist.
 
well (fireplug) if you are talking about a sub I know mine is about 6128 lbs (drove it up on a scale at a feed store) and that is stock. So an educated guess would be minus frame, axles, wheels, driveline, I would say the body is between 3800 and 4200 lbs.
Also I know it will cost some money to use a forklift but think of how much quicker, simpler, and safer it will be. Plus I will only need the fork for a day. And once the body is free and on the forklift you can move it where ever you need no problem. So for me it is worth the money.
I will give some updates as I do it if anybody is interested but I will not be able to start on it untill the weekend of the 8th. I have to go to a stupid wedding out of town this weekend. But I figure it will take a good weekend worth of work to get everything unhooked and then the second weekend I can try to lift it.
 
don't you have any friends? :p: Just remove the doors, tailgate, top, and interior stuff. Then get like 6 people and pick it up. I had 3 people help me put the cab on my truck, so I would think that 2 more could lift a blazer tub

EDIT: What type of chevy are you talking about? k5/truck/suburban?
 
mollyman said:
well I am talking about my 81 k10 suburban I am not sure about fireplug
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well then ya might want to get some more people to help lift it off
 
good luck. I took my body off about 10/2003 & I'm almost done with my rig. lol. my only advice is to brace the tub so that it doesn't flex or crack.

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blazer7.jpg
 
Well I have my forklift lined up for this weekend. I plan on unhooking everything on Sat and lifting on Sun. Should be fun. And to rub it in a little bit I am getting the forklift for free all I have to do is pay the drop off/pick up fee, sometimes it is nice to be in the construction bis.
 
mollyman said:
Well I have my forklift lined up for this weekend. I plan on unhooking everything on Sat and lifting on Sun. Should be fun. And to rub it in a little bit I am getting the forklift for free all I have to do is pay the drop off/pick up fee, sometimes it is nice to be in the construction bis.
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Well that's not really free, now is it? :laugh:
 
well pardon me, I do have to pay a grand total of 65 dollars but thats not bad when the per day rate is $225!!
 
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