Help removing fiberglass body from frame.

[Marshall]

Ok, I have a fiberglass body with steel doors and tailgate. Everything I am seeing on the forum is for a steel body. I want to remove it as one piece if possible from the frame so I can media blast the frame and paint it. I want to put the tub on sawhorses when I get it off. I know I have to take off this 8 bolts from frame to body, the gas hose, the heater core hoses, the electrical wiring and some brake lines to the master cylinder, as well as the steering column. Is there anything else I should know? I don't anticipate the body being off the frame more than a few days. I want to keep this as simple as possible. I am not sure what fg tub it is. I plan to leave the doors hood, front clip and everything on if possible. I am going to get a few friends to help me lift and place on the sawhorses.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[1strodeo]

I would remove the fenders and grill as one piece to save some weight...and don't forget the clutch and parking brake connections

 

[1strodeo]

oh and the shift rods if you have a 3 speed, but i guess you'd do that when you remove the column ;D

 

[STalon89]

You can probably just leave the column in the truck and disassemble the ragjoint or steering shaft.

 

[pcf_mark]

On Corvettes we leave the doors on and latched to give the body support / anti twist. We use multiple lift points to reduce stress and set the body a body cart that supports the body while off the frame.

Generally once all the connections are separated we lift the body up 2-3" and stick a block a of wood in. Then we put an eye bolt through the body mount holes with a thick flat washers we cut from a piece of 2" x 1/8" flat stock. We use four lift points usually.

You can rest it on saw horses etc for a while just make sure the ends do not sag - look at the door gaps.

 

[STalon89]

^^^^ Thats probably the best approach to it. Broncos will flex/twist pretty bad if you dont brace the body in the doors, tailgate, and across the bed behind the front seats.

 

[Marshall]

Good points, thanks to each of you. Pcf do you put the 2x4's under and drill through the mounting holes into the 2x4's for the I-bolts? I don't guess I really need I-bolts since I won't be lifting from above. I guess we could Lift it off using the 2x4's, once they are slid under the body. Does that sound about right? Then we could sit the 2x4's on the saw horses. I'd love to leave the front clip fenders and grill on, if possible. I want to keep it as simple as I can, as I am slow as molasses and don't have a lot of time.

 

[pcf_mark]

If you are not lifting from above I'm not sure how you will ever get it high enough to clear the drive train. I have run 4 X 4 under the floor on Corvettes one by the firewall and the other just behind the doors. Then it is pretty stable. Run a bolt from the body through the 4 X 4 so they do not roll or flip when you go to move it around that could lead to a catastrophe. You can leave the front end on as long as it is solidly supported. Run a 4 X 4 under the rad support giving you three support points. I take Corvette bodies off completely assembled by lifting four points within the cabin area but I do not let them sit unsupported.

How do you plan to lift it? You can lift / shim / lift shim using cinder blocks from the sides under the 4 X 4 but it is risky the stacks get really high and sketchy. Can you use an overhead hoist chained to some rafters?

 

[Marshall]

My rafters are on 2 ft centers in my pole barn, so I'm a little concerned about lifting with them. I have some 4x6's that I may make something out of and go buy a "come along" at rural king. The original plan though that I was hoping..... to have everyone lift it straight up, and then have one person roll the chassis out from under it and place some 4x6's under it and support the end's of the 4x6's sticking out with sawhorses. It looks like we would only have to lift the body a few feet vertically, does this sound feasible or am I missing something?

If I do build something and use a hoist to lift it vertically, what would I lift it with, I am having trouble visualizing what I would hook the straps to? wrap something around the 4x6's that are under it and lift or what? another thought, I have a 20 ft trailer that if I could possibly lift it off and put it on there instead of using saw horses, what do you think of that? Heck, I just don't want to hurt the body, it is almost perfect.

thanks

 

[Howard2x4x4]

When I pulled the steel tub off my 70, I placed a 2x10 forward and flat underneath the dash and up tight against the bottom of the dash. In the passenger compartment, I ran a 2x10 side to side cut to length to fit flat underneath the side rails and tight against the bottom of the top rail. I secured the length-wise 2x10 underneath the transverse 2x10 and lifted from above with straps to a forklift. If you don't have a forklift in your pocket, I would think an engine-pulling cherry picker on each side or an A frame could be utilized.

 

[Marshall]

Sounds like that's a possibility. You wouldn't happen to have a picture of this would you?

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Here is the best I could find

 

[Marshall]

Excellent, thank you.

 

[Howard2x4x4]

You're welcome, good luck, and Merry Christmas!

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Couple more.....

 

[Marshall]

Fiberglass

I wonder if it would be OK to lift a fiberglass body that way? I would imagine it is lighter, but not sure if it is as strong either. I guess it won't hurt to try it, best, most simplest method I have heard of. I plan to leave the doors and everything on to keep it more rigid. Did your forks under the side to side 2x10 seem to be in equilibrium there? Merry Christmas

 

[Howard2x4x4]

No, I used either slings or rope from above. If you're worried about strength, a transverse board could be added to the front under the dash and length-wise boards could be added to the transverse board under the side rails. Screw everything together to keep it in place and lift from the very front point of the length-wise board and the outer-most point on both sides of the transverse board.

 

[suckerpunched]

i think the way i did mine (steel body) wort work for you.
No idea what it is going to weigh complete but it is going to be alot.

I'm thinking about that cinder block idea.
What do you think about some tall jack stands, lift the whole rig up as high as you can. brace the body up somehow and slowly let the chassis down. take wheels off to get it lower and pull the chassis out from under it on floor jacks or something.

you know anybody with a two post car lift.

I dont know how much weight the rocker panels can take.

 

[roundhouse]

You could use the 4x4 boards under the body in the three places mentioned and mount slide in pickup camper jacks to the ends of the 4x4s

Not sure of that would lift it high enough though

We had to take the front tires off of my sons lifted 76 K-10 to get it low enough for the cherry picker to swap engines

But maybe you could also remove the tires and install some metal Rims with no tires on em ?

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Just came across this one!