removing body?

[shaun]

I have a 71 blazer that I want to do frame work too. I need to remove the body. I read in a earlier pose (feb 02) to leave on the top and lift with camper jacks. Well I dont have a top and I dont know what camper jacks are. What would be the easiest way to lift it off. Im not sure for how long butI am planning less then 2 weeks. I could probably do it in a weekend. But how an I lift the body and store it. By the way my rockers for the main part gone? Please help.
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[kennyw]

Camper jacks are a tripod looking base with a long pole and hand winch setup... I have a set that I use all the time for lifting cabs, beds, ect. You can store your body by setting it back down on a small stack of wooden pallets.

I typically drive/tow the truck to the location I want to store the cab then lift it and roll the frame out from under it. I think I even have some pics of a '66 GMC disassembled while I work on the frame...

The camper jacks are still sitting next to the cab even but hard to see in that pic.

 

[rearsteer70k5]

i did a body off restoration to my 70 blazer. We just took the top and set it aside. made some tall and strong type sawhorses to put it on. then got six guys and lifted the tub off to the stands. if stands built wide enough you can roll frame under it when done with frame.

 

[JohnSPledg]

I used double stacks of cinderblocks and 4x4 posts to set my blazer tub on, we took it off with three people two to lift and one to slide in the 4x4s. It has done fine for the past couple of months, but it is on concrete so stability is not an issue. Makes a pretty good place for the dogs to get out of the rain too.

 

[shaun]

When placing it on sawhorses or blocks or anything else what part of the body did you rest on the blocks? Where the body mounts are?> Or just anyplace>? And then how hard was it for a couple f guys to put back on and align correctly. Will it bend or warp at all without a top?
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[bouncytruck]

Most likely the tub isn't heavy enough, but be careful with cinder blocks. They really aren't very strong. One of my parents good friends was recently crushed buy his hot rod because he put the jack stands on cinder blocks to get the front end up higher. The cinder blocks crumbled. Sadly, he should have known better.

 

[rearsteer70k5]

i just put on the rocker under the seats up front then in the rear sat it under the bed. its not heavy enough to warp the body with top off tub weighs 600-650pounds. to lift it off we just took 2x6 about 2ft wider on eacvh side and used those to lift the body off

 

[my71k5]

when i removed my body I left the doors mounted and locked, built four boxes out of 2x12's (freebies) about 4ft tall and used two 4x4 posts 8ft wide to span between the boxes. the boxes were place in line with the front cab mounts and rear wheel openings. used a jack and 2x2 to lift 4x4's high enough to place on top of boxes (front and then the back) once to this point i still needed more lift so i used 2x4's between boxes and 4x4 beam and see- sawed the body until i could roll out the frame. frame had no engine or tranny . took about 45 minutes off and 30 minutes back on. one man, one jack operation. hope this is clear to understand. i have pictures just need to figure how to post them hope this helps.
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[shaun]

I think I know what you are talking about but pics would be great thanks for the help.

 

[vtblazer]

I just used an engine hoist, it worked awesome! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
Take two 2" wide tow straps and place front & rear as to balance the tub...and roll out the frame /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
The hoist I used had a three ton ram, it didn't even work it hard. I was also on a concrete pad so rolling was easy.
Good luck /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

 

[jasonkh2tg]

I used one of the CAT excavators pick her up and put her down like a baby... /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif