The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Cab dolly

I am getting ready to start work on my cab and was thinking a dolly may be a good idea . Has anyone built one? what size rollers would be good steel or rubber? Got a pic of one you made send to me Thanks

I am a cheap-and-easy guy.

I have used this "dolly" (actually, two dollies) with two cabs (1954 Chev/GMC):

Two pieces of 3'-4' long 6"x6" rough-cut (cheap) lumber (no more than the length of the cab bottom) (I had scrap pieces on-hand - 4x4 would probably do the job)

4 metal wheels (with swivels) from Harbor Freight (cheap)

Screw/bolt two wheels to the bottom of each of the 6x6s (4x4s)

Place the rolling 6x6s under the cab (with the front of each 6x6 under the frame-mount bolt hole). Lag-bolt the cab to each 6x6.

If there are no cab-mount attachment holes in your cab, ignore this suggestion (you did not post the year - maybe 1959 or 1936?)

Some people impress their friends with impressive/expensive (time & $$) devices - I impress my friends with good-working solutions that are cheap-and-easy (and safe).

If you are looking for a rotisserie, here are some ideas:

truck cab rotisserie

I did not need a rotisserie - I first worked on the bottom of the cab - tipping it forward onto the firewall (works fine on 47-55 cabs).

http://devestechnet.com/Images/Restorations/1950B/D50b01058lg.jpg

If I had it to do all over again, I would make the pedestal taller so that painting the cab corners and bottom of the outside of the cab would be a bit easier.

When I need to get to the bottom, I get a few guys to set the cab on the firewall:

http://devestechnet.com/Images/Restorations/1950B/D50b01026lg.jpg

and now I can get to everything. I like the rotisserie idea, but it takes up too much floor space which is at a premium. I did make a frame rotisserie but the cab is just fine without. Good Luck!

Tim sorry about the trucks age itsa 59 just happen to have 2 3x6 pt post laying in yard and harbor freight is near. like the steel wheels as my driveway is asphalt . I think a 4" dia wheel would work. ijust want to be able to move it around and maybe on to a trailer to welder. Anybody have a guestament of the weight of a cab? need it to be strong enough to have the doors on for fiting.

Cab is not heavy. Its the beer for the four friends that is heavy. Doors or no doors its a four man lift with one extra to balence and position the dolly.

Thanks for the weight up date. I don't have four friends so was gona use a bobcat to lift it but was interested on the size wheels. I was guessing 500 lbs max.

I used a pallet with four casters mounted to the corners.

Since wheels are rated for each wheel, and a cab wouldnt weigh over 400 pounds, you can get away with 125 pound rated wheels.

The reason for the cab cart for me was to go from sandblasting to finish paint in one tool. This meant putting 8 inch wheels so I could hitch up the cart and pull it outside with my lawn tractor. Turned out to be good on concrete then too. Once you go with that large of wheel, weight isn't a factor since they are usually rated at about 400 pounds each.

I'm impressed, Tim! Tom

I have some 2X12s im going to use. Put 2 of them together to make a beam and then put the castors on the bottom and then 4x6 rails for underneath the cab to give it alittle more height.

I just doubled up a couple of 2x4's on cheap Harbor Freight casters. When I needed more height I sat on some jackstands. Worked for me. However I used what I had and would recommend using what you have lying around and put the money saved into the truck....lol. Have fun and good luck
Dan

I went on the cheap as well, a few Home Depot studs, HF casters and building site floor joist cast-offs.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129079625/in/album-72157631867396207/

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j412/59chevy36/Toms%2059%20011.jpg Here , I think is the dolly finished. moves well on asphalt and concret