The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop TIP: Cab to Frame added cushion rubber

The vendors sell you a small 2.5-3.0'' rubber pad !!!!!!!!!!!!!

My idea is a strip 2'' x 14'' of hard rubber to support the cab.

When I did this to my newly Por-15 painted frame the cab and bed were at the blasting shop. after getting it back from the blaster, they helped w/ the use of the fork lift and we placed the blasted bed and cab back on the frame.

I came up with this idea about adding more cushion to the cab base area that was far and away better than the small disc pad the venders sell you for the cab front to frame cushion. I went to a rubber supply house here in sacramento and bought 'scrap' hard rubber about 2-3'' wide. i bought 6'. the scrap strip cost me about 5-7 bucks, maybe. I always buy more than I'll need but know i'll use it somewhere. What I did was to use a piece about 12-14'' long and the 1/2'' bolt goes thru onw end so I used a hole punch for that. the inner end was held in situ by a large rivit to the wide area around the cab base. I did take pictures but they never went thru the camera. I made this diagram up to show how it is placed. The cab bottom has a square tube that extends across the flat frame triangulated area. The added area support can not hurt and only help.

I hope this helps others with a great TIP

PS WOODY
MY issue here is w/ the cheap re-maned/re-pop products the vendors sell us. the cushions are NOT what they should/could be.

I see you mention that it helps isolate the cab from frame vibrations. Two things:

1. If the cab mounts are installed correctly there is no metal to metal contact between the cab and frame. Adding extra rubber along that mount should only be necessary if those two surfaces would otherwise be in contact without it.

2. One the most common cause of vibration in the AD trucks can be found in the front motor mount (6-cyl only) assembly. The problem is that the aftermarket rubber mount is shorter that the original to the point where when tightened down the cap and the holding cup touch transmitting engine vibration directly to the frame. Anyone using the aftermarket rubber should cut 1/8" of material from the top of the retaing cup to assure there is no contact.

That being said, I know this modification is very popular but IMHO unnecessary if these two items are done properly. I also expect that my comments will cause some contradictory responses so feel free to post them.

Thanks for the tip...and the photo. I am gonna give it a go as well.

Hank

.... hey I used a few layers of old fire hoses! Looked and worked good.

I'll weigh in and give an impression and share a concern:

The rubber pads are intended to buffer the metal to metal contact between the frame and the cab.

My concern is this: should the longer sections of rubber 12-14" long contact the cab and frame that to me leaves a larger area for dirt, debris, grit, and water to get caught in between the rubber, the cab and the frame; the concern being that over time through the shake, rattle and roll of driving this debris and the constant vibration would continue to abrade these areas, removing any rust protection over coats and opening the metal to moisture, further abrasion and eventual rust.

I tend to think that the small rubber pads minimize the surface area where dirt, grit and moisture eventually find their way and get caught.

I want to minimize any direct contact between any part underneath the truck as much as possible. tom

Alvin's idea is a good one also, he & I have gone over this thought before. ya use what ya got just like the old days and it better than the new stuff. I even think my old cushion was hose material, it sure looked it, cept only one layer. alvin's got something there.

BY the time all that happens Tom I'll be DEAD
So it's of little concern to me. I did what I thought best and this idea will cushion the entire cab frame AND truck frame. what little dirt and grime gets in that high up area is SO MINISCULE I am certainly not worried at the least. my scrap $5buck rubber is better quality than the $15buck vendors kit.

firehose is probably better too, ask alvin

If you like the idea, great, use it. I'll let you guys know when I turn 80 which is just around the corner if ya know what I mean.

My point here is :: I just didn't like the junk the vendors sell for the most part. so if you use any vendor part [any part] you compromise what your good old truck used to have.

gooday