How to lift a body to remove chassis?

[DiscoScout]

Ok so the plan is to swap the body of a v8 discovery onto the chassis of a Tdi discovery. i'm having troubles working out how I'm going to lift the body that high(with engine still attached?), safely, without damaging it. if anyone has any advice about lifting the body or anything with the swap at all let me know, please.


Thanks in advance
Adam

[rovercare]

2 post hoist

Rig it to shed roof

[DiscoScout]

as it stands i don't have a shed on hand, is it possible to do it another way, or do i need to find a friend with a tall shed?

[HBWC]

2 gantrts or find some one with a backhoe or a forklift

[rovercare]

2 gantrts or find some one with a backhoe or a forklift

A BIG backhoe or fork:D

a big tree with a big branch? you need something sizeable to lift it, but really, a hoist is the only EASY way:)

[Ivan]

When I swopped the body on mine (back in the UK) we just used some plasterers trestles. Slowly jacked it up at the front and rear and slid some scaffold poles underneath to hold it. Jack it up, slide in the poles, jack it up a bit more, raise the trestle and slide in the poles. To remove the chassis we took the wheels off and rolled it out on the Discs (I think you call them rotors over here). Not the safest method by far but it worked.

Rgds

Ivan

[Lotz-A-Landies]

A BIG backhoe or fork:D

a big tree with a big branch? you need something sizeable to lift it, but really, a hoist is the only EASY way:)Make sure that the tree branch is rated by WorkCover for the weight of the Disco body + 15%

[rovercare]

Make sure that the tree branch is rated by WorkCover for the weight of the Disco body + 15%

You do that by lifting the body you don't want to keep first and shaking it around to see if all still looks good;)

[slug_burner]

Make sure that the tree branch is rated by WorkCover for the weight of the Disco body + 15%

That is aircraft safety margins, you would need to inspect your tree often. More likely 50 -100 % margin for workshop lifting equipment:D

[Gillie]

Rob Gray :: graynomad :: wothahellizat :: wot2 :: diaries :: diary_03 (http://www.robgray.com/graynomad/wothahellizat/wot2/diaries/diary_03/index.php)

Scroll down to 30th of May to read a possible solution to your problem.

[Hoges]

Find a local servo with 2 hoists. Offer him a $100 and a slab of beer for the use of the workshop hoists after hours for an evening's work. Get a couple of willing mates... if you can find a sympathetic servo it's a great way to go...

[DiscoScout]

i do have an uncle who owns an auto shop but it's a small shop( not much room for extra cars) and i wana be working during the day. fortunately my old man has some contacts, and at this stage we are gona get some scaffold and 4 chain blocks. this should work. thanks all for your help and i will try and document it for a tutorial.

Adam

[Bundalene]

4 x 44 gallon drums and a l2 lengths of 150 x 75 x 10mm "C" Channel or similar, wider than the width of your car. Lift the body onto the drums with an engine lifter or similar and then move out the rolling chassis in a forward direction. You may need a few extra pieces of 4 x 4 hardwood to get enough hight for the engine to clear the radiator support.

Then drop the body onto a car trailer, ready for removal later. Lift the second vehicle the same way.


I use a forklift with extended tynes, through the side doors, but then I don't re-use the body.

Erich

[barry2]

I swapped a chassis in a 1982 4 door R.Rover about 15 years ago, in my car port.
From memory,(I haven't looked at the pictures for ages), I jacked it up only a few inches and used 4 axle stands under the body sills- one at each end.I removed the entire rear axle and replaced it with a trolley jack supporting the rear x'member.I removed the front springs to lower the chassis onto the bump stops, replacing the front wheels with some spares I had without tyres on ,which lowered the chassis even more.
Removed all fixings of body to chassis including radiator, grill etc and then slowly withdrew the chassis with engine and transmission still attached out from under the body in a forwards direction, I remember the chassis clearing the body by millimeters only.
The only lifting I did was to remove the engine and trans. together as a unit to place into the replacement chassis and slide it back under the body.
A reversal of the disconnection process and the vehicle was back on a trip out west after 5 weekends of work from start to finish.
I remember talking to people about it before I started, and no one had done it like this before- they had all used a 2 post hoist in a proper workshop.

[taff]

don't tell the work safe lot but i used a couple of high lifts, few scaffolding poles tie wrapped together and an engine hoist. :o

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/03/457.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/03/458.jpg

[DiscoScout]

i am glad that people have found backyard ways of lifting body without having to use a forklift or crane. it gives me hope!!

[incisor]

the beer and barbie economy worked well for me....

nothing a dozen or so aulroites cant cope with...

[Scouse]

nothing a dozen or so aulroites cant cope with...There's more than enough to give you a hand up Newy way too.

We could have a day on Stockton Beach then come around & lift the body off with you :).

[350RRC]

I swapped a chassis in a 1982 4 door R.Rover about 15 years ago, in my car port.
From memory,(I haven't looked at the pictures for ages), I jacked it up only a few inches and used 4 axle stands under the body sills- one at each end.I removed the entire rear axle and replaced it with a trolley jack supporting the rear x'member.I removed the front springs to lower the chassis onto the bump stops, replacing the front wheels with some spares I had without tyres on ,which lowered the chassis even more.
Removed all fixings of body to chassis including radiator, grill etc and then slowly withdrew the chassis with engine and transmission still attached out from under the body in a forwards direction, I remember the chassis clearing the body by millimeters only.
The only lifting I did was to remove the engine and trans. together as a unit to place into the replacement chassis and slide it back under the body.
A reversal of the disconnection process and the vehicle was back on a trip out west after 5 weekends of work from start to finish.
I remember talking to people about it before I started, and no one had done it like this before- they had all used a 2 post hoist in a proper workshop.

Exactly how I did mine. Need to remove the front panel between the inner guards and disconnect the steering shaft at the box. Gear selectors will require attention as well.

Whole lot slides out, then in with the new.

cheers, DL

[Bundalene]

With the S1 Disco you have to remove the flexible brake line near the rear diff and at the front wheels, the gearbox plug on the firewall and the fuel fill lines as well - maybe the fuel tank sender wiring.

Erich

[DiscoScout]

There's more than enough to give you a hand up Newy way too.

We could have a day on Stockton Beach then come around & lift the body off with you :).

it will be happening the week of the 5th April but don't know when. it will hopefully be done by the weekend but it will be a couple of days.i want to give the body and chassis a good clean, paint/ rustproof(any favorite rustproof products?) i do have my old man and two mates to help so i should be ok. But i'm deffinatly up for a trip to stockton,(missed the last trip on account of work). unfortunately even after the body swap i still have a bit of work to do before she is bush ready,(shock mounts and spring retainers, possibly bump stops as well) but she should be ok for beach if anyone was planing to go on that weekend.

Adam

[Bundalene]

If only you could borrow a forklift. I lifted off a body this afternoon - took 5 minutes once everything was prepared.


http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/4594/dscn0548t.jpg (http://img11.imageshack.us/i/dscn0548t.jpg/)


http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/3152/dscn0549z.jpg (http://img34.imageshack.us/i/dscn0549z.jpg/)

Erich

[Scouse]

Gee Erich, you're going to need some decent body lift blocks to fill that gap !!

[warren9981]

Should be able to fit at least 80" wheels under there.:p

[DiscoScout]

Thank you for all those who have helped. you can follow my write up here
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-tutorials/102251-discovery-body-swap.html

[scarry]

I swapped a chassis in a 1982 4 door R.Rover about 15 years ago, in my car port.
From memory,(I haven't looked at the pictures for ages), I jacked it up only a few inches and used 4 axle stands under the body sills- one at each end.I removed the entire rear axle and replaced it with a trolley jack supporting the rear x'member.I removed the front springs to lower the chassis onto the bump stops, replacing the front wheels with some spares I had without tyres on ,which lowered the chassis even more.
Removed all fixings of body to chassis including radiator, grill etc and then slowly withdrew the chassis with engine and transmission still attached out from under the body in a forwards direction, I remember the chassis clearing the body by millimeters only.
The only lifting I did was to remove the engine and trans. together as a unit to place into the replacement chassis and slide it back under the body.
A reversal of the disconnection process and the vehicle was back on a trip out west after 5 weekends of work from start to finish.
I remember talking to people about it before I started, and no one had done it like this before- they had all used a 2 post hoist in a proper workshop.

And i remember helping you with this,i couldn't beleive how smoothly the change over went:)

Mother wasn't real happy,though, as it was her carport,all clutered with bits of LR's & RR's,as was her backyard, in suburban Sunnybank