This Truck Is Killing Me

[HammerDown]

Just spent $800 for new rubber and alignment...now both front Cab-Mounts are completely rotted away. I drove over a twisty incline in a driveway and the passenger door edge hit the front fender seam.
At the door hinges I shimmed it backwards a little with fender washers but the cab will continue to sink down in the front.

Local body shop (honest fella) crawled under it and said... "Ray, to do it right the cab must come off and that's a lot of work and $$$" he doesn't even want the job

 

[laserjock]

I bet it looks just like mine. What happens is the cab mount piece rots out and lets the A pillar droop a little causing it to through everything off. Mine went so far as to cause a big crack in the main mounting point flange. Yes, I can't see any good way of fixing that without the cab coming off because the mount point is where the problem migrates to. The A pilar probably needs a little love too. You pretty much have to deconstruct the truck to do it including the bulk of the interior. Bed will need to come off most likely along with the front clip then unplug the harnesses, steering, speedo and shift linkages and the cab will pretty much lift off.

LMC has all the front metal work in repop. Foot wells, outter floor, mount points, and rockers if you need them. About $500 if you buy the cab corners too which I would guess you probably also need.

 

[laserjock]

Here is the cab mount area. I feel your pain.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[HammerDown]

This job is waaaaaaay beyond my skill levels nor do I have the shop or ability (health wise) to even think about it.
So painfully sad to see this ole girl rotting away

 

[jim_22]

I feel the pain. 3 times I almost sent my truck down the river, facing an expensive repair I was not in a position to do myself. So far I am glad I paid for the repairs. One day the truck will be down for the count. Perhaps tomorrow, but with some luck maybe not until I am very old or dead. Rust and rot is scary up north. But the Ford frames are tough as far as that goes. Better than most.

 

[jim_22]

This is about the time somebody usually says-- did you check how much a new diesel truck costs? Repairs start to look cheap by comparison. Edmonds true (total) cost to own puts it at around $14k per year. Buy a good late model used one and you can maybe get that down to $7-8k, but are still dealing with brakes, tires, and a check engine light. Buy a late model gaser and maybe get that down to $4-5k, but what fun is that and still (perhaps) just as expensive or more than the IDI.Why not find a nicer running IDI carcass, keep the best easily movable parts off yours, sell the engine+tranny and scrap the rest?

 

[ToughOldFord]

You have to think positively, it's not a broken truck, it's an excuse to Buy More Tools!

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[snicklas]

I think you are missing one of the big points here. It doesn't seem like he doesn't want to fix it. He personally can not physically do the repair due to health reasons. He has mentioned that in more than one post when talking about a major repair. He just can't do it, not he won't do it. He also has stated he doesn't want to spend the money at a shop to have it fixed. I don't know his personal financial situation, but I know my own. I also have some ongoing health problems, and for 6+ months earlier this year (and this is just this year, not counting the past few years), I was completely out of commission due to my health. I simply could do NOTHING but lie in bed and recover. Anything that had to be done, had to be done by someone else. I couldn't do anything even a simple as an oil change, or fuel filter change. Also, due to these health issues, it created a financial hardship that we are still trying to climb out of. If this were my truck and I had this same diagnosis on it that Ray has, getting it fixed in a shop would not have been an option for me either.... Fortunately I am healthier now, and have been able to do some things again, but it could still all happen again. I know how we all love these trucks, and want to see everyone saved. But there are times that is is just not possible for any number of reasons......

 

[laserjock]

I know how we all love these trucks, and want to see everyone saved. But there are times that is is just not possible for any number of reasons......

Well said. But it doens't make it hurt any less when you watch your baby hauled off to the scrapper. As crazy/weird/stupid as it sounds, I almost cried when I found out my brother had totalled my 88 several years back. I was glad it saved his life. At the same time it really hurt to travel home and see it sitting there in the field until finally it was hauled off for scrap. I've missed that old truck since I left home but it wasn't in good enough shape to do the traveling I needed to do to go away to school. In a lot of ways that's how I ended up here to reclaim a little bit of that. I'm the type that it's really hard to let them go even when there shouldn't be any real attachment (see my current nightmare... I mean build) let alone a vehicle I have history with. Some people say its just a truck, but it's more than that. It's all the memories that go with it too.

Ray, good luck man. I hope you come to peace with whatever decision you make be it forced by the current situation or not.

 

[HammerDown]

As mentioned, local shop (I would trust) said it's a big job, the cab has to come off, a lot of $$$ and he doesn't even want the job! Just looking under the cab it made him sick

Guys, I live in a row home or what some may think as a Town House. Very small patch of property, no room for another truck or the equipment to pull one apart to move over to another. I don't have acres around me with forklifts and large poll barn...or...anyone to even help. I'm in the suburbs of Delaware County. And then there's the health issues, age and busted up body.

I think my only hope is, when the snow starts to come put her on Craigslist and let someone put a plow on it, make a lot of money pushing snow and run her into the ground...it's sad...so damn sad

 

[HammerDown]

Make that 'two' body shops that want no parts of this repair.

 

[laserjock]

Sorry man. If I was in a better position, I'd try to help you out but as you can see, I have throughly got my hands full.

 

[Danielle]

How soon do you need it done? We're hopefully under contact with new shop property but will be few months til lifts and equipment are in. You're only about 70 miles away

 

[Danielle]

We could probably get some helping hands here and do it

 

[HammerDown]

We could probably get some helping hands here and do it

Thanks Danielle, that sure sounds like a great suggestion but I don't think there are too many IDI owners in my neck of the woods that want any parts of this nightmare. If I had the shop and the equipment to pull the cab and bed and most importantly 'better health' I 'may' be able to tackle something like this. Of course leaving the welding to a pro.

Last job I did on my truck was front wheel bearings, new rotors, new calipers and front brake hoses...that job would have normally taken me about a day. It took me well over a week, and my body is still paying for it.