The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Can 2 people lift 52 AD cab

Hi all,

I was wondering if two people can lift 52 AD cab to put it out of frame. I have to get it on to trailer at some point.

Any experiences to share is appreciated

Ganesh

If you completely strip the cab and YOU ARE BOTH YOUNG BIG STRAPPIN FELLAS???. maybe?... but buy a 30 pack an invite 2 more friends, for stabilty sake.. a stripped cab can be managed by 4 dudes 1 at each corner..but a mechanical lift is best..it dont get tired or pinch its finger in a rusty seem at the worst time..lol
just a tip
Tim

Thanks Tim, I have engine crane I guess that may do the magic.

Rgds.,
Ganesh

Ganesh,
look around the site a bit there were some posts on how to lift a cab off the frame with an engine hoist,an some timbers..that was a pretty good way to go.
Tim

Here you go.

I've since built a metal version of it, I need to take some pictures of. I've used it on several cabs. The only trick is you want to be very careful moving the crane with the cab on it. I like to use a set of those cheap HF cab dollies to slide the frame out from underneath the cab once it's up in the air and then set it back down again on a cart without moving the crane.

Mongo

hardly

When I was painting the firewall, I had my brother help me move it off the mounts and back a few feet, and the same when putting it back in place and it was a chore and we aren't scrawny either to say the least.

Best to get 2 more or have some mechanical help

My next door neighbour and I lifted my A.D. cab off, it was stripped to the bones i.e. no doors (basically a shell) We're both big guys.
It was a struggle,taking into account items such as the chassis, running board outriggers etc.
If you stumble you'll do yourself or your cab some serious damage.
Do as the others say,get some more bods or a hoist!
Good luck!
P.S I've just been diagnosed with a hernia!!! (Seriously!) Go Figure!!!

Thanks guys for the response. With the resources I have Mongo has the answer, thatz it man I can use that technique

Ganesh

Ok, I knew I had some "Action Shots" with the new lifter.
Before I build the first wood one we moved the cab for my 53 with myself and 4 other guys. One on each corner of the cab to lift and another guy that rolled out the frame and then rolled in the cab cart. Not fun and those running board mounts can be killers. I decided that I needed a better way if my friendships were going to remain intact.
For the 48 cab in the picture I talked to the guy on the phone who had it and asked if he had a crane in his shop, he did so I took my lifter and the Pin part that attaches to the end of the crane with me. Showed up at his place put the lifter on his crane, picked it up, backed my truck under it, disconnected my lifter and off I went. It also used it on a couple S-10 Cabs and it worked great there too.

Good luck with your project.
Mongo

I took mine off by myself. Bought two of those cheap 8' landscape timbers. Set one in front of the cab on the frame rails, one at the rear of cab, perpendicular to the frame. Tilted the cab slightly back, just enough to get the timber slid under the front of the cab. Did the same at the rear. Set jack stands under the timbers at the four ends. Put a floor jack under rear axle housing, removed the rear tries, dropped the frame down low with the jack, then just pushed the frame out from under the cab towards the front. Then rolled a homemade dolly under the cab and reversed the lift and remove timber process.
Granted this was stripped down to just the bare cab and frame with only the suspension attached, but it was a piece of cake.
Yes, the cab is light enough for two people to lift, but as stated earlier, it's awkward and top heavy, better off with four, one at each corner, if you just want to lift it with manpower and especially move it around. I had four when I set it back on the frame after painting and was not a problem.

Bob

What part of the cab did you sit on the timbers?

I ran a long 2x4 through the doors and bolted it to the door hinges (doors were off). Then a second 2x4 under the rear of the cab and bolted it to the rear cab mounts. The cab was easy to move with 4 guys - one on each corner.

norcal49er,

Is it safe to assume that you bolted the 2x4 to the bottom of the floor where the rear cab mounts attach?

Also, any specific reason why you didn't bolt the front one to the front cab mount?

So far I like your idea best... I don't have enough room on the sides of my work space for the engine hoist idea.

Don't know about you AD owners but with doors and guts removed from th Art Deco era I rolled it onto some padding(no bed) and walked off the rear with two of my kids. Would not recommend reinstall after paint this manner LOL
Dan

Try this.

http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/hoist2.html

Mine is a 37 but being 140 lbs and not a guy nor as young as I use to be. I took my cab off the from by taking the front wheels off and lowering the wheel drums onto some wood. I have a wheeled cart that I slid it onto with 4x4s to rest on. Today I did just the opposite and slid the cab back onto the frame. One person one job. Not say that I am not feeling the muscle pains tonight. But really not a hard job. Probably should of took the doors off for that few extra pounds. I am not going to post any links to the cart pics since they are already posted in my photobucket link. But the carts were originally from a commissary (military grocery store), same as the flat carts that Lowes uses also. Very handy carts!

Czchman -

I bolted the front 2x4 to the door hinges because the door hinges are very convenient to reach and they are not UNDER the cab. If you bolt the front 2x4 to the front cab mounts, you will need to jack up the font of the cab and slide the 2x4 between the cab and frame. This is not necessary when using the door hinges. Also, when it's time to re-install the cab, using the door hinges makes it is easy to position the cab over the front cab mounts and drop the bolts in place.

norcal49er, That's a very clever idea, definitely on my list for when the time comes. Thanks!

Well Mongo, you must be a design engineered cuz that's the simplest one-man set up I've seen so far. The only thing I might change on a lifter like that is to add a couple of sliding saddles for the door openings to spread the weight out more. and a centering device like the engine lifters have.
Just off hand from the pictures you posted it looks like the cab is just about right at the CG of the crane. Did it seem like it was about ready to go over on its nose???

Update: I just looked at your new lifter, nice and simple, it looks like you got those earlier problems solved. Do you think you could post a couple of more detailed pix of the new fixture???
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

me and a buddy took mine off along time ago.it was stripped and we were both big boys used to delivering furniture.so it wasnt much of a problem.just trying to find good spots to grab on to was the worse.but when we set it back on about 10 yrs. later it was myself my 2 stepsons and one of their friends,i was shocked by how much weight that same bare cab had gained. so it all comes down to how strong you are and the need to do it............dave

Me and my son (5 year old) removed the cab on my 64 and then reinstalled it after I got it ready to install. When I removed it I had not removed the insides and doors so it was more of a strain. It was rough but my son(and the good Lord) were the only ones here to help me.
Once I got everything unhooked I lifted up the rear of the cab and got my son to slide a 2x6 and a 2x4 under it. We did the same for the front. Once that was done I pry-ed the 2Xs apart so that we could put some 1/2" pvc pipe under it. Once that was done I rolled it off on our trailer. If you have time to look at my website click on the installing the cab link on the left. That is the same way I took it off. Of course mine is a 64, I am thinking one of the older ones may be heaver.

Michael,

You have lot more tools to work with than I have but neat idea. Thanks for sharing the picture. I guess I am going to use engine hoist and some straps to lift off and then I am making my own large dolly to move it around

Ganesh