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Remove body tech - how did you do it?

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rufusbooth

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I have been doing some searching through the forums and I have not found any detailed descriptions of the methods used to remove the tub from the frame of our beloved blazers (for those of us without the luxury of a post lift). My particular interest is the 73 GMC Jimmy but most of the years are the same so all advice is welcome. I have some ideas but I am hoping someone will have some better ones as removing bodies from the frame, I am sure, has been done several times before ;-) As usual if you have pics if the method you used those are welcome.

My thoughts are the following:

Remove front clip.
Remove interior (seats, carpet, etc)
Remove all connections between body and frame. This would include wires, fuel fill lines, brake lines, steering, shifters, etc.

All of this is pretty basic, here is the fun part.

Lift the body safely, and without twisting it due to no support from the frame high enough to roll the frame out from under the body. In my case the truck is bone stock right down to the factory 27 inch tall tires :-). This should limit the need to go too high. This part is where I am looking for advice. Right now I am thinking two jacks, 2 4x4s, cinder blocks and multiple jacking from both ends in stages.

Please tell me there is a better way as this makes me nervous.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Cheers,
Rufus
 
No advice...but subscribed...

And I noticed that this was your first post... Welcome. :D
 
Thanks for the welcome! First time poster long time lurker :-) I generally try to get my info from existing posts and not clutter up a forum with questions that are asked over and over but my search was fruitless on this one. If this has been covered before I would be happy to take this question to that thread.

Cheers,
Rufus
 
Whatever method you use and depending on what your plans are for it, make sure to brace your doors and keep the hardtop on so you don't fold the thing in half when you lift it off.
 
Definitely! The temptation to reduce the weight by removing doors and the top is high but this thing needs to be treated like a convertible. The more body parts that are in place the less likely it will be to twist up.

Rufus
 
Don't know if this will help...

I rolled mine into my basement. And lifted it it off with a couple 10,000 lb. straps and come a longs and then rolled out the chassis. I took about 3.5 hours and 2 buddies to pull the motor and get the chassis out. I wouldn't try the method you suggest unless you have everything VERY stable! If the thing falls over I could kill someone or at best be very hard to pick back up!:D

Here is a pic of how I did it>
12_24_07_136.jpg


You might be able to pick up one end with a cherry picker and then run some really strong boards under it and place them on some really stong saw horses etc. Then set it down and repete on the other side. Just what ever you do remember safety first and also remember it might have to stay up in the air for a while. Good Luck and welcome to the best site on the web!
 
Well, what worked for me is the same idea. Since I am doing a complete tear-down, I removed everything except the steering column, rounded up 5 of my goofy@ss friends with the lure of beer and had the body moved onto some barrels with all parts stuffed back into to the cab with a cover over it in about 20 min. Prep work was key. None of us are big guys but it was easy with the six of us. In fact here was the crew that helped...

Picture 446.JPG
 
GsxrMike, I agree with you 100% That is why I was asking for input. Your method is definitely superior to the method I was considering (and you suggested at the end of your post). Unfortunately, I do not have a basement with good solid beams :-(.

One thing that I did not expand on in my first post was that the cinder blocks were going to be arranged in a base consisting of 4 blocks and interlock them going up. I am thinking it will take about 20 blocks per corner to make it happen. Single blocks would be incredibly unstable (and people who use them as jack stands generally get chastised by me). I was going to run a pile at each corner and jack up each end one block higher then move to the other end. Wash, rinse, repeat...

As I stated safety is a concern here so keep the ideas coming.

rufus
 
JasonM, can you clarify a bit on how you moved it? Did you actually lift it by hand (brute force and awkwardness ;-)? if so? did you have the doors and top on it?

Rufus
 
rufusbooth said:
JasonM, can you clarify a bit on how you moved it? Did you actually lift it by hand (brute force and awkwardness ;-)? if so? did you have the doors and top on it?

Rufus
Click to expand...

Notice that JasonM's K5 is *not* a full convertible. Therefore it will have a bit more structural strength of it's own.
 
rufusbooth said:
JasonM, can you clarify a bit on how you moved it? Did you actually lift it by hand (brute force and awkwardness ;-)? if so? did you have the doors and top on it?

Rufus
Click to expand...

Yes we moved it by hand, two lifting from the front on either side under the cab (heaviest part) and one on either side at the wheel wells. Since we didn't have much time or far to go, a way to lift the body and pull the frame out, and end up with the tub out of the way where I wanted it we walked it back 10' and up on the barrels. The only hick-up was scooting around the rear tires which wasn't even that bad. But like I said I removed everything (front clip, carpet, seats, dash, doors, tailgate, and cap) so it would be as light as possible. For plan B, there was a building under construction next to my house that had a bunch of immigrant workers that I would've had help at 10 bucks a pop at around lunch time so they would have time and want the money for this little project.
 
JasonM, Thanks for the clarification. That helps me understand your method.

Jonrpick, thank you for the bit of information about JasonM's body not being a full convertible like my truck. That definitely must be taken into account.

Anyone else out there with any other methods or suggestions?

Cheers,

Rufus
 
Not to hijack, but since we're on the subject...

With the 76-91 bodies, what about making a frame from fairly thick steel (like 3/8") that would bolt on in place of the hard top? The idea being that it would weigh less than the top (reducing overall weight) and give pretty good access to everything while still keeping everything aligned.

Maybe something similar could be done on a 73-75 body for the bed section...?
 
BKinzey said:
Make a frame? 3/8" steel would get heavy pretty quick:( Not sure what you are talking about:confused:
Click to expand...

Sorry... frame wasn't the right word. just some cross bars to span across the bed and two running diagonally to keep it from twisting. Secure it to the bed rails using eye bolts, and then winch it up off the frame using those bolts.
 
johnrpick, not a hijack at all! It is an interesting concept. It would definitely work for the 76 and up style. For the full convertible it would require some triangulation from the front bed sides to the windshield top and to the top door hinges. I can add up the weight of the steel and see what it would take. if the steel is less than the top/doors/tailgate it might be worth it.

With regards to using eye bolts and lifting from there it might work if you had an overhead lift point. in my case I don't but it is still an interesting idea.


Does anyone have any confirmed weights for the tops both full convertible and 76 and later?

Cheers,

Rufus
 
rufusbooth said:
johnrpick, not a hijack at all! It is an interesting concept. It would definitely work for the 76 and up style. For the full convertible it would require some triangulation from the front bed sides to the windshield top and to the top door hinges. I can add up the weight of the steel and see what it would take. if the steel is less than the top/doors/tailgate it might be worth it.

With regards to using eye bolts and lifting from there it might work if you had an overhead lift point. in my case I don't but it is still an interesting idea.


Does anyone have any confirmed weights for the tops both full convertible and 76 and later?

Cheers,

Rufus
Click to expand...

I hear ya... I'd like to lift mine from the top rather than push it up from the bottom, but that's mainly so I could easily get the underside cleaned, rust-proofed, and bedlined.
 
Tub off

It can be done with two cheery pickers. I have done this with to full converts. Tack weld some tube in the door openings and in front of the rear gate, just to be safe.

P8080006-small.jpg


P8080008-small.jpg


P8080010-small.jpg


P8080012-small.jpg


But it is a lot easier with the two poster:D

P3090129-small1.jpg
 
Now you see Chevyin, you are making me jealous of the 2 post. That is just mean :-)

Question about your cherry picker method. I cant tell from the photos but it looks like you have the cherry picker attached to the frame, or is that some kind of adapter you built? Sorry I am not intimately familiar with the 72 and older trucks. If you are lifting by the frame how do you get the body off the frame?

Cheers,

Rufus
 
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