cab swap opinions

[crzybil87]

ok so late spring early summer (or whenever i have my motor done) i will be doing my motor swap itll be pretty extensive gotta take the whole front clip apart take the bumper off and put it on the teenie tiny baby tires, than i gotta take the bed off replace the front tank all the fuel lines and whatever else needs fixing coat the frame etc.... i want to switch cabs same style just ones that isnt rotted to the extent mine is. everybody i talk to about it say just to get the motor in and worry about it later to me id rather swap cabs at this point but everybody says other wise, i guess i want your guys opinions on this matter

 

[73F100Shortbed]

If you aren't in rush to get it on the road I would do everything so you can coat entire frame, etc.

 

[crzybil87]

thats what im thinkin but everybody thinks i shouldnt wory about the cab

 

[LEB Ben]

Do the cab...there's no harm in doing it with the engine out. It'll allow some easier access and give you a fresh starting point.

 

[crzybil87]

Yea that's the route im gonna go with. I actually just checked out a cab off a 97 no rot just some surface rust here and there no dents. Loaded interior complete no interior damage

 

[primetime]

I agree that if you`re not in a hurry that you might as well do it all the same time. That way you can take your time time and have the results you really want. Thats why my 87 isn`t done yet even though everyone says get going dude. Just remember, 92-97 cabs are different in how the wiring harness, steering column, and e-brake mount. I put a 93 cab on a friends 89 Super Duty and had to deal with all this. Didn`t stop from buying a 94 cab for my 87 though.

 

[crzybil87]

Do you know of any major electrical problems id have if I used a 97 cab on my 89. Im not going with a gas motor like I have now so I wont be using the engine harness. Would I be better off trying to find a cab before 92?

 

[primetime]

If you want the least amount of hassles, then yes, stay with 87-91 cab. If you want to update to 92-96 dash and clip, then go with that cab. I can post details of 97 cab w/ 89 dash and clip if you`re interested.

 

[Fellro]

If you are taking the clip off already, and the box, almost seems silly to me to NOT change the cab at the time....

The 92 up dashes use the rear axle sensor for the speedo, no mechanical cable to deal with. Might try to get some of the harness with the cab so you can at least get everything hooked up. That way you will be able to hook up the gauges, lights, and such.

 

[crzybil87]

Yea any details would be awesome and.greatly appreciated. Depending on what cab I went with I was gonna grab the wiring harness if not most of it I would like an upgraded dash

 

[primetime]

Tried to return your pm this morning crzybil, but I guess I haven`t posted enough to do that. Anyways, here goes. The main wiring harness is different. 92s are square, 89s are round. I covered the square hole with a patch and then cut a new round hole. Use the dash side of the harness for your pattern. If you do like I did and use the engine side the hole ends up too big. There is a sheetmetal bracket behind the dash that supports the column. This is different between 92 and 89. Drill out the spot welds on the 89 bracket and put it in place of the 92 bracket. The 92s also use a massive aluminum bracket under the dash that supports the column and the e-brake. I sawsalled off the part that I needed for the e-brake pedal and and adapted the cable. You will need the appropriate colored 92 plastic kick panel to cover this. I think that was about it. The rest was straight forward r&r. Seems like a pain, but up here in northern Michigan, rust free 87-91 cabs are alot harder and pricier than nice 92-96 cabs.

 

[crzybil87]

If that's all the major stuff it doesn't really sound too difficult. Got any pics of it

 

[primetime]

Unfortunately, no pics. Sadly I`m not much for taking them. Not even of my junk or the stuff I`ve done with them. The truck was an 89 F Super Duty wrecker that belonged to a guy I worked for. It had a 460, 5-speed, and a Challenger bed with a wheel lift. The whole thing was real ripe. One day he tried pulling down a block chimney for someone. A lever for the wheel lift got jammed, drove the wheellift into the ground, and wrecked the bed. Insuarance paid to have the local iron works to build a new bed, he got a 93 cab for it, and I put it together. It came out sharp, inspite of how cheap he was. I was actually pretty proud of it.

 

[crzybil87]

Yea I always forget to take pics of what ever I do. Now did you swap just the steering column and instrument cluster from the 89 to the newer cab

 

[primetime]

I swapped the whole interior. Dash, column, everything.

 

[crzybil87]

I have found a 97 f150 cab that had a manual in it so ill have the pedals now I just gotta take my truck off the road to start swapping everything over. From what you wrote it really doesnt sound that hard to swap the dash

 

[primetime]

Good luck with your project. Hopefully you don`t mean 97 F-150, as in gen 10.

 

[crzybil87]

Duh I meant a 96 f150. I was thinkin of another project