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How to Build a Truck Cab Lift - Using an Engine Hoist to Remove a Truck Cab

How to Build a Truck Cab Lift - Using an Engine Hoist to Remove a Truck Cab

In Project Shop Truck, we are at the point where we need to remove the cab of the 1957 Ford F100 from the frame so we can get to work on the TCI Suspension upgrade to the chassis.

This will include welding in a new Mustang II front suspension and doing a c-notch kit with the parabolic spring kit.  We will also be installing a 1969 Mustang gas tank into the rear of the frame so we don't have the gas tank inside the truck cab anymore.

When we rebuild the original Ford 9" posi rear-end, we will also be doing a set of disc brakes on it - leaving us at the end with four-wheel disc brakes.

Anyways, before we get to installing all those goodies... we have to get the cab off!

This is a 1957 Ford F100, so the same process will work for any truck cab.  However, your measurements will vary and we will show you how we measured everything so you can adjust for your needs.

First, the cab width from door to door inside is 54 1/2" wide.  We want an over hang of 6" on each side as we will install eye hooks on the overhang.

The reason for the eye hooks is so you can use a strap to hold it to the top of the cab so it stays in place.  Also, if you need to lift the cab from the top with a chain lift or other contraption, you can use some lift straps from these eye hooks.  Basically more options and safety when working yourself.

We are running two 2x4s with a gap in the middle then bridging these together with a 1 foot 2x4 that will run inside the seam of the door edge.  The gap for the door frame is 2 3/8"

We also ran two 1 foot 2x4 1" on each side of the centre.

After this, we want to run some 2x4s inside of the cab to support the roof so the 2x4s don't bend and instead the entire top of the cab is supported as one piece.  We will also be running the engine hoist in the middle of the wood brace, so we need to build an area for the engine hoist to sit and stay stable as we lift the cab.

These 2x4 were cut to a length of 2 feet.

This is optional, but we also added a 6" u-bracket in the middle as a place to add further support to the engine hoist arm and we also put the hook around it to stop it from slipping off.  This was installed in a way to support it going through the front windshield like we are, but if you are going through the door instead you could do the same thing - it would just be installed 90 degrees the other way.

With everything disconnected and the body mounts removed (some of them required cutting more than loosening bolts) we lifted the cab off with ease.  Then we pulled the chassis out and put it to the side.

We found another cab that was in better shape than this one, so we will be stripping all the parts and accessories and selling it or having it removed as scrap.

With that it is time to remove the drive shaft, transmission, suspension, and all the other bits to get us down to just the frame and rails to start getting all the old paint, grime, and rust off for welding and eventually painting!

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