Cab & Body Removal

[Keith Browning]

The topic of body and cab removal for powertrain repairs came up during a BS session at training. There is a photograph in the hallway showing a cab-off 6.0L engine repair and it was titled in big lettering "Don't Do It!" Many of the guys in the class were, like me, hesitant to try the procedure for various reasons. When brought up to the instructor for questioning the response was that there have been reports of body alignment and fit concerns like doors not closing properly. The problem is that in most cases, the cab or the full body an Excursion is not supported evenly causing the body to twist or bend. NVH problem can also be caused by this.

 

If anyone has done this have you encountered any problems as a result of lifting the body off frame?

[snw blue by you]

Absolutely not! At first Keith, I was not confident about lifting a cab, but like anything in life, once you do it, you wonder why you waited so long.

I have repaired 3 trucks now doing cab removal and for the ease of access to the engine it was worth it. The customers saw their trucks in this manner and were not freaked out about it, and each of them realized and said "Whats the difference, thats how it's put together on the assembly line."

I see those customers fairly regularly and none have complaints.

Answer me this; How is it we are qualified to repair one of the most advanced and complicated diesel engines produced today, but are to stupid to R&R a cab or full body properly?

I can not say it is any faster to R&R the cab, but I will say that access to the engine and its components is easier, as well as easier on the human body, especially this 41yr old model.

As far as I am concerned, Ford can take their picture and their advise, stick it in their ass and rotate!

/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbup.gif

[Keith Browning]

I'll take that as good advice based on experience! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rofl.gif

[Mike Hutchins]

First I would like to say hello to everyone,I just found this site the other day and registered,I am impressed you guys are doin a great job.As far as the cab removal I have done two so far one was a 97 F-150 engine change ya know the one that are tucked in under the dash,lol.The other was a F-450 or 550 not sure,it was a cube van.Not one problem with either,I personaly would not do it any other way.

[TOOBADQ]

I have pulled more than 15 cabs in the last two years. No big deal. My FSE don't blink when he see it done. Beware.... The first one you do is a dog and pony show. Everyone will stop to take a look.

[Brad Clayton]

Digging thru some old posts. I remember the first cab I every pulled it was '97 and i had to put an engine in a new body style '97 F-150. It was a stick shift standard cab. With the body out of the way it was much easier to manuever the engine to trans line up procedure.

 

Our body shop was putting a frame under an Explorer at the time and I got the idea there after seeing how easy it was and the room the was available.

 

After that I did all the rest in chassis though until the '99 head gasket leak fiascoe came about then it was off with the cabs again.

[Shlep]

First cab I had off was a 08 6.4 for a HPP failure and found it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought, so after swapping headgaskets a few more times with the cabs on I finally decided enough is enough and pulled my first older model cab. Now I can't think of doing it any other way, the ease of accessing everything makes it so worth it. Not to mention the old back doesn't complain near as much.

[Brad Clayton]

 

This is all the bolts I remove to get a cab off an older 6.0l with auto trans, the cab bolts are laying on the floor of the cab.

[LARRY BRUDZYNSKI]

Not much considering the hassle of cab-on repairs, I would say your miles ahead!!!! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rockon.gif

[2006]

For the guys that have removed cabs on a 6.0 truck, can you tell us the required steps for doing it? And any tips?

 

Thanks.

[eastendpowerstroke]

TEXT copied from fordtechnicians.com PHOTOS available on there sight

Go to

http://www.fordtechnicians.com

register and then click on the "Ford Technicians" link you will see "Body Removal" Tab it is under that tab

 

First thing I done BEFORE placing truck in lift bay was to pull the front scuff plate and kick panels out of both sides and pull the carpet back enough to expose the rubber grommet cap things to get to the 2 body bolts in the front of the cab out. (There are 8 body bolts all together on a Crew Cab. Others may have fewer) For some STUPID reason, Ford decided to have 2 different size body bolts, 21mm right side 24mm left side, go figure.. Then I pulled the bolt out of the lower steering shaft and only left it in there hand tight. (you will want to pull it (steering shaft) completely out and telescope it down through the firewall after you have the vehicle in lift bay)

Now its time to release the tension on the parking brake. More info on how to in the service manual

Next, if you have a Crew Cab, is to pull the rear seat, tool tray, and jack. Pull rear of carpet forward until you expose

the 4 body bolts.

 

After you have removed all the body bolts in the cab, proceed to the lift. Once you are in lift bay,

pull the bolt out of the steering shaft and feed it through firewall.

 

Be draining your coolant & recovering refrigerant, while you remove the shift cable from the trans

While you are underneath, it is a good idea to go ahead and remove the ground bolt behind RF wheel @ frame or body

(either will do).

 

Next, remove both ABS sensor wires at the inner fender splash shield.

Now pull the power steering cooler out, don't just take the lines off !! Trust me, I bent the PI$$ out of the 1st

one of these I did. Next, pull your lower radiator hose and trans lines from radiator.

Pull the radiator out. Remove the two nuts (18mm) holding body to frame.

 

Remove both batteries and CAC tubes. Remove air filter and LH battery tray.

You will need to remove the nut on the positive battery cable to separate an individual wire on both batteries. Remove the positive cables and set aside.

 

On RH engine compartment, remove the ground close to the battery.

Next remove the 1 wire connector (quick connect)

here and then remove the vacuum hose to 4WD (if equipped). Move on to pulling the nut off

the accumulator and remove the AC hose.

Then pull the top AC hose from the condenser. (Compressor to condenser)

Remove the MAP hose off the intake and then pull the heater hose ( RH side near alternator) and set both aside.

Move to LH side of engine compartment, and disconnect the gray connector on frame rail close to the CAC. Take the 3 lines off at the ABS HCU and set aside.

Remove the 2 harnesses to the right on the PCM. I removed all 3 but only 2 on the right is necessary. There are two other connectors on that harness that have to be disconnected as well.

Next you will see a row of 5 connectors. Disconnect the one closest to the front.

There is a relay/fuse block that needs to be removed also. Take a screwdriver and depress the tab and it comes right off.

There are 3 other connectors in the rear of the engine compartment LH side that need to be disconnected also. Just follow the wiring harnesses from frame and see where they lead.

Remove the Hydro boost lines and then the reservoir line that runs to pump.

Remove degas bottle and then disconnect LH side heater hose.

 

Position all wiring that goes up with cab clear of the engine. You may want to get somebody (or 2) to spot while someone actuates the lift. If anything goes to snagging, it is better that someone can yell HO!!!! Instead of trying to do it all yourself and screw up some stuff.

 

Carry on with the procedure in the manual for the head gasket job or engine removal.

 

A couple of tips I learned on these 6.0L Stupid Duty's is that it is easier to pull the harness from driver side & work your way to the passenger side, until you get to the point of disconnecting the AC compressor connector or the CKP sensor. The CKP sensor connector is hell to get to even with the body off, so don't fool with it, it isn't't necessary. Just set the bulk of the harness aside.

Another tip. Before you pull 6.0L heads off, remove the 2 drain plugs to drain the coolant out, remove starter to get to the right one.

[Rickster42]

you take the rad out? It can stay in. It clears no problem.

[eastendpowerstroke]

oh hell no !!! why would you remove it?

as I said I only copied the instructions from another sight. I was at work so I only flat rate read them and missed the part about removing the rad sorry.

[Mekanik]

I have removed amout 15 bodies and never any problems. I have a body off a F250 right now that needs a bedplate reseal. One of these trucks was an Excursion. The first to suggest this to me was our FSE (at the time). That was around 1998. This is the point I was trying to make in a different post. Sometimes Ford tells us that something catastrophic will happen if you... (fill in the blank. )

I was at the International Plant in 2002 when the 6.0L was coming down the pipeline and got to see thier shop where they do testing and research. Can you guess how they work on those trucks in the International shop?

One more thing I would like to ad, all of the vehicles that I reseal the bedplates on are meticilous and the owners are all very anal about thier trucks. If there was any nvh or a door didn't line up right I would have heard about it right away.

[Brad Clayton]

 

This is a photo of an '04. I lay the brake components on the motor without breaking anything open. I disconnect the steering shaft at the gear. The '05 is much easier because the abs unit is on the fender instead of tucked in the front left wheel well.

 

 

I bungy everything as close to center as possible, this makes lifting the cab a one man op without a spotter. Note: when taking the a/c lines loose, remove the line to a/c condensor before the line going to the accumulator. If it's hot out and the accumulator line is disconnected first it tends to expand and blow oil and dye out everywhere making a serious mess.

 

 

 

Now everything can be laid over out of the way. Note: when putting everything back on the motor to bring the cab down make sure the master is not under the sheet metal that the degas bottle bolts to. The first one I did, I brought the cab down and the degas bracket punched a hole in the master cap.

[Shlep]

I almost did the exact same thing to the first one I lifted, I just noticed the master was starting to get pinched when the cab was almost all the way down.

[Jeff_E]

I always leave the master and HCU in place and just disconnect the 3 lines from the HCU. I've never had to bleed one afterward. Everything else I do is the same. Currently my 55th is torn apart. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/drinkingdude.gif I think it was chipped but can't prove it /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/puke.gif

[Keith Browning]

I always leave the master and HCU in place and just disconnect the 3 lines from the HCU. I've never had to bleed one afterward.

I do the same on 2007 and older trucks but I have gotten spongy pedals from this and discoverd that since the air is close to the master that compressing the calipers forces the air back up into the master along with a lot of fluid. You just need to pump the brakes before starting the truck.

[Tony302600]

I always leave the master and HCU in place and just disconnect the 3 lines from the HCU. I've never had to bleed one afterward. Everything else I do is the same. Currently my 55th is torn apart. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/drinkingdude.gif I think it was chipped but can't prove it /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/puke.gif

Yea, ive never had a problem either. I leave the line's cracked just a little bit and they actually bleed themselves. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/scratchhead.gif

[eastendpowerstroke]

Quote:

I always leave the master and HCU in place and just disconnect the 3 lines from the HCU. I've never had to bleed one afterward.

+1
I get a helper to pump the pedal and crack the lines at the HCU before I go driving just to be safe /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbup.gif

[DamageINC]

Originally Posted By: Jeff_E

I always leave the master and HCU in place and just disconnect the 3 lines from the HCU. I've never had to bleed one afterward. Everything else I do is the same. Currently my 55th is torn apart. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/drinkingdude.gif I think it was chipped but can't prove it /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/puke.gif

Yea, ive never had a problem either. I leave the line's cracked just a little bit and they actually bleed themselves. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/scratchhead.gif

I've never considered unscrewing the lines from the HCU for fear that I'd run into a clusterfuck of pedal issues... but if you all are just taking the lines out and leaving everything else in place, then I'm definitely giving it a shot next time around. Unbolting, wrestling, and reinstalling the HCU bracket is definitely my least favorite part of the cab-off process.

 

I can just screw 'em back in and pump the pedal and everything will be mint?

 

Dave

[Jeff_E]

Quote:

I can just screw 'em back in and pump the pedal and everything will be mint?

Yup... Occasionally you will have a slightly low pedal which will self correct during your post repair road test.

[mchan68]

I can just screw 'em back in and pump the pedal and everything will be mint?

 

Dave

Yes. I have done all my cab-offs like that so far without issue.

[Keith Browning]

Currently my 55th is torn apart.

You keep track? /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/icon_crazy.gif May I recommend counseling? /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

[Jeff_E]

Quote:

Originally Posted By: Jeff_E
Currently my 55th is torn apart.


You keep track? May I recommend counseling?

I do keep track. My plastic cart has 54 tally marks on the side representing every cab off job I've done. My 55th is still torn apart awaiting approval. This one is a real pickle because it is now under the illustrious 200k esp dieselcare warranty. Problem is, the customer replaced his own air filter, and lost one of the metal air filter clips in the process. I found it for him though...pieces embedded in the #6 piston. I am doing everything in my power to convince esp not to pay for it. We even had our regional zone rep out yesterday, and that was after they sent an inspector TWICE. This thing has been apart for a couple weeks now just waiting for esp to figure out what they want to do with it. We're pretty sure it was chipped too due to the center pcm connector not being fully seated when the truck came in. Speaking of which, that might explain why he had a new engine installed last year, and head gaskets 4k miles ago. He has one of those "cavalier attitudes" too. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/hahaha.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crybaby2.gif

Getting back to my tally marks though - I only make them after the vehicle is done and running due to my superstition that if I preemptively make the mark on my cart before the job is done, I may fuck something up and have to do it all over.