Getting the body off the frame

[John Griswold]

I'm looking to take the body off the frame so I can clean up the frame and put it back with a body lift. After 40 years I'm sure the bolts are not going to thread right out. Any suggestions on the best way to remove them. I,ve sawsalled through the body mounts on other trucks and that sucked. I've realy only looked at the bolts in the floor and since the floor is gone I can gring the heads off them and worry about the mounts once the body is out of the way. Not sure about under the hood or bed. Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[66halfdone]

Use the sawzall and lots of coarse metal blades. You will get a bit of smoke and possibly a small flame, so a spray bottle of water is a smart item to keep on hand along with the gloves and eye protection. Have fun.

 

[trailpsycho]

I was able to get my bolts out, but the original style body mount bushings crimp together and just about always sieze, so you will likely have to cut the bushing. If you can go between the frame and bushing, its a bit easier. Try to get the bolts out first to relieve some of the clamping force; if not you will have to cut through both. Its a good work-out...make sure its not a battery powered sawzall or you might as well not even get started.

Have fun and good luck.

 

[Explorer]

Viperwolf posted about using a hole saw the other day, but I can't find the post. I'll keep looking.

 

[barronj]

For the floorpan body bolts, the heads were smoothed/rounded, so I drilled the top off (drill bit larger than the bolt diameter (not the head diameter), and drilled down 'til it was off (like drilling out a rivet). Then I used an air chisel to drive the whole bolt out from the top down & out the bottom.

I used an air chisel on all of the fused together (by rust & time) hardware, never broke out a sawzall.

On all other bolts, I used an air impact wrench to back the bolts out.

 

[Explorer]

Found it, it was in the tech section : http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162592 Post#7