Cab swap

[StuB]

I 'm looking for advice regarding a cab swap.

(I did do a thread search for "cab" but all I got was the "sorry...." message, so if I missed any threads on it, please point me in their direction)


I have an 84 K-10 that was in great shape mechanically, but suffered from pretty extensive rot on the cab.....thenI had a wiring harness meltdown at the firewall that deadlined the truck.

While prepping to rewire it with a painless kit I decided to see if I could find a replacement cab (with an A/C dsah) at any of the local junkyards.

Miraculously, I found an 86 C cab that is in very good shape...minimal rust and dents....but being that it's not a K cab I'll have to swap in the transmission hump from the old cab.

I have read in a number of places that the 4wd humps were bolt on....but mine appears to have been welded in at the factory.

I have borrowd a plasma cutter from a friend, but before I start hacking I figure it would be worth asking for any/all advice on swapping cabs, since I've never done anything like this before.

Can I (should I) bolt in the K hump...or should I weld it in? Are there any other differences between C and K cabs that I should be aware of? Should I go with regular or polyurethane bushings?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mr Clean]

Do you have a Manual or Automatic? If I'm not mistaken the "C" stands for 2wd, and the "K" is 4wd. As far as the "Hump" the bolt in one was for Manuals so you could gain access to the top of the trans. If I'm wrong someone here will have the correct answer for you.

I would go with Polyurethane bushing, they will outlast rubber. Just make sure you give them plenty of grease, so they don't squeak.

 

[89Suburban]

Seems like if the search word is less than 4 letters it kicks you out with nothing found.

On the subject of the cab mount bushings, I suggest sticking with a new set of factory ruber ones for better vibration isolation, flex, and cusion, but that's just my opinion.

 

[GreaseDog]

well, what trans and transfer case do you have in the truck currently?

 

[dee123]

im doing a 2wd to 4wd cab swap also. my original cab was 4wd. the hump was stamped into the floor. cut it out and weld or bolt it into new cab. think simple. they did when they built these. alot nicer to work on then the new stuff out there. in my opinion anyways.

 

[crazy4offroad]

Wherever you cut the one out of the cab you intend to keep, cut the k-cab an inch or a little bigger all the way around, so you have a nice flange to bolt/rivet/spot weld with. Also make sure you include the part of the hump that goes under the seat for the t-case.

 

[dee123]

i cut mine right down to the floor pans. lots to work with. also cut master cylinder area off firewall to convert 2wd cab to manual trans

 

[Christian Nelson]

I 'm looking for advice regarding a cab swap.

(I did do a thread search for "cab" but all I got was the "sorry...." message, so if I missed any threads on it, please point me in their direction)


I have an 84 K-10 that was in great shape mechanically, but suffered from pretty extensive rot on the cab.....thenI had a wiring harness meltdown at the firewall that deadlined the truck.

While prepping to rewire it with a painless kit I decided to see if I could find a replacement cab (with an A/C dsah) at any of the local junkyards.

Miraculously, I found an 86 C cab that is in very good shape...minimal rust and dents....but being that it's not a K cab I'll have to swap in the transmission hump from the old cab.

I have read in a number of places that the 4wd humps were bolt on....but mine appears to have been welded in at the factory.

I have borrowd a plasma cutter from a friend, but before I start hacking I figure it would be worth asking for any/all advice on swapping cabs, since I've never done anything like this before.

Can I (should I) bolt in the K hump...or should I weld it in? Are there any other differences between C and K cabs that I should be aware of? Should I go with regular or polyurethane bushings?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I bet your rotted out one is better than what I have to work with. I'd probably be better off getting a discard from one of you guys if I could go down and pick it up!!!

 

[StuB]

Oops, neglected to mention the transmission info...

It has the automatic transmission...I think it's the original TH700-R4 that came with it. I'm not sure about the transfer case info, but I think thats original too.

You can see what it has in this picture taken after we cut out the hump:

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Plasma cutters rock!

 

[89Suburban]

 

[StuB]

We cut out the K hump last night and did it a good bit bigger than it probably needs to be.

We took it and laid it over the C cab hump and it looks like it could just about be bolted in right like it is.

We are planning to clean up the edges a little bit and then trace its outline onto the C cab floor... then draw another line about an inch inside of that and then cut it out on that mark.

The current plan is to lap weld it on the inside of the cab ....first with a bunch of tack welds and then connecting them all the way around the perimiter of the hump. It's going to be a little tight up at the firewall though.

I've never welded anything before, so I'm really looking forward to learning how to do it from my buddy.

Wherever you cut the one out of the cab you intend to keep, cut the k-cab an inch or a little bigger all the way around, so you have a nice flange to bolt/rivet/spot weld with. Also make sure you include the part of the hump that goes under the seat for the t-case.

 

[StuB]

I don't know....it looks pretty bad to me. i thought about getting replacement metal for the floors and rockers, but it really seemed like it would be cheaper and less time consuming to replace the whole cab.

The cab cost me $650. I could have gotten it for a good bit less, but I had them pull it to save time. While they pulled it we started removing stuff from my truck.

Here are some pictures of the K cabs rotten areas:

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The C cab is in pretty good shape, aside from these areas:

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Here is a picture of the whole work area:

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...the wife is kind of pissed over it, but I don't care and she'll get over it, especially once she sees the final result.

I bet your rotted out one is better than what I have to work with. I'd probably be better off getting a discard from one of you guys if I could go down and pick it up!!!

 

[foamypirate]

Can't say I blame you for doing a cab swap!

Oh, it looks like that trans is a TH350, based on vacuum modulator in the back. 700-R4's don't have one, and the TH400 has it up by the front of the trans.

 

[89Suburban]

Good job man, great pics!!

 

[Christian Nelson]

One question, what are you going to do about VIN# issues? Did you get a title with the replacement cab, what is the plan. Something I am concerned about if I try something like this. Knowing my luck, I'd get arrested for federal crime of "altering a VIN" if I tried it..