How many needed to lift a TF cab?

[Red Foreman]

Hello again, I would like to know from you guy's that have lifted off a Task Force cab by hand? How many buddys do I need to call around to lift it on to a rolling trolley? The Cab still has doors & all glass still intact, I do not want to strip the cab down apart from removing the bench seat & column.

I can do the math on the Beer's needed from there on!

[kgmunro]

You could just make a lift bracket from 2x4's and lift thru the door openings with a shop crame (not thru the doors themselves though). They are cheap to build and a person can do it by themselves, and it won't bust your back. There are a few threads here on how to build one.

[Red Foreman]

Thats what a normal person would do, I decided to strip my truck down to bare chassis & cab on our two post hoist with the cab doors smack bang in the middle of the posts I could set up some trolley jacks & try drag the chassis forward, but cabs loose & ready to lift off, question is how many freinds do I need to call around & help lift 2,3 or more?

[Indian113]

It took 4 to lift my Model A off of frame, I think you could do it with 4-6 guys without breaking anybodys back.

[dwcsr]

If your friends can get their hand around a Fosters can then 3 guys will do, if they can only get their hand aroung a Bud can then 5 guys. If they can get their hand around a fosters can and touch their knees without bending over 2 guys.

[OrrieG]

Two big to lift plus 1 to stabilize it or roll the chassis out from underneath it. I use a chain hoist and shop rafters for the cab, cheery picker for bed.

[mr48chev]

The extra items weigh almost as much as the bare cab would. that is going to take lot more help. Can you swing the arms out on the hoist and run a beam or plank through the cab to lift it with the hoist? A couple of long 4x4 boards or posts should lift the cab pretty easily that way.

Or swing the lift bars out and raise the hoist and then swing the bars back in and use straps to lift it off the frame. Even if the chassis doesn't have suspension on it you can set it on stands or blocks. You should also be able to move the bare chassis (or what is left of the truck) around with two floor jacks, one at the front and one at the back with a couple of helpers to balance the truck while you move it. We moved hundreds of cars around the shop that way.

[MrTucker]

one...

[mr48chev]

Nice cherry picker Mr Tucker. What brand is it? Mine is one of the light weight ones from the fly by night tool sales trucks that come around.

Red, that is how most of us who have an engine hoist and smooth cement lift a cab now.


Do you have a photo or two of your truck as it sits right now? That might help with a solution.

[MrTucker]

that's a pic I got off of this site, not mine.

I just have a cheapo Harbor Freight lift, but it works just fine

[dicer]

Originally Posted by MrTucker

one...

That is similar to my set up, I used 2x6's and have ones on the end to help center the beam on the sills. I extended the vertical part of the T down a bit more to, for more height, like to load in a pickup bed etc.

To comfortably lift the cab with doors on I say 6 guys 3 per side. 4 could easily lift the cab bare. Doors are about 80 pounds or more each with all the guts. Seat and fuel tank together I'd guess 140 pounds, best to take all the stuff off.

[solidaxel]

Here is my "third" hand, do they have trees down under!!!

[Kim57]

Here's what I used for my cab and a pic holding my brothers 54 body. I can guarantee it ways a heck of a lot more than one of our cabs.
Kim

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

The extra items weigh almost as much as the bare cab would. that is going to take lot more help.

I think some of these suggestions are forgetting about the doors and glass. I lifted my AD like that and I can tell you from experience it will be very front heavy. You may already know that, since you say your cab is just sitting on the frame now. A 2 year old should be able to lift the rear and roll it right over on it's windshield. In my S-10 swap build thread (link in my sig) you may find some help on how I handled the front-heavy cab.

[Red Foreman]

Well thanks for all the input guy's, I managed to lift the cab off today, had two mates drop in for lunch & along with my work collegue the four of us lifted it off & forward onto a trolley.
I can now say without the help of two trolley jacks we had handy in my shop,that we sat under either side of the front of the steps, we would not have managed to lift it over the raised front clip. It was bloody heavy, so yeh its a six man job! Now I can weld up the tacked up Camaro clip & C'notch, then sand blast it & paint it.
Oh, I will be using the famous Silver painted Camaro clipped chassis that always pops up on here "yes you know who you are" for inspiration!

[Ray Rust]

Hey Red , how are ya going ?? I can see you've got a good start on your rebuild ,looking good mate I'll have to call in next time I'm down your way ...

Ray

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Hey Red and Rust, can I ask a dumb question? I thought that all vehicles in Australia had to be right-hand drive. I sold a Corvette about 15 years ago that went to Australia and the buyer told me that he had to convert it before he could register it.

[Indian113]

Lookin Good so Far!!!

[Ray Rust]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

Hey Red and Rust, can I ask a dumb question? I thought that all vehicles in Australia had to be right-hand drive. I sold a Corvette about 15 years ago that went to Australia and the buyer told me that he had to convert it before he could register it.

Pre 69 bring em in and drive em, 69 to 89 you have to comply them to meet our ADR standards .ie change headlights and indicators and they have to have seat belts fitted but still LHD after 89 you have to convert , this my interpretation of our rules , the easy way is you only buy pre 69's as long as the mod's aren't to outrageous ...Ray

[Red Foreman]

Hey Ray, by all means drop in mate & bring your truck down, its been a while!

63 & 64 Bowties, ray was on the money, the way I understand it is pre 69, register as is, up to 30yo vehicles can stay LHD but need to comply with Australian design rules, ie seat belts, lighting etc...
By the way your right the all the weight was in the front of the cab.

Indian113, thanks & I bet you guessed it was your freinds Chassis I was refering to!!!

[mr48chev]

Red, I still think it would have been a whole lot lest strain on the backs to set the frame down on blocks, swing the arms of the lift out and raise the lift and swing them back over the roof and run a strap through the cab to lift it with the lift and them move the frame out of the way.

I found this photo on the HAMB this morning.
This is how they lifted 51Mercgirl's body shell to swap it to another frame and floorpan.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by Ray Rust

Pre 69 bring em in and drive em, 69 to 89 you have to comply them to meet our ADR standards .ie change headlights and indicators and they have to have seat belts fitted but still LHD after 89 you have to convert , this my interpretation of our rules , the easy way is you only buy pre 69's as long as the mod's aren't to outrageous ...Ray

Okay, that makes sense. It was a 84 Corvette I sold IIRC. Thanks, I was just curious.

[Russell Ashley]

[QUOTE=mr48chev;4745509]Nice cherry picker Mr Tucker. What brand is it? Mine is one of the light weight ones from the fly by night tool sales trucks that come around.

[QUOTE]

That's an EX-CELL hoist, one of the nicest ones you'll find. I had one like it but sold it because it doesn't fold up and I need the garage space.