Starting restoration of LAAT

maverick · #1 21-01-07, 19:03

Apart from the six u shaped bolts how easy is it to take the back body off a laat ? And roughly does anyone know how much it weighs ? ta

cletrac (RIP) · #2 21-01-07, 20:05

I don't know what it would weigh, but the 5 foot long body off a C8 is all four people can handle.

Bob Carriere · #3 22-01-07, 17:01

Careful Maverick....

Cargo Box 2b1 on a C15a, which is minimum 12 gauge steel, required the front bucket of my trctor to lift safely.......

...even with rusty holes and no tailgate I would estimate to be around 1000 pounds...... a C30 with extra lenght is definitely more........ be careful.

Bob C.

Hanno Spoelstra · #4 22-01-07, 21:53

Quote:

Originally posted by maverick
And roughly does anyone know how much it weighs ? ta

Damn heavy! Weight is the difficulty when removing these bodies. The basic 15-cwt body weighs 867 pounds (see C15 Box Weight). Like Bob said the LAAT box will be a good bit heavier, I'd guess at least twice that of the 15-cwt body.

H.

maverick · #5 24-04-07, 11:08

Having stripped everything off the back body, its now time to jack the body up and pull the chassis out from underneath. Having not done this before and still no idea as to the actual weight i hope i get it right! Or is there a better way of doing it ?

Bob Carriere · #6 24-04-07, 15:50

Bonjour Allan

Around here when locla truck drivers need to remove a 27 CU yard box off a frame they do the following.

They make for stacks of 4x4 lumber ...each piece about 24 inches long....... stack them up like a small log house near each of the corners of the box.....

They then raise the box off the frame at one end using a bottle jack..... and slip a large beam under the box resting on the crib of stacked 4x4.

Then do the opposite end..... once clear of the frame roll out the truck from under neath. If properly positioned on these four stacks of wood you can actually even work on the underside of the box...... and it is ready to re-install when finished. Make sure youe cribs are far enough apart to clear tyres, etc.....

If you are rich, you can build two large A frame and suspend the box in the air with two overhead hand winches or chain falls........ but the price of steel beams today is awful.

Remember this is a hobby...don't get hurt.... if things slide... jump out of the way....

Keep us posted and send some pictures of your progress.

Bob

rampant rivet · #7 24-04-07, 19:06

Heres how I lifted my rear body of my C15 =

Get hold of four 45 gal oil drums ( empty )

Jack rear body up using a couple of 2.5 ton jacks and some 4"x4"
timbers to reach from jack to underside of body.

Slide drums under rear corners of body, then lower.

Repeat process to front corners.

Carefully roll chassis out from under

This is how I did it and am about to lower my body back on using same process in reverse.

Whatever way you do it, do it safely.

Cheers RR

Mike Timoshyk · #8 24-04-07, 19:21

Thanks .....this method is what I will be using in the near future...

Great idea for us who don't live on or near a farm. I don't know of too many MVers in the suburbs that have their own forklifts or tractors (large size, not lawn mowers)

cheers

Mike

52 M38
42 MB
43 F15A
53 POW

rampant rivet · #9 03-05-07, 18:03

Mike
Just lowered my steel / timber body onto the C 15 chassis all went well though I did have to add some 4x2 timber between oil drums and body to clear wheels you may have to do the same.
Rest of pics on my C15 resto thread.

RR.

maverick · #10 29-07-07, 23:25

At last managed to raise the back body and pull the truck out from underneath. The chassis doesn't look in to bad shape for a sixty year old plus vehicle. The back body took the worst of the fact that it had been stood outside for a good few years. whats the recommended method of cleaning the chassis up ?

maverick · #11 02-08-07, 22:45

rampant rivet · #12 04-08-07, 18:56

Hi Alan
I found the best way to clean the chassis is to prop it up take the wheels off and any other parts inc cab floor frame, engine etc and clean all the crud off with gunk or suitable degreaser and steamclean or pressure wash the worst of it off taking care not to damage oil seals.
Then when all is prepared get a mobile shotblaster to come out and clean the lot, its expensive but is the best and easiest way to get back to bare metal. I used over 30 bags of shot on my truck and as soon as the parts were cleaned I gave them an acid etch primer coat then an anti corrosion coat, is amazing how quick newly cleaned steel will rust.

Cheers RR.

just before start

Chassis with coat of gry anti corrosion

maverick · #13 05-08-07, 21:22

Hi Ramps thanks for the advice and pics, really feel that were moving forward again now that the rear body is off. How long did it take roughly to grit blast in your case ? I will have to possibly get some quotes in for that finances permitting.

rampant rivet · #14 05-08-07, 21:39

Hi Alan
Well it took all day to blast chassis, cab parts and rear body plus any other bits that I could gather up, now for the painfull bit it cost me inc 30 plus bags of grit over £300 for the day

I know its seems a lot of money but the guy did a good job and you'd never get all the rust off otherwise plus he came out to where the truck was which saved a lot of hassle transporting the parts.

Cheers RR.

maverick · #15 09-09-07, 22:11

Any ideas as to where i might find the chassis number, i believe its around 1944 build date but the door plate is missing. I will need something so i can get it registered here in the UK. The military vehicle trust will verifiy its age but a chassis number would be useful.

Jim Price · #16 06-07-08, 18:16

Saw this thread this am and read it over to see what the various techniques were that were used to do this removal. Here's a variation on those posted:

I backed my double-axle car hauler trailer up to the rear of the truck and used a hand winch to pull the bed off the truck. When the bed was at the teeter point I put a hand made 4-wheeled (4" swivel wheels) dolly under the end so that it could ride on the dolly. We then continued to pull the bed off onto the trailer until it fell free of the truck frame. Continued to pull it to the front of the trailer until it was balanced over the trailer wheels. Took two of us to do it. Worked well with no problems!

Regards,
Jim

Paul Singleton · #17 20-08-09, 05:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by maverick

Any ideas as to where i might find the chassis number, i believe its around 1944 build date but the door plate is missing. I will need something so i can get it registered here in the UK. The military vehicle trust will verifiy its age but a chassis number would be useful.

On a Ford the chassis number is actually the engine number. It may be stamped on top of the right hand chassis rail in the vicinity of the motor mount. It may be easy to see now that the frame has been cleaned.