Easiest way to separate cab from frame?

Hi all. My frame is looking... too rusty underneath for my tastes, and I want to do some suspension work on my b2600 as well.

Presently, I'm thinking that the best possible method to fix these ails would be if I removed the cab from the frame entirely, to gain access all around. Hopefully this can be done without having to do much (or anything) to the engine to get the cab off. Is that possible, or should I just work to de-rustify the truck without lifting the cab?

If lifting the cab is indeed the best route to go about this, how do I do it? Any picture galleries or instructions would be very helpful.

Unfortunately there is no easy way, there is a lot of stuff attached to the cab that would need to come out. Coolant lines, engine harness, shifter and steering to name a few.

These trucks are very simple compared to other, newer trucks and lifting the cab is not very complicated as a result.

If you find a tune-up to be a chore then yeah - lifting the cab off might be a bit much.

But I have done a few and with proper forethought you are looking at about 2-3Hrs with a two post lift and a little more if you are "rednecking it"

The key here is not to just disconnect everything - I have seen people do this (and other jobs) where I look at it a go "why the heck did you take all this apart man!"

You need to look at the truck, basically disconnect everything on the firewall:

- 2 heater hoses

- Throttle cable

- Take master cyl. off booster and remove lines where they attach to cab

- Clutch line

- Unplug wire connectors that go from engine to inner fender (and from cab to rear of truck)

- Unbolt rad and leave it on engine or take it right out

- Remove body mount bolts

- Unbolt steering coupler

- Take shifter out

Nothing should have to be cut, everything went on in one piece and should come off and go back that way.

I myself am considering doing this soon so I may take pics. (I do have two lifts installed front to back so switching cabs from one truck to the other should be easy)

Thanks Angus.

So, sounds like I will end up bleeding the brakes and clutch, (no issue)
And sounds like all the wiring is a reasonably easy disconnect)

Now, How do you go about disconnecting the steering coupler? I have a Hannes Manual, but some things it doesn't do much detail on.

I was gonna say that if you are super careful you can remove the clutch lines and slave tape up or zip tie the slave so the piston won't pop out) and you won't have to bleed it.

The brakes you could also remove the master and leave it on the truck frame but I think you'll still have to contend with how they go through the front inner fenders ( I mean I guess you could slot the inner fenders ( but bleeding the brakes and clutch are no big deal and in fact a good thing to flush the system out)

Another idea would be to leave the master alone and remove the brake lines at each front suspension - either way you have to disconnect them somewhere.

The steering coupler you have a few options but none are harder than marking it for reassembly and taking some bolts out - I might undo it from the flexible coupler to avoid reassembly mis-alignment.

As I said, I could do it in a few hours, even a guy taking his time should be able to remove it and put it back in a day.