Blazer tub weight

[Critter]

Does anyone know the weight of our tubs? I'm talking completely stripped down of interior, trim, firewall junk, etc. The only think that might be left in it would be the windshield in my case. I'm thinking 300-400lbs...but I may be an idiot.

[BLUE THUNDER]

I'm thinking closer to 1000 lbs. They are pretty Heavy.

[RED72blazer]

Originally Posted by BLUE THUNDER

I'm thinking closer to 1000 lbs. They are pretty Heavy.

agreed.

[Critter]

I will take yalls word for it, I have never had one stripped down to that level. Just doesn't seem like that much metal would be left once stripped but I guess so. So I guess we are talking about 4 guys to move it around by hand.

[Big J]

yep, 4 strong guys.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Or ...........................................................................

One of those 1 man cab dolly thingamajiggers

[lks dcvn]

1 man cab dolly things = 3 guys still holding the tub -

Then again when they are in that good of shape - I would have done the same thing...

[vtblazer]

Pulled mine with the top still on with an engine hoist, worked good but I only lifted it 'up' and then pulled the frame out from under it, then right back down again.

What do you have or going to get for the cross pieces?

I've also moved one with a wrecker, that too was easy.

[Critter]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

Pulled mine with the top still on with an engine hoist, worked good but I only lifted it 'up' and then pulled the frame out from under it, then right back down again.

What do you have or going to get for the cross pieces?

I've also moved one with a wrecker, that too was easy.

I have wondered about the engine hoist idea. I have both a cherry picker and an old chain engine hoist but I am just a little nervous about finding the correct "attachment points" so that the load is distributed and the whole thing doesn't buckle like an accordion.

As far as cross pieces, I guess you mean what sort of "bracing" have I added to avoid the above mentioned buckling? I am working on a 1" square tube structure that will connect the door openings with the bed panels with the floor with the tailgate opening. That's why I ask the weight question. My background tends to make me over-engineer things when I am unsure of all the variable. If I'm not careful I will have an I-beam structure on there strong enough to lift a bus. It will be a few days, but I'm sure I will have pics pretty soon.

[Twisted78SS]

I am not sure of the weight either, but here is how mine just went frame off and then back on.

The front clip was off, but it had the following still in place.
the windshield
Double wall top
laying in the rear were the bucket seats
rear seat
tailgate
bumpers.

And so we used an engine hoist
3 30gallon barrels one large railroad tie, and a few lengths of 4x4 lumber

First we attached a chain to a bolt on each front support mount seen in this picture (look for the large bolt and washer on the vertical support)



We shortened the chain enough so that the top off the hoist fell just below the firewall lip at the top of the recessed arch. The we hoisted it up enough to insert the railroad tie under it and on top off the barrels. On each of the front barrels we placed 3 samll 4x4's to help the lumber sit flat.

Then on the rear, we used the chain and clevis pins attaching them to the tailgate latches. To support the rear, we used one barrel and placed several cris-crossed pieces of 4x4 until it was approx. that same height as the front.

You can just see them in the corner of this shot



Worked like a champ! Just make sure to keep the barrels on the front wide enough to roll the chassis out!

[cparman]

Critter, The company that media blasted my Chevelle was
master blaster. they are in Orlando Florida. Just for kicks you might give them a call and ask how much?

[Jtrux]

I don't think they weigh as little as 300 but I don't think there is any way they weigh 1000 pounds. 600 tops.

[LUV2XCLR8]

Originally Posted by lks dcvn

1 man cab dolly things = 3 guys still holding the tub -

Only because we had to tilt it to clear the 35" tires, if we could
have taken the cherry picker higher (ceiling) then NO hands on.

[Big J]

Right now I'm using a engine crane with some chain. 4 attatch points, through the rear floor where the seat cross brace is and in the front at the front seat bolt down points. Just 4 bolts going through the chain, the crane is sittin' center where the floorboard meets the bed. I think there are pics in my thread. My tub is solid so you'd have to do some bracing if yours is not, unless you leave the top on. Its not a perfect balance but I use just a little weight here and there to level it up while its in the air.

[Critter]

Originally Posted by Jtrux

I don't think they weigh as little as 300 but I don't think there is any way they weigh 1000 pounds. 600 tops.

Don't worry, you will be finding out exactly how heavy it is, first hand, soon enough.

Originally Posted by Big J

Right now I'm using a engine crane with some chain. 4 attatch points, through the rear floor where the seat cross brace is and in the front at the front seat bolt down points. Just 4 bolts going through the chain, the crane is sittin' center where the floorboard meets the bed. I think there are pics in my thread. My tub is solid so you'd have to do some bracing if yours is not, unless you leave the top on. Its not a perfect balance but I use just a little weight here and there to level it up while its in the air.

That's good advice. I was originally planning on building some sort of bracing structure and also using it for lift points. However, what you have said makes more sence. Brace up the body as needed and lift from the body mount points.

Originally I planned to brace it up, remove the tub, have it media blasted, then tackle the sheet metal. After thinking more about it, I think I will fix the floor/rockers while it is still on the frame, then remove it just to be safe. I recently changed the body mounts and got them shimmed properly (thanks to Huck!) so the top sits straight. My floors aren't that bad compared to some I have seen and my torsion boxes seem to be fine, but I don't want to take a chance with everthing buckling when its 4 feet up in the air.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by Critter

I have wondered about the engine hoist idea. I have both a cherry picker and an old chain engine hoist but I am just a little nervous about finding the correct "attachment points" so that the load is distributed and the whole thing doesn't buckle like an accordion.

As far as cross pieces, I guess you mean what sort of "bracing" have I added to avoid the above mentioned buckling? I am working on a 1" square tube structure that will connect the door openings with the bed panels with the floor with the tailgate opening. That's why I ask the weight question. My background tends to make me over-engineer things when I am unsure of all the variable. If I'm not careful I will have an I-beam structure on there strong enough to lift a bus. It will be a few days, but I'm sure I will have pics pretty soon.

I was referring to whatever it is you plan on using 'underneath' when lifting.

The tub won't fold on you, especially since your floor & boxes are intact.

I used the two front & two rear body mount bolt locations and ran a chain between each of those, then ran one between those two down the center.
Used two ratchet straps that went from the hoist to either side but wasn't feeling safe with even all that.
Ended up adding a come-along from the garage floor joist's to the firewall for stability.

All I was doing was lifting straight up and back down, moving them around is another creature to wrestle.

[Critter]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

I was referring to whatever it is you plan on using 'underneath' when lifting.

I will most likely lift it off the frame similar to how you have done. After there is enough clearance I will roll the frame out from under it. I would LIKE to build a little frame/dolly type thing with some casters on it that I could bolt to the tub in a couple of the body mount areas so I could set it down and roll it around. It would basically look like an angle-iron mattress frame (possibly wooden) that would hold the tub off the ground a foot and a half or so. If not, I have some saw horses and 4x4 posts that would do the trick.

[Critter]

Ohhh...just realized something. It might be hard to roll the frame forward or back with the cherry picker legs under everything. Luckily I have been looking for a reason to buy some of these.

[Twisted78SS]

You mentioned building a body cart of one sort or another, I found some plans online and posted this link.

http://www.streetrodderweb.com/tech/...art/index.html

Looks doable, I was thinking of making one of these for my project with some bigger wheels to roll on gravel..

[Critter]

Originally Posted by Twisted78SS

You mentioned building a body cart of one sort or another, I found some plans online and posted this link.

http://www.streetrodderweb.com/tech/...art/index.html

Looks doable, I was thinking of making one of these for my project with some bigger wheels to roll on gravel..

Yep, that's exactly what I had in mind! luckily I have a concrete garage with some asphalt outside of that. I still plan on some decent sized castors, I hate when a little pebble ruins your momentum.

As slow as I am I’m SURE it will be a while before I’m ready to put the tub back on the frame. This should make things a little more convenient while it’s under construction.

[Ta12sec]

I'm looking to pull the bare tub off my 72 blazer. I'm trying to do this in my 1 car garage. The rafters aren't up to the task but I'm thinking the walls should be. They are cinder block, my thought is to bolt L channel to the wall using expanding inserts and then use square tube across the 10 ft span. I'm thinking 2 pieces of 2x2 tubing ( 10 ft span point load is close to 600 lbs) should be up for the task of holding the tub up. Anyone done this? Anyone have a reason I shouldn't?

[Lieferson]

personally just used the engine hoist method and had a wooden cart to hold the tub. Worked great. I had my wife push the hoist while I lifted the rear/side to get it over the top.

[Lieferson]

And the cart I built. Don't know how to rotate the pics but it was only about 50$ to make

[Lieferson]

Oops forgot the pic

[lks dcvn]

is the tub gap between the bottom board and the ground enough to slide the engine hoist under it to set the body down on it from the side?