sorry- another body mount q...

[73AnneBoleyn]

hey y'all,
i've got a 2" body lift installed by a PO. looks to be in good shape. however, the body mounts do not, and i want to change them. i have read and read and read about how to take out body mounts, but i haven't found anything referring to my specific situation. i want to keep the 2" body lift, but i want to replace the body mounts with new ones.
any tips or techniques? i've never done ANYTHING like this, so i am a bit nervous. i don't know where (how) i should jack the body up, i don't think i would need to jack it up very far, just far enough to remove the 2" lift, swap out body mounts, then put the 2" back in and tighten. how does that sound?
any and all insight is greatly appreciated!

 

[70_Steve]

Do one side at a time. I put a length of 4x6 underneath the rocker panel, and used a floor jack to raise one side. Jacked it up just a couple inches, enough to take the weight off the mounts on that side. Loosened up all four body mounts, installed the new ones and let the jack down. Then did the other side. Maybe just me, but I left the bolts on the first side slightly loose, so when I finished the second side, I "centered" the body to the frame as well as I could. Then tightened down all the body mount bolts.

 

[Tito]

What worked for me was to loosen the bolts on one side and remove on the other, put a block of wood under the rocker panel and jack it up enough to replace. Sine you already have the BL the bolts should come out easy. Just be sure to disconnect the carb linkage, fan shroud, column, etc so you dont damage anything.

 

[handsomerob]

I had to sawzall every one of my body mount bolts off when I installed my lift. Im guessing your has been off recently since it has a body lift already on it. My advise is go ahead and by a bolt kit also. the kit from wild horses upgrades to a bigger bolt size and uses actual nuts instead of the threaded plates that are on there stock.

when installing mine I unbolted the whole body and dropped some bolts in one side to keep the body from shifting.
using a high lift I raised the rear of the body and stuck a wooden block inbetween the frame and body the distance needed
dito for the front
with the body blocked safely in place I removed the old mounts and installed the newones with the lift blocks and dropped the new bolts. after sticking some nuts on just to hold thing in place I jacked it up agian and removed the wooden block. repeat for the passenger side.

 

[73AnneBoleyn]

hmmm... i didn't order a hardware kit with the body mounts because i have a body lift on it already, and i'm going to keep the body lift. isn't that right? aren't i just going to reuse the body lift hardware?

 

[Tito]

Should be just fine.

 

[73AnneBoleyn]

awesome. thank, tito!

 

[broncotime]

Be sure and keep an eye on some things as you lift the body up:
- Rear gas filler hose (should be okay, but you'll want to check it as you lift)
- Battery cable (mine was so tight it had to be disconnected)
- fan and fan shroud (may want to remove the shroud to be safe)
- steering colum support (may want to loosen the bolts that hold the column to the firewall)
- throttle linkages
- brake lines from master cylinder to "H" block

If you just lift enough to squeeze the old mounts out you may be okay on all of the above, but just visually check to make sure as you lift it up.

Good luck.

 

[302fix]

Here are some great articles for reference (I'm sure you've probably seen these already):
http://classicbroncos.com/bodymount.shtml
Check the frame for needed repair "while you're in there":
http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60769&highlight=body+mount+repair

I used a high lift in back and a hydraulic jack and 2x4 under the driver side frame rail. Got it up just high enough to weld in the frame repairs and grind them clean then installed the new hardware.

Of course once I "was in there" I por15'd the frame and any rusty body panels.
Ain't this fun.

 

[73AnneBoleyn]

thanks broncotime for the heads up. i'm thinking what you said... i should only have to lift it up a hair to pop the 2" body lift out. that would give me a couple of inches or so to work with getting the body mounts out. is that enough?
thanks again for the heads up.

 

[broncotime]

thanks broncotime for the heads up. i'm thinking what you said... i should only have to lift it up a hair to pop the 2" body lift out. that would give me a couple of inches or so to work with getting the body mounts out. is that enough?
thanks again for the heads up.

You should be fine. Normally, 99% of the hassle is dealing with rusted and corroded old mounts that have to be hacked, ground, torched, blown out w/ C4 etc. Since that work has already been tackled by whoever installed the 2 inch lift, your job should be a piece a cake.

I used the 2x6 under the rocker panel and a floor jack method to do mine. Depending on the floor jack you use you may need to put some 2x4s under it to get more height (mine didn't want to go up high enough).

Good luck and have fun.