Rotted body mount repair question!

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mwojoaa96

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This goes to the guys who have done this repair before. Need some tips for a novice mechanic and Neanderthal fabricator.

I need to repair my body mount “brackets?” This is the shape they are in, I do not want to spend the coin on new brackets I’d rather just add metal (2 buck truck)
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So I got some plate washers and bought polyurethane bushing kits (I will be making my own bushing hardware on a lathe and mill since the old stuff is not reuseable. Specifically the retaining washers and sleeve that goes inside the bushing)

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This is the idea so far.

MY QUESTION IS: How do I find the center for the bolt holes. I need to weld this on, and with the bushings and the washers/sleeves. There won’t be much room for slop. I do not want to weld this on and put the cab over it just to realize the center of my bolt hole is off and I can’t thread the bolt in!!!

Any tips or tricks or measurements will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
 

Hipster

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Even in stock format there is some room to move the body around with all the bolts installed. 1/4 to 3/8 inch for alignment purposes. Looks like you have some crustiness where the cab brackets meet the frame, preferrably this needs some sandblasting and welding/repair as well. If those washers aren't 3/16 or better I would make my own repair plates out of 3/16 plate. If you want to stop the rust the whole thing needs to be cleaner. Any overlapping seams need to be seam sealed to keep water out, and something to protect it when done like epoxy primer. Spray under coatings and such almost all call for some type of primer underneath.
 

DeCaff2007

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Even in stock format there is some room to move the body around with all the bolts installed. 1/4 to 3/8 inch for alignment purposes.
^^This. On my junk, I did the exact same thing, i.e., welded some washers in place of the rot. I took a good eyeballed guess at the center, and everything fit together fine.

Don't think too far into it lol.
 

Caman96

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^^This. On my junk, I did the exact same thing, i.e., welded some washers in place of the rot. I took a good eyeballed guess at the center, and everything fit together fine.

Don't think too far into it lol.
Agreed ^^^, but if your ocd won’t allow, the center to center of holes, side to side, would be the bolt holes on cab. Then, just centered on brackets, front to back.
 

mwojoaa96

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Even in stock format there is some room to move the body around with all the bolts installed. 1/4 to 3/8 inch for alignment purposes. Looks like you have some crustiness where the cab brackets meet the frame, preferrably this needs some sandblasting and welding/repair as well. If those washers aren't 3/16 or better I would make my own repair plates out of 3/16 plate. If you want to stop the rust the whole thing needs to be cleaner. Any overlapping seams need to be seam sealed to keep water out, and something to protect it when done like epoxy primer. Spray under coatings and such almost all call for some type of primer underneath.
This is a very helpful response. I’ve actually been using por15 on the whole frame after a good descaling wire wheel. That crusty ness is overspray zinc coating from the metal prep. Sandblasting was simply not an affordable option for me, but I’m not trying to restore the truck to showroom just wanting to get some more years out of it.

These washers are 3/16. Three out of 4 of the brackets are in okay shape unsure if I want to scrap the washer idea and just make repair plates all around. I don’t know how the OEM brackets will hold up when they are actually supporting the weight of the body.
Agreed ^^^, but if your ocd won’t allow, the center to center of holes, side to side, would be the bolt holes on cab. Then, just centered on brackets, front to back.
Great tip, I didn’t think of that.
 

mwojoaa96

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Allright guys I finally got around to this job. Made some hardware to allow for oem fit.

I took several measurements with a piece of twine taped center on each body mount hole on the bottom of the cab and I got back the measurements of 47-3/4” from front mount to back mount.

Then 52” from side to side cab mounts.

Is anyone able to verify these measurements off their rig or any schematics or project frames. You would make my day :)

Thanks for all the help, todays the welding day
 
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