Front clip removal how to?

[newyorkin]

Wasn't there a write-up somewhere about how to remove the front clip? Fenders/Hood/grill/rad support?

I did a couple different searches and can't find anything.

I need to swap the motor in my '85 K20, and removing the front looks like the best route. The last time I tried to pull a rad support to swap it, I was missing bolts somewhere and never did the swap.

 

[sweetk30]

ya prob easy with clip off. but heck with all that. just pull the hood and be done with it. take a can of spray paint and dust the hinge area were it bolts to hood. this will help line back up.

 

[newyorkin]

The truck is lifted, so it's a beotch just to lean into it to change the oil. Unplugging and unbolting everything will be a week of back pain...
Plus, there's a ton of work I want to do under the hood during this swap that will be a lot easier with the nose off.
I remember something about it being just a couple bolts and wires. My truck is so simple, I'm sure it has to be.

 

[obijuan]

youve got two front body mounts and a few (maybe three on each side)fender bolts. the hood obviously, upper and lower hoses, battery cables, wires at the firewall.

 

[sweetk30]

youve got two front body mounts and a few (maybe three on each side)fender bolts. the hood obviously, upper and lower hoses, battery cables, wires at the firewall.

yep.

1=pull grill
2=pull body bolts out from core support
3=pull hood
4=pull lower fenderto cab bolt/inner fender 2 bolts with giant washers on them that go to cab mounts/door jam bolt near top /top of fender need wiper area bolt/keep track of all shims and positions to reinstall correctly.
5=pull hood pop cable/pull firewall plug for wiring/washer squirter hose/possible a/c recovery if equiped with air conditing and if still works.
6=the rest for your motor swap and anything i forgot. and front stock bumper on truck with out body lift might need to come off.

all this and a buddy to help with hood and complete front clip will pop off then.

 

[73redblaze]

the fastest easyest way, sawzall.

 

[BGKYK5]

I just pulled an engine on saturday. It was stock height (sort of - on jack stands with no axles). It was a piece of cake with the front clip off, but of course I already had most of the front clip off anyway.

 

[newyorkin]

Cool, thanks all. I guess it's pretty simple...

 

[tacoma]

It is pretty simple.

undo the front clip/engine harness at the junction on the firewall. Easier than removing all the little individual wires.

Bolts are removed as already mentioned. Some of them are accessed with the doors open. And don't forget the ones underneath.

Very simple process. Get help removing the clip, or it's a clusterf*ck doing it alone.