Chevy Cab

[67chevy1]

What would a 67 chevy cab weigh without the windows in it? I'm getting ready to take the cab off of mine and am thinking of hanging a hoist from the rafters and I'm not sure if I should or not. They are 2x4 trusses on 8' centers and 32' span with a 2x4 standing on edge holding them straight. Has anyone tried this?

[c20pickup]

a buddy of mine did this with his 53 ford cab (its a bare cab) abd its still hanging there. im sure you will be fine. go ahead and try it, if it starts creaking and cracking drop it back down and find another way

[67ctener]

I'd guess 350 bare cab no doors. A friend and I manage to move mine around so can't weigh too much. If concerned about the joist double up the 2x4 and nail the crap out of it. You will get a lot of strength out of it and cheap insurance

[67chevy1]

Yeah the doubling up is a good idea.

[gvw5400]

At 8' centers you will need to think about bridging at least two of them and then supporting the rafters with 2x4 posts to the floor. The garage construction sounds kind of funky. you may be better off building a A- frame out of 2x8 or 2x10 to lift from. I don't see how this garage is sound. I hope you don't have any snow loading in you area I couldn't sleep with my truck in it. All the best,Dirk

[67chevy1]

Originally Posted by gvw5400

At 8' centers you will need to think about bridging at least two of them and then supporting the rafters with 2x4 posts to the floor. The garage construction sounds kind of funky. you may be better off building a A- frame out of 2x8 or 2x10 to lift from. I don't see how this garage is sound. I hope you don't have any snow loading in you area I couldn't sleep with my truck in it. All the best,Dirk

Its a pole barn, that's the way they build all of them around here the rafters are on 8' centers with 2x4s on end every 30" for the tin roof. We really don't get all that much snow around here anymore but we get our share of cold weather. But I did think about having a 4x4 underneath each of the 2 rafters that im going to pick from.

[gvw5400]

My truck is in a pole barn also. Sorry if I sounded like a D*ck just want the lift point to be safe for you. I live at 9100' in the Rockies and my pole barn has 4x4 posts @ 8' centers supporting doubled 2x12" beams that support 2x6 engineered trusses on 24" centers for a 100# per square foot load on the roof. I agree with your idea to use 4x4 posts and doubling the rafter! Get that cab in the air and let the fun of you truck build get going. All the best, Dirk

[67chevy1]

Oh yeah it wouldn't stand where your at for sure. I just saw where your from and boy I supported your town for several years. LOL

[In The Ten Ring]

I have considered doing this same thing with my cab but my garage is really too small for storing a cab.

I did something similar when I installed a very suped up hot water heater in my rental condo. I glued and screwed two 2x4's together, screwed those into the headers directly over the new hot water heat location, then used a chain hoist. I had to get it up onto the pan AND onto a stand I built to be 6 inches high. I know it all sounds crazy but that's what I had to do to get enough height to run the pan drain through the wall and out the back of the building. Learned a lot and now I have a little experience with this sort of thing.

If I were you, I'd get up there and inspect the current boards for any defect/rot/damage and brace as these guys said. I don't like nails so I'd use screws/bolts to scab on new boards to the existing ones you plan to use. No such thing as "overkill," only "not enough kill."

Good luck and keep us posted with pics!

[67chevy1]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

I have considered doing this same thing with my cab but my garage is really too small for storing a cab.

I did something similar when I installed a very suped up hot water heater in my rental condo. I glued and screwed two 2x4's together, screwed those into the headers directly over the new hot water heat location, then used a chain hoist. I had to get it up onto the pan AND onto a stand I built to be 6 inches high. I know it all sounds crazy but that's what I had to do to get enough height to run the pan drain through the wall and out the back of the building. Learned a lot and now I have a little experience with this sort of thing.

If I were you, I'd get up there and inspect the current boards for any defect/rot/damage and brace as these guys said. I don't like nails so I'd use screws/bolts to scab on new boards to the existing ones you plan to use. No such thing as "overkill," only "not enough kill."

Good luck and keep us posted with pics!

I just had my barn built 4 years ago so all lumber is still in good shape it's just a matter of making sure there is enough lumber.

[In The Ten Ring]

Oh OK! Well, wood is pretty easy to work with....that's why I like it so much!

[Todd68Chevy]

I braced mine and put a chain hoist in my barn and lift complete cabs with it all the time. My barn is 64 foot wide but the center rafters are 32 foot on 8 foot center. I think mine has 2X6 rafters and then I took and put another 2X6 on both sides of the rafter for a 10 or 12 foot section. At the ends of the extra bracing we put two 4X8 or 6X8 and ran from the rafters to the floor to help support just that area of the rafter. Probably over kill but still a lot cheaper than repairing the barn after it is damaged. I have lifted engines, complete cabs, beds, ect.