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Who has lifted their body off???

M

mikeperez22

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I'm restoring a 72, and I'm at the point where I am going to lift the body off the frame. I have a huge a frame hoist at my disposal, but I'm wondering how I should lift it? Where on the firewall do I attach the straps/chains?
 
I just used a Lift Strap when we did mine.... Just chek and make sure you have disconnected everything and your not caught on anything!
 
When I did mine, we used two big "Meat Hooks" and popped a couple holes in some support webs on the front lower side of the cab. In the rear we wrapped a really long tow strap under the rear fenderwells above the frame. Basically a big basket type setup.
 
Here's how I did my 69, this is with the interior still in the vehicle. Took a couple tries to find the balance point, but then it worked real easy. I did put two 2x4's on the sides under the roof gutter to prevent the gutter lip bending.

28resized02.jpg


28resized01.jpg


Don't laugh at how I used hay bales to raise the A-frame higher, it was late and I had to get the cab off.
 
That would work if mine wasn't a Blazer. I can't lift it from the roof because there isnt one.
 
Mike, I have lifted two bodies using a different method that you might want to look at in my webshots album entiled "1983 GMC Jimmy". You can find it in the link called "cool stuff" below my signature.

I used two hydraulic cylinders from Harbor Frieght (cheap) and jacked the body up and blocked it little at a time going from side to side. When I got it high enough to put two 4x4's between the body and the frame I then jacked the 4x4's untill I got it onto four 55 gal. drums. I then pulled the frame out and lowered the body onto a trailer and moved it. The method works if you go slow and keep blocking from side to side.
 
Six guys can do it no problem. The best way we ever did it was to lift the body up and put some 4x4 studs under the body. I think we used four of them. Then put blocks under the ends of the studs which stick out from the side of the vehicle and roll the chassis out.

I bet if you were smart with leverage you could do it with two people though.
It really isn't a major operation if you plan ahead.
-Chris
 
use treated 4x4s across under the body tub and connect tyjhem together with a 1" boards amndm use hooks scrtewed into the ends of the 4x4's
then lift her up with come alongs above or somethiong of that nature,


you get the idea /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I did my blazer a few years ago. We used a floor jack on each side, found the balancing point, jacked it up, then slid some big ol boards(dont remember the size) under the rocker and rear wheel well and set it down, rolled the frame out.

If theres no top I would reccommend bracing up the body, it will flex all over. Also remember where the shims in the body mounts go, other wise youll get to spend some time getting door jambs all nice and even.

P.S. taking it off was a picec of cake, it was putting it back on that made me sewat a little!
GOOD LUCK!! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
I built a scaffold to store mine while working on the chassis. I used a cherry picker to lift one end of the tub at a time. In the back, I attached an engine leveler to the tub, running bolts through the holes where the rear seat brackets attach. In the front, I used a tow strap and wrapped it through the firewall using the holes for the heater and steering column. The 4x4 posts are attached to the roof trusses with Simpson ties. The cross supports are 2x8s.

FrameOff.JPG


Of course I should note that this was after completely restoring the tub. If I had tried this before replacing all of the rust, I think it would have folded in half!
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions. I removed it on Tuesday night using the A frame and some straps attached to the roll bar and the firewall. Maybe I'll get around to fixing the body sometime this decade after the chassis is done.
 
It's not that tall.... but I guess it gives me a lot more room than I've ever had in the past... actually, in the past I would have been outside! I know what you're saying though... the ceiling in the garage of my last house was so low I didn't have room to install an opener...

The 4x4 posts are 10 footers and they extend about 6" above the bottom of the trusses... so may 9 1/2 '??
 
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