B-1-PW cab mounting

[sixtyninegmc]

Hello all,
I am looking for some details on the factory cab mounting on my `49 B1, I have already ordered a kit from VPW, but mine are non-existent, and I would like to know what I am dealing with before I dive in headfirst. I have nothing in the front holes, and the rear bolts are loose and the cab is sitting on the frame at all corners. I`m just wondering what kind of blocks go where, and how high off the frame the cab will sit. The jackshaft hitting the bottom of the cab gets old quick :)

Thanks for any help

[maineSS]

You should get a copy of VPW's body manual- it shows which insulators go in which corner- they are different, as are the washer and runbber puck arrangements. I replaced the front ones on mine, as the cab had sagged down to the point where the hood flaps were hitting the fenders when you opened/closed them.

Lifting the cab up enough to clear the insulator stack is a giant PITA- I used a lever and a stack of short pieces of 1/8 & 1/4"x 1.5" wide steel flat stock to gradually lift each front corner to the point where I could get the insulator in. Placement of the shims is critical, because you're using the same mount the insulator rests on. You might be able to use a floor jack, but you'll have to get it off the floor because the lift is so high. Since all of your mounts are gone, you may have to lift both front mounts together to avoid twisting the cab excessively.

[powerwagontim]

SS,
The 49 wouldnt have the rubber mounts. It would have the wooden blocks and the 3 spring loaded bolts. The 4th bolt is a regular bolt.
Tim

[sixtyninegmc]

My understanding is that there is a wooden block on all 4 corners and the left front bolt has no spring while the other 3 do. Is this correct?

[powerwagontim]

Yes, that is correct.
Tim

[Clint Dixon]

My understanding is that there is a wooden block on all 4 corners and the left front bolt has no spring while the other 3 do. Is this correct?

Wooden blocks only on front corners. The rear corners get a fiber pad. You are correct on the spring locations.

[powerwagontim]

Good catch Clint, I read it too quickly, and was paying attention to the bolts.
Thanks for keeping us straight!
Tim

[maineSS]

While the wood blocks are correct for a period restoration job, you'll find rubber insulators will last a lot longer and be more effective at vibration absorbtion than wood- which is why they've been used for the past 60-plus years.

If you plan on driving a PW very far, you'll find that Noise, Vibration, & Harshness (NVH) isn't just some esoteric automaker acronym, and anything you can do to absorb engine/drivetrain noise has a noticeable effect. Pw's are tough as rocks, but YOU have to be equally tough to drive them any distance.

[Jason Mills]

am I correct in the belief that the later trucks got a rear "block" which was largely a metal spacer, with some rubber attached? which brought the over all hight of the cab up about an inch in the rear as well?

I was thinking of adopting the later style mounting system on the WDX for comfort reasons, but at the moment it is going to stay closer to the original design. As the steering tube is not presently alligned with correctly.. until that is corrected, I don't need to complicate anything.

[maineSS]

Don't know about the metal/rubber affair. By "steering tube misalignment", is the tube hitting the side of the slot in the firewall? There's not a lot of sideways movement available for the cab, you may end up taking some material off the side of the slot.

[Steve Pellock]

am I correct in the belief that the later trucks got a rear "block" which was largely a metal spacer, with some rubber attached? which brought the over all hight of the cab up about an inch in the rear as well?

I was thinking of adopting the later style mounting system on the WDX for comfort reasons, but at the moment it is going to stay closer to the original design. As the steering tube is not presently alligned with correctly.. until that is corrected, I don't need to complicate anything.

I made a bunch of cab mount blocks out of microlam that I sell for $10.00 ea if you want some. They have a linseed oil finish

[sixtyninegmc]

At this point I may need the spacer heights for the four corners, as VPW ia backordered 3 weeks, and as this is my work truck, I`m thinking on building my own instead of waiting. If someone could give me the thicknesses, it would be appreciated, I can handle the bolt and spring portion.

Thanks for all the help

[Jason Mills]

I made a bunch of cab mount blocks out of microlam that I sell for $10.00 ea if you want some. They have a linseed oil finish

What is microlam? guessing it is a wood product of some type? did you do only the fronts, or do you have some for all four corners?

[Jason Mills]

At this point I may need the spacer heights for the four corners, as VPW ia backordered 3 weeks, and as this is my work truck, I`m thinking on building my own instead of waiting. If someone could give me the thicknesses, it would be appreciated, I can handle the bolt and spring portion.

Thanks for all the help

If I was to guess, I would say they are about an inch thick. I will have a look tomorrow with the tape measure and let you know.

[Jason Mills]

If I was to guess, I would say they are about an inch thick. I will have a look tomorrow with the tape measure and let you know.

*edit*
check out page 7 in the repair and techniques section, as you will find an excellent answer, with drawings... (can you tell I don't know how to cut and paste on a computer?)