Advice on swapping tub

[COLEFORBUS]

Its about time to put the new tub on. Any tips no matter how obvious they may be on the process?? Im sure there are a lot of guys who have done this and realized while they were doing it that there were things they wish they would have known before they started. I have new body bushings and new tilt column to go on it when the swap is done. My plan B is to cut the old body off with a sawzall if I cant get it to come off easy.

[OldCreek]

For the most part, the body mounts under the firewall set the front door gap. The next set rearward set the rear door gap. Adding shims will help open up the gaps.

[cleszkie]

1) remove old tub.
2) replace with straight, rust free, original paint tub.

Seriously though, you should measure the door opening dimensions of your old tub and donor tub before they are removed from their frames. Install bracing within the door openings of the donor tub before it is yanked off its frame to prevent excess movement and distortion of the tub during transfer. Shim the body mounts to get the original door opening dimensions back. Someone here will post pictures of a good bracing system.

[COLEFORBUS]

I really thought more guys would chime in with some words of wisdom on this topic. If anybody has a detailed thread about the swap process I would very much like to see it. How do I disconnect the gas tank when I am pulling the old tub off?

[SeventyOne]

It would be painstaking to go through all the steps to remove the tub and then replace all the parts.

Take some pics for your reference on how it goes back together just start taking it apart.

Basic list of items to be removed that connect body to frame:
gas line
steering shaft
ebrake line
brake line
trans lines
radiator hoses
ground straps
etc
etc


Honestly, just get your tools and start wrenching...

[COLEFORBUS]

Originally Posted by SeventyOne

It would be painstaking to go through all the steps to remove the tub and then replace all the parts.

Take some pics for your reference on how it goes back together just start taking it apart.

Basic list of items to be removed that connect body to frame:
gas line
steering shaft
ebrake line
brake line
trans lines
radiator hoses
ground straps
etc
etc


Honestly, just get your tools and start wrenching...

Thanks man, thats a good start

[PD1292]

What is wrong with the body that is on it now?. And if it is not too bad i may want it, let me know, it would not be to bad of a drive for me.. thanks Barry...

[COLEFORBUS]

Barry, the rust is pretty bad. Inner rockers and torsion rods are gone. Rear door pillars are not intact. There is also penetrating rust spots in the floor panel and bed. I highly doubt its any better than what you have and it would take a welding ace and a lot of patch panels to salvage it. But if you want it its yours, I am probably just going to haul it off to a scrap yard in pieces
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[PD1292]

Oh, Ok, Thanks for the reply though, I have an extra 4x4 frame in the back yard and thought it could be another project. Better not bring any more "junk" (as my wife calls it) home anyway. thanks again and good luck with the swap. Barry...