Taking off the top

[carmen]

What I need to do is take off the top of my M135 so that I can get them into the warehouse. My ceiling in only 9ft. What I like to know is - How hard is it to take off these tops? I do not want to do any damage to them. But I need to have them off because they will fit inside.

Thanks

Carmen

 

[westfolk]

RE: Taking of the top

My two pennies worth......Not bad taking them off. The pain is getting them back on.

 

[butch atkins]

remove all the boltsand nuts holdig to cab back and top of wind shield,spray all bolts with wd 40 ,these are fine thread nuts and are very easy to get stuck and wring off,let them soak for couple of days,use a block of wood and go allthe way around tappping loose the cab assy as 1pc ,underneath the lip of the cab top,be careful ,2 peopple is a must ,lift cab assy evenly from both sides,llay a sheet of ply wood across back of cargo bed,lift cab assy straight up enough to disengage the pins from the sockets that are on the cab sides be hind seat,lay cab assy on its back on the plywood,be very careful to disengage the pins from the sockets,they are only spot welded on and will break off ,i broke one of mine,be careful NOT to flex cab you will break side ,back windows,my cab is stored in the back of my m105a2 trailer,again this is where i broke my cab pin ,sliding it across trailer body,good luck take your time and it will happen

 

[butch atkins]

forgot to add,DONOT remove cab sides bolts ,it will keep cab assy from flexing,cabassy will probabbly be stuck to cab body ,mine had about 4 coats of od 3 coats primer and couple of coats of fire engine red,had to keep tapping with wood to break it loose,lift cab assy,high enough to clear pins and sockets on front of windshield and cab sides

 

[BFR]

I would advise using something other than wd40. I have had success with pb blaster.

 

[carmen]

Question: Can I use a paint stripper were the cab assy and the cab side and window neet. Will it - paint stripper - do damage to either part.?


Carmen

 

[n1bnc]

It may not be a bad idea to use a sand blaster and blow the crud away and THEN use the PB spray that I love dearly for headachy bolts and nuts. $.02

I just started using a high pressure washer to chip away the silly red paint that seems common on these trucks. It is nice to work your way down layer by layer and see the history of the truck flake to the ground. What I found was that the factory layer of paint is quite tough compared to the red and silver crap on top of it. The rims have the semi-gloss OD. now I can see the more or less original markings on the truck. I will be covering it up with the more modern forest green that you see on the M35s...