Cab Mount Replacement Guide
#1
Cab Mount Replacement Guide
After replacing every suspension bushing with poly's, my stock cab mounts on my 95 F350 are showing just how bad they actually are. I need to replace them. I have a general idea what I need to do here, but was wondering if anyone minded sharing with me their experience/guide to removing and replacing the mounts. Any special tools, tips I should have ready? Anything I need to loosen around the cab for optimum access. The bolts are extremely rusted so I will need to grind them off. Thanks!
#2
I just did mine, and cut the rear bolt heads with a grinder, got lucky on the middle ones, and used a sawzall/grinder under the radiator support. I had to cut the middle bushings out, though, because of the sleeve/washer thingies built in.
The factory bushings have metal sleeves/washers, and my poly didn't come with any, and the stockers were either too rusted or too cut up to use.
I just got some 1/2 inch bolts, then had some sleeves made up to slide inside the replacement bushings so the bolts fit tight instead of floppin around inside the bushings.
I dunno if you can get just the sleeve/washers from ford or not, but it would be easier.
Anyway, its a major PITA, I'm glad its over, and won't ever do it again!!
The factory bushings have metal sleeves/washers, and my poly didn't come with any, and the stockers were either too rusted or too cut up to use.
I just got some 1/2 inch bolts, then had some sleeves made up to slide inside the replacement bushings so the bolts fit tight instead of floppin around inside the bushings.
I dunno if you can get just the sleeve/washers from ford or not, but it would be easier.
Anyway, its a major PITA, I'm glad its over, and won't ever do it again!!
#3
#4
geting the cab mounts removed is the most ridiculously difficult thing to do on our trucks... I tried to cut through the mount with a sawzall and...well... lets just say cutting rubber with a reciprocating saw is NO FUN!
After trying for an hour to remove one mount with no success I found a neat trick that turned it into a breeze.
What I did was remove the through bolt and block the cab up a bit so the mount wasn't up against the cab. Now find the appropriate sized socket and place it on the bottom nut. then I placed an extension on the socket and a floor jack under the extension. Now you jack up the truck... now I dont mean jack it way in the air but jack it up enough that you push up on the mount and push it up so that the top portion of the mount separates from the frame flange... if you dont see it separate use a screwdriver or something and eventually you'll see a small gap between it and the flange, enough to get your saw in there. Now take a sawz-all and cut through the sleeve... the whole thing will take less than 10 mins per mount.
I had to buy new washers from ford and they were stupid expensive... you might be able to save yours, or come up with another solution... but I'm not sure. I got new bolts from the body lift kit I installed... you can use any bolts you like. I would recommend a grade 6 or 8... the grade 5 bolts that came with my lift kit suck and are worn out from removing them a couple of times.
hope that helps and good luck!
After trying for an hour to remove one mount with no success I found a neat trick that turned it into a breeze.
What I did was remove the through bolt and block the cab up a bit so the mount wasn't up against the cab. Now find the appropriate sized socket and place it on the bottom nut. then I placed an extension on the socket and a floor jack under the extension. Now you jack up the truck... now I dont mean jack it way in the air but jack it up enough that you push up on the mount and push it up so that the top portion of the mount separates from the frame flange... if you dont see it separate use a screwdriver or something and eventually you'll see a small gap between it and the flange, enough to get your saw in there. Now take a sawz-all and cut through the sleeve... the whole thing will take less than 10 mins per mount.
I had to buy new washers from ford and they were stupid expensive... you might be able to save yours, or come up with another solution... but I'm not sure. I got new bolts from the body lift kit I installed... you can use any bolts you like. I would recommend a grade 6 or 8... the grade 5 bolts that came with my lift kit suck and are worn out from removing them a couple of times.
hope that helps and good luck!
#5
#6
like I said cab mounts are the nastiest thing to do on our trucks... I've read of people burning then off... cutting then out... drilling them out... grinding them.... honestly the trick I posted is by far the best way and makes the whole job a breeze...
the reason there so difficult to remove is ford pinched the sleeves together and since the frame flange is between the two parts you cant get them out. add a bit of rust and it's impossible. Unless you use the GoodBOY super top secret cab mount removal procedure...LMAO
the reason there so difficult to remove is ford pinched the sleeves together and since the frame flange is between the two parts you cant get them out. add a bit of rust and it's impossible. Unless you use the GoodBOY super top secret cab mount removal procedure...LMAO
#7
like I said cab mounts are the nastiest thing to do on our trucks... I've read of people burning then off... cutting then out... drilling them out... grinding them.... honestly the trick I posted is by far the best way and makes the whole job a breeze...
the reason there so difficult to remove is ford pinched the sleeves together and since the frame flange is between the two parts you cant get them out. add a bit of rust and it's impossible. Unless you use the GoodBOY super top secret cab mount removal procedure...LMAO
the reason there so difficult to remove is ford pinched the sleeves together and since the frame flange is between the two parts you cant get them out. add a bit of rust and it's impossible. Unless you use the GoodBOY super top secret cab mount removal procedure...LMAO
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#8
The nuts are welded into the bottom washer part. And bigger bolts on mine wouldn't fit down thru the bodylift spacer...
Anyways, I got Prothane bushings from summitracing.com, shipped to maine for around $60.
My rear most mounts came out the easiest, and my core support was so rotted I yanked it off without removing the mounts, but had to cut along side of the bolt to get the washer/sleeve thingie pryed off of the bolt to drive it down thru the frame mount.
Having done it, goodbOy's advice on the middle mounts makes sense and I should've done it that way, but the smoke from the burning rubber helped keep the black flies away
Once you get started it'll all make sense and you'll hate your truck for being built that way
Anyways, I got Prothane bushings from summitracing.com, shipped to maine for around $60.
My rear most mounts came out the easiest, and my core support was so rotted I yanked it off without removing the mounts, but had to cut along side of the bolt to get the washer/sleeve thingie pryed off of the bolt to drive it down thru the frame mount.
Having done it, goodbOy's advice on the middle mounts makes sense and I should've done it that way, but the smoke from the burning rubber helped keep the black flies away
Once you get started it'll all make sense and you'll hate your truck for being built that way
#9
#10
Where in Maine are you bub? Im in South Portland.
Well this job sounds like ****, and after a 3 month restoration on the rest of the truck, I am seriuosly itching to get my truck back on the road...but I know I should do this job while I am in mode. I am thinking I will just unbolt the cab, and slide it back where the bed is, seeing I have my bed off already...I think that way I could take my time and be able to stand up. Now heres my question, what would I need to unbolt in order to get the cab to slide back the frame. I am thinking steering column, maybe a few fender bolts?
Well this job sounds like ****, and after a 3 month restoration on the rest of the truck, I am seriuosly itching to get my truck back on the road...but I know I should do this job while I am in mode. I am thinking I will just unbolt the cab, and slide it back where the bed is, seeing I have my bed off already...I think that way I could take my time and be able to stand up. Now heres my question, what would I need to unbolt in order to get the cab to slide back the frame. I am thinking steering column, maybe a few fender bolts?
#11
I would leave the cab where it is if you can... it can add allot of time to the job if you move it and then have to align it back... but I'm no expert... when I moved mine and it took a while to get back in place... and I think it's still a bit out of alignment.
if you do want to move it the steering, wiring harness, ground wires, shifters and brake lines have to be removed...
EDIT: and the front clip as well.... I dont think you can move the whole cab and front clip at the same time... but you could try....
if you do want to move it the steering, wiring harness, ground wires, shifters and brake lines have to be removed...
EDIT: and the front clip as well.... I dont think you can move the whole cab and front clip at the same time... but you could try....
#12
Well heres my dilemma. I remember last year replacing my radiator support, and replacing the mounts with polyurethane ones. I remember how difficult it was getting the old mounts out of the frame. I didnt even reuse the old hardware from the support, and just mashed in some polyurethane bushings above and below the support to roughly match the height of the old ones and called it a day. I basically have the feeling that the cab mount job is going to be x1000 harder, and I know I am going to have to destroy all the bushings and hardware, everything is rusted out like the rest of the truck use to be. What hardware do I need exactly in order to make everything fit like stock, howcome these kits dont come with new hardware to match. I remember the dealer wanted something like $250 just for the radiator support bushing hardware.
Heres what I did, I have a feeling I would have to do something like this again, but I fear this because this set up isnt overly structural, but because the radiator support does not bare much weight at all, I was able to get away with skanking it.
Heres what I did, I have a feeling I would have to do something like this again, but I fear this because this set up isnt overly structural, but because the radiator support does not bare much weight at all, I was able to get away with skanking it.
#13
CAB MOUNTS SUCK!!! when i did my 83 i have the same prob as goodboy. just fought through it. After i cut the sleaves out i realized the new energy suspensinon ones didnt come with em. I had to go buy sleaves from ford. But the problem is the only way to get the sleaves is getting the body bushing too.EXPENSIVE so now i have a brand new set of ford rubber bushings on my shelf and i used the sleaves in the energy suspension bushings. If i had to do all over again i would of just used the Ford bushing and sleaves. The poly bushings are very noisy. I hateed them!!
#14
the only thing I had to buy was the rear cab mount washers... I think they were like 80$ for the pair. I'm sure if you looked around you could find some big washers and nut's... I have no idea why they sell cab mount replacement kits that have no hardware... pissed me off after spending 80$ for the kit only to have to spend another 80 on the stupid washers. Like I said I would look into finding some big washers and nuts... just get some good ones... not the ones they sell at wall-mart...lol
#15