body lift frame swap

[73series88]

hey guys
happy thankgiving.
ok so my frames on its last legs. im gonna weld on the right framehorn in the morning. did the left one a couple of years ago. bought me some time hopefully this one will get me through the winter at least. if i can get enough overtime through the winter im hoping to get my hands on a new frame in the spring. being this is my daily driver i have to do this quick. has anyone done a body lift, roll out chassis, swap drive gear, roll in new chassis. ive looked up a couple of things but nothing really clear.
do i need to brace the body around the doors at all?
how high does it need to be lifted.
do i need to go around the entire body with straps?
i ve looked some pics from east cost rovers
but there small and i cant really see the details about lifting a body.
series 3 88 hardtop with sunshield.
as always. thanks for your help
see you guys out at the deerlake rally this weekend
aaron

looks like the mga is gonna have to wait another year.

[canyonero]

Like this?

http://www.roversnorth.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11828&highlight=Chassis+swap&page=5

[73series88]

nope
he took his truck completely apart.
im looking to remove the body in one piece.
thanks
aaron

[Apis Mellifera]

I thought about lifting the whole body because I too wanted to get it done quickly. I ended up doing it in three chunks: bulkhead, tub, and top. The trucks come apart so quick, I didn't see a need to make one large, cumbersome lift. Of, course, I don't have a lift; just an engine hoist.

If I had this to do again, I'd take a week off of work, get the swap done in three days, and then relax the last two. Even working, I got mine done in a week.

The most tricky thing was lifting the bulkhead enough to clear the engine. Had I removed the gear levers, it would have been a few inches. Since I came forward with the bulkhead, the lift was more like three feet (bottom of floor over oil filler on engine).

Thread:http://www.roversnorth.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=11828

EDIT: I guess I was beaten to the punch. In summary, unless you have a way to lift the body high enough safely, I wouldn't try it.

[TeriAnn]

If it were me, I'd build up a roller frame first then take a week off and do the swap. Pick up used axle assemblies (maybe trade for yours at a later time), put in all new bearings & seals, check each diff, and install new brakes. Put them under the new frame with new U bolts & good springs. Run the rear electrical harness and plum new brake lines. Then after having a new rolling frame with rebuilt front & rear axle assemblies, the steering arms installed, springs refreshed and installed, and the harder to do when the body is on stuff added, I would stock pile a bunch of new bolts then do the frame swap. Your end product will be better than if you just try and get everything done at once.

You'll need to disassemble the front clip, the doors, seat box, bulkhead and hard top if you have one on. Swap the engine & gearbox over, get it set up with new mounts. Inspect the fuel tank & renew it if in not top condition. Transfer over the mechanical brake linkage, the bulkhead, install the fuel line & main harness, the radiator bulkhead, and move over the rear tub as one piece from the rear door post on back.

If it is not too cold or too hot it should go quickly if you already have a rolling frame fully set up.

This is the best time you will ever have to replace rusty and worn out parts. Everything will be as easy as it ever will to replace since you will have everything exposed and have to unbolt it from the vehicle anyway.

If it were me I would come down with a full blown case of ship fitters disease and try to put the truck into the best condition I could as I did the swap. I'd reason that since I already have the worn/rusty part off I might as well fix what should be fixed to try and bring the vehicle back into the best condition I could make it. It is an affliction that I have.

[Billy5]

Hello,
I agree with Terri Ann. While you are saving for the frame, start to stockpile other bits too. You know what you need most likely already. I would do that if it were me, considering it is your DD as is mine. We need to make these as " new" for lack of a better word as possible. Consider a cheap car rental while you do it so theres not so much pressure.

PS: This is why I am thinking of a backup..LOL. If you want, I am only across the pond and have lots of tools if you need help.

[Lalo88DK]

It can be done and it does save some time/work to do a complete body lift when doing a frame swap. Look at this French site.

http://forum.le-temps-des-series.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=21109

Really nice job.

[I Leak Oil]

Several years ago I helped a friend do his. We removed the fenders and radiator panel but left the bulkhead attached to everything behind it. We had access to a fork truck so lifting it was easy enough. If you remove the gear lever you should be able to lift it enough with a couple jacks and blocks to slide it out.
Even doing it this way though it still wasn't quite done in a weekend. When you're ready, put the word out. I'm sure you'll get plenty of help!

[msggunny]

One of the LRO's or similar British LR mags had an article on this but with a defender, same thing.

They went pretty high, but they had a lift. If i can find the issue I will forward it and see if its on the net somewhere.

Very similar to this one, only they had a galvi rolling chassis ready to put under:

http://forum.le-temps-des-series.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=21109

[LaneRover]

I think that East Coast Rover used to advertise being able to do this and their website used to have a some info on what they did. Might be a good thing to take a look and see if it is still on their website.

[Jim-ME]

Both ECR and Matt Browne lift entire bodies. Go to the ECR website and keep looking you'll see one somewhere. I know that Matt has a picture of a Defender on his Facebook page (Overland Engineering). Good luck Aaron. When are you planning this?
Jim

[73series88]

im not sure yet.
maybe spring?
AAron

[slorocco]

When you said "body lift" in the subj line i was thinking something completely different.

I have done this when I replaced the frame on my 109. I took the front clip off but left the entire body from the bulkhead back intact. After unbolting everything and disconnecting wires, linkage, etc. I had some friends over to help with the lift. We lifted the body just enough to slide a 4x4 post across under the body at the rear wheel wells and a second 4x4 across under the bulkhead attachment points. Shifters were removed for better clearance. We lifted the whole body up and set the 4x4s on cinderblocks and rolled the chassis out. I then rolled a trailer underneath it and set the whole body assembly on the trailer and pushed it in the backyard while I did all the frame prep/swap. Assembly was the reverse. Worked out well for me as I did not have spare wheels axles etc.

[73series88]

that sounds pretty good
thanks
aaron