Body alignment - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

1LowToy · 02-14-2011, 10:32 PM

Would it be as simple as it looks to straighten out the body on the frame? Four mounts on the cab and two on the radiator support and give it a shove? I know that I have one cab mount cross threaded from the factory. If I can get it out I'm hoping to tap the threads an move on.

The price of a couple of scuffed knuckles sounds about right.

1LowToy · 02-16-2011, 10:59 PM

The problem I see is that the front fender is closer to the tire on the left than the right. I'm thinking the cab is not mounted straight.

Anyone?

low man · 02-16-2011, 11:14 PM

does the front line up with the bumper and have a nice even gap?

1LowToy · 02-16-2011, 11:26 PM

Unknown as the bumper is loose mounted cause the frame horn is bent. The problem I'm trying to solve is more space between the fender and tire on the right than the left.

cableguy0 · 02-16-2011, 11:31 PM

You can do what your trying to do. I would suspect its been apart before if a bolt is crossthreaded. Its going to be really hard to get a crossthreaded body bolt out. It will likely either bend the cage and spin or just break the cage and spin.

low man · 02-16-2011, 11:33 PM

maybe the cab moved back on one side.usualy the front should be nice and square.all the lines even.is the cab even with the box on both sides

1LowToy · 02-16-2011, 11:39 PM

I don't think it's been appart ever. I can see where the left rear cab bolt is not tightened down fully. I'm hoping I can get it out and re-thread it. This seems to be a common problem of one wheel further out than the other. I'm just trying to make a square body square on the frame.

low man · 02-16-2011, 11:46 PM

its hard sometimes,there okd trucks and god knows what they have been through.if the frame horn is bent,you will have to traighten it up.i try to line them up as good as possible by having it all togheter,tryng to be consitent with all the gaps and the bumper

thinair · 02-16-2011, 11:50 PM

You said that one frame horn is bent??????????????
probablly oughta check the rest of the frame if things aren't lining up.
as far as "retaping" that nut.......good luck. it would be easier to cut a hole in the cab and remove that square nut thats gonna spin and just use another nut and bolt.

1LowToy · 02-16-2011, 11:59 PM

The left front frame horn is bent in about 1.25" and is not bent any further back.

1LowToy · 02-17-2011, 12:23 AM

Anyone have pics of where to hole the cab to get at the fasteners?

low man · 02-17-2011, 12:43 AM

its in the floor,you can cut a hole.not this big,i had to change the floor pan.but if i remember right from under theres a hole close to the bolts that you could make a mark with a punc to guide you close to where you have to cut.i usualy cut it in an h shape about 3" and just open it up.and when your done just weld it back up

low man · 02-17-2011, 12:44 AM

its under the square on the rail.mine unbolted fine

snapdaddy · 02-17-2011, 12:48 AM

could you possibly have alignment issues like maybe something on your suspension is bend?

Keith Seymore · 02-17-2011, 08:43 AM

Yes - cabs did get set crooked at the factory, which did manifest iteself as a different gap between the bumper and fender from one side to the other.

There's not much fore/aft length there, particularly on a regular cab, so if the cab is pointing off in one direction the hood will follow, which drives the fenders off in that direction too. Not nearly as big a problem on crew cab/Blazer/Suburban, because the additional length made the cab placement more robust.

And yes - cab bolts did get crossthreaded at the factory. We tried to catch them all in repair but one or two may have gotten past us...(especially if we were having a bad day).

Keith Seymore · 02-17-2011, 08:45 AM

Whoa! It was worth saying twice....(apparently)

02-14-2011, 10:32 PM	#1
1LowToy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sonora California Posts: 860	Body alignment Would it be as simple as it looks to straighten out the body on the frame? Four mounts on the cab and two on the radiator support and give it a shove? I know that I have one cab mount cross threaded from the factory. If I can get it out I'm hoping to tap the threads an move on. The price of a couple of scuffed knuckles sounds about right. Last edited by 1LowToy; 02-14-2011 at 10:34 PM.

02-16-2011, 10:59 PM	#2
1LowToy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sonora California Posts: 860	Re: Body alignment The problem I see is that the front fender is closer to the tire on the left than the right. I'm thinking the cab is not mounted straight. Anyone?

02-16-2011, 11:14 PM	#3
low man Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: low, quebec Posts: 52	Re: Body alignment does the front line up with the bumper and have a nice even gap? __________________ 87 short bed.4",6" drop sold 90chev z71 6" lift. with 35"sold 07 4x4 colorado on 31" 1971 chev blazer

02-16-2011, 11:26 PM	#4
1LowToy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sonora California Posts: 860	Re: Body alignment Unknown as the bumper is loose mounted cause the frame horn is bent. The problem I'm trying to solve is more space between the fender and tire on the right than the left. Last edited by 1LowToy; 02-16-2011 at 11:28 PM.

02-16-2011, 11:31 PM	#5
cableguy0 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Delta,Pa Posts: 14,950	Re: Body alignment You can do what your trying to do. I would suspect its been apart before if a bolt is crossthreaded. Its going to be really hard to get a crossthreaded body bolt out. It will likely either bend the cage and spin or just break the cage and spin. __________________ Owner of North Point Car Care in Dundalk Md. We specialize in custom exhaust on both modern and classic vehicles. We are a full service auto shop from classics to modern vehicles. Feel free to contact me with questions. I will give a 10% discount to any board member.

02-16-2011, 11:33 PM	#6
low man Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: low, quebec Posts: 52	Re: Body alignment maybe the cab moved back on one side.usualy the front should be nice and square.all the lines even.is the cab even with the box on both sides __________________ 87 short bed.4",6" drop sold 90chev z71 6" lift. with 35"sold 07 4x4 colorado on 31" 1971 chev blazer

02-16-2011, 11:39 PM	#7
1LowToy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sonora California Posts: 860	Re: Body alignment I don't think it's been appart ever. I can see where the left rear cab bolt is not tightened down fully. I'm hoping I can get it out and re-thread it. This seems to be a common problem of one wheel further out than the other. I'm just trying to make a square body square on the frame.

02-16-2011, 11:46 PM	#8
low man Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: low, quebec Posts: 52	Re: Body alignment its hard sometimes,there okd trucks and god knows what they have been through.if the frame horn is bent,you will have to traighten it up.i try to line them up as good as possible by having it all togheter,tryng to be consitent with all the gaps and the bumper __________________ 87 short bed.4",6" drop sold 90chev z71 6" lift. with 35"sold 07 4x4 colorado on 31" 1971 chev blazer

02-16-2011, 11:50 PM	#9
thinair thinair Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: omaha,ne Posts: 997	Re: Body alignment You said that one frame horn is bent?????????????? probablly oughta check the rest of the frame if things aren't lining up. as far as "retaping" that nut.......good luck. it would be easier to cut a hole in the cab and remove that square nut thats gonna spin and just use another nut and bolt.

02-16-2011, 11:59 PM	#10
1LowToy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sonora California Posts: 860	Re: Body alignment The left front frame horn is bent in about 1.25" and is not bent any further back.

02-17-2011, 12:23 AM	#11
1LowToy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sonora California Posts: 860	Re: Body alignment Anyone have pics of where to hole the cab to get at the fasteners?

02-17-2011, 12:43 AM	#12
low man Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: low, quebec Posts: 52	Re: Body alignment its in the floor,you can cut a hole.not this big,i had to change the floor pan.but if i remember right from under theres a hole close to the bolts that you could make a mark with a punc to guide you close to where you have to cut.i usualy cut it in an h shape about 3" and just open it up.and when your done just weld it back up Attached Images __________________ 87 short bed.4",6" drop sold 90chev z71 6" lift. with 35"sold 07 4x4 colorado on 31" 1971 chev blazer

02-17-2011, 12:44 AM	#13
low man Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: low, quebec Posts: 52	Re: Body alignment its under the square on the rail.mine unbolted fine __________________ 87 short bed.4",6" drop sold 90chev z71 6" lift. with 35"sold 07 4x4 colorado on 31" 1971 chev blazer

02-17-2011, 12:48 AM	#14
snapdaddy Registered User Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: amarillo tx Posts: 35	Re: Body alignment could you possibly have alignment issues like maybe something on your suspension is bend?

02-17-2011, 08:43 AM	#15
Keith Seymore Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Motor City Posts: 9,165	Re: Body alignment Yes - cabs did get set crooked at the factory, which did manifest iteself as a different gap between the bumper and fender from one side to the other. There's not much fore/aft length there, particularly on a regular cab, so if the cab is pointing off in one direction the hood will follow, which drives the fenders off in that direction too. Not nearly as big a problem on crew cab/Blazer/Suburban, because the additional length made the cab placement more robust. And yes - cab bolts did get crossthreaded at the factory. We tried to catch them all in repair but one or two may have gotten past us...(especially if we were having a bad day). __________________ Chevrolet Flint Assembly 1979-1986 GM Full Size Truck Engineering 1986 - 2019 Intro from an Old Assembly Guy: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=342926 My Pontiac story: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=560524 Chevelle intro: http://www.superchevy.com/features/s...hevy-chevelle/ Last edited by Keith Seymore; 02-17-2011 at 08:49 AM.



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02-17-2011, 08:45 AM	#16
Keith Seymore Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Motor City Posts: 9,165	Re: Body alignment Whoa! It was worth saying twice....(apparently) __________________ Chevrolet Flint Assembly 1979-1986 GM Full Size Truck Engineering 1986 - 2019 Intro from an Old Assembly Guy: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=342926 My Pontiac story: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=560524 Chevelle intro: http://www.superchevy.com/features/s...hevy-chevelle/ Last edited by Keith Seymore; 02-17-2011 at 08:48 AM.

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