Front Cab Mounts

[HammerDown]

Well, my truck will not pass Pennsylvania Inspection because both front cab mounts are rusted away (not the frame mounts but under the floorpan corners) and it's ugly under there.
Question...I asked a fella I know from a body shop about it, he said..."Ray the parts are cheap however, to do it right the Cab must come off and you're looking at 100 hours in labor alone" $$$$$
Any truth to that?
Because it's not inspected and after 31 years of owning her (since new) my truck is now parked.

 

[rewbrooks50]

Sad

 

[Macrobb]

Just a thought... I have pulled the cab mount bolts out before and jacked the cab up(with everything still attached) by a couple of inches, enough to mess with the cab bushings.

Seems like you might be able to pull bolts, jack it up, grind off the rivets(or torch them off), pull cab mount, install new one and bolt it on with everything in place.

 

[HammerDown]

Just a thought... I have pulled the cab mount bolts out before and jacked the cab up(with everything still attached) by a couple of inches, enough to mess with the cab bushings.

Seems like you might be able to pull bolts, jack it up, grind off the rivets(or torch them off), pull cab mount, install new one and bolt it on with everything in place.

I should have made clear, it's not the frame mounts but the sheetmetal under the cab that is rotted away.

 

[HammerDown]

Sad

Very, actually kind of heartbreaking.

 

[DaveBen]

Get a new cab and move your stuff into it. Will be cheaper than 100 hours of body shop time.

 

[david85]

Yes, it's true.

Sorry...

EDIT: Have a good look at the floorpan everywhere trailing behind the front tires and follow it back to the rear cab corners. Chances are that area is also toast.

If you want a truck to survive being wet-sandblasted with saltwater, then you need to spend more time with a powerwasher under the truck than on the visible painted areas. Then wait for it to dry and coat it with an oil-based undercoating. Even after restoring mine, I still use Fluidfilm on all the hidden areas. Spray it up inside every drain hole you can find, while you're at it.

 

[david85]

This is probably the part that rusted away:

https://shop.broncograveyard.com/80...100&utm_term=FORD&utm_content=BroncoGraveyard

You must be registered for see images attach

It is possible that only the mount itself rusted away, but typically the rest of the floor has damage by the time the mount is this far gone. I often complain about my truck's bad performance in the snow, but reduced exposure to salted roads did help it last longer.

 

[HammerDown]

This is probably the part that rusted away:

https://shop.broncograveyard.com/80...100&utm_term=FORD&utm_content=BroncoGraveyard

You must be registered for see images attach

It is possible that only the mount itself rusted away, but typically the rest of the floor has damage by the time the mount is this far gone. I often complain about my truck's bad performance in the snow, but reduced exposure to salted roads did help it last longer.

Mine look worse, sections of floor are gone and the cab is sitting on the frame rails.

 

[HammerDown]

Yes, it's true.

Sorry...

EDIT: Have a good look at the floorpan everywhere trailing behind the front tires and follow it back to the rear cab corners. Chances are that area is also toast.

If you want a truck to survive being wet-sandblasted with saltwater, then you need to spend more time with a powerwasher under the truck than on the visible painted areas. Then wait for it to dry and coat it with an oil-based undercoating. Even after restoring mine, I still use Fluidfilm on all the hidden areas. Spray it up inside every drain hole you can find, while you're at it.

You're assuming for decades of ownership I haven't hosed the undercarriage. After ever snow storm and from road salt I would indeed wash the underside.
One thing I regret not doing since day one was...I should have gotten under there with a bug sprayer loaded with WD40. I believe that would have helped some.
But it is what it is...maybe time to sell for parts, and there a tons of good parts on my truck. Heck, no one ever used the rear bench seat!

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Mine look worse, sections of floor are gone and the cab is sitting on the frame rails.

I guess I can understand why it wouldn't pass inspection now. At first, I thought that you were talking about the cab mount bushings.

 

[david85]

You're assuming for decades of ownership I haven't hosed the undercarriage. After ever snow storm and from road salt I would indeed wash the underside.
One thing I regret not doing since day one was...I should have gotten under there with a bug sprayer loaded with WD40. I believe that would have helped some.
But it is what it is...maybe time to sell for parts, and there a tons of good parts on my truck. Heck, no one ever used the rear bench seat!

I guess you could source a different cab but even a perfect cab would be a lot of work to swap everything over. What is the rest of the body and frame like?

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Jc Whitney used to sell replacements that you can weld or screw into place right over the old ones. I would certainly do that before scrapping. 100 hours is for restoration grade work, you should be able to throw some new cab mounts under there for less than 10.
It won't last forever, but selling for parts and new cab are pretty extreme options. there is middle ground.

 

[nitroguy]

While we are talking extremes, you could always just move.
Montana doesn't inspect cars at all - heck four-wheelers and horses are street legal here!

I mean, Montana is prettty full, so I wouldn't come HERE, but I'm sure other states can be at least a bit cool like us.

 

[nj_m715]

just "move" the registration to a new state
my moped is registered in new hampshire because GA doesnt require registration so I can't drive it in states that do