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Veteran
Posts: 111
Location: Aurora, Co | My 56 Firedome 4 Door Sedan has always been "Tinny" sounding when I close the Doors. Also the Driver Side Frount & Rear Doors drop when the Door is opened & jump up when the Door is closed. Drivng over a Pot Hole is rewarded with a fairly load Bang of Metal on Metal. I figure that the Rubber Body Mounts have deteriorated & there's little or no padding between the Metal Body Muont & the Frame. I poked about & found that Andy Birnbaum had theRubber Body mounts. Turns out there are 10 Frame/Body Mounts rather than the 6 sets I expected. So now my question is, "How do I lift the Body off the Frame enough to slip the old ones out & the new ones back in?" I've looked through my DeSoto Shop Manual but no hints there. I don't have access to a Lift so I'm working in the Gutter. I plan to park with PAss side wheels on Sidewalk & Street Side on jack stands. Remove all the Nuts/Washers. Then, using 6 x 6 Blocks & the 3 ton Jack, lift the Body off the Frame 1 side at a time & replace the Body Mounts. Turn her around & do the other side. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Colorado Firedome |
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| Don't know how to do it, no proper tools, and no good facility means don't do it at all to this old man. |
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Expert
Posts: 4533
 
Location: Ripon, WI | The trick would be to find good places to use the jack. The hardest part would be the fact that the most solid portions to lift on are where the mounts are you want to replace. |
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Veteran
Posts: 111
Location: Aurora, Co | I was planning to use a 4 ft length of 6 x 6 with 3 ton Floor Jack & Stands to lift the body 1 side at a time. It looks like there's enough room to run the 6 x 6 along side of the Frame resting on the underside of the floor. Mine is pretty much rust free & solid. It would seem that I only need to lift the body a couple of inches after the Nuts have been removed from the Body Mount Bolts. I haven't located the Body Mount Bolt locations inside the car as yet. I'm guessing that the Seats & Carpet will have to come out to give access.
Has anybody done this on a car that wasn't completely disassembled?
Colorado Firedome |
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Expert
Posts: 1316
Location: Belgium, 40 miles south of Brussels | I did a frame off restoration, but my car was completely disassembled in the first place.
You would have to have the front clip off to do that properly.
And beware that some body mounts may be screwed directly on the chassis, on a threaded hole.
It means that you have to unscrew them from inside the car first.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 424
Location: Harrison, NY | Use 2 pcs of 4x4 wood and 2 seperate jacks on one side at the strongest points of the rocker panels then together lift car enough to replace Motor Mounts. |
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Expert
Posts: 2297
Location: Eastern Iowa | Got a torch??!!
You're gonna need it.
Special bolts, nuts, sleeves and washers.
Good luck getting it apart with that plan of attack.
I'm sure you're gonna find out this is not a Saturday afternoon shade tree project.
By all means, safety first when working underneath making sure it is well supported.
Good luck!!
Dave S |
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Expert
Posts: 1493
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA | I've used the wood lever and jack method. It worked fine, but I was aware, and you should be too, if the rocker starts to crack or buckle, or if the windshield cracks, you've gone too far. |
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Veteran
Posts: 111
Location: Aurora, Co | THanks. I plan to be careful under the car. My Floors are solid & rust free. I hadn't thought of lifting on the Rocker Panels. Mine are pretty sound but I thought they might not be up to lifting the body. Were you able to reach all 10 of the Body Mounts without removing the front clip? She's a Driver at about 200+ miles a month. So, I'd rather not disassemble any more than neccessary. What had already come off before Lift Off?
Thanks for any insights. |
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Expert
Posts: 1493
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA | I only changed 4. The ones at the front were fine. I'd avoid a complete separation if I were you. I only did the 2 on each side (under the passenger compartment) because I needed to repair the supports that are welded to the floor. I am admittedly more of a rat rodder than some folks on here. I would love to do a rotisserie kind of thing some day, but I really want to fix stuff and get going. So, I in no way suggest YOU should do this... but I removed the mounts one at a time, with support in the areas marked in red on this diagram. I cut the shafts out with the body gently supported with wood and jacks and the wheels on the ground-- no real danger of anything falling on you...and I pushed the rubber out with a pry-bar. Then I fitted in my new support, welded it up to the rocker and the old support by the prop shaft tunnel, and put a rubber bushing I bought at the hardware store between 2 big washers and slid it in the gap. Then I put a bolt through the whole thing. I didn't torque any of them too tight until the floor pans over the supports were welded back in. Then I tightened them up. There is some guidance in the factory shop manual about body shims and perfect alignment. I may have to do that when things settle a bit. I think if your floors are solid, you shouldn't have too much trouble carefully relieving each one and sliding a new one (or something akin to one) into the gap. I don't think you need to remove the clip, but my car is a torsion bar set up, so not sure about the '56. If they are smacking around, the stressing is already happening so anything you do to make that not happen will help as long, again, as you don't over torque the car body with the lifting. I often don't over think things, so if someone thinks this is a bad idea, please speak up. Thanks! Jon
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Veteran
Posts: 111
Location: Aurora, Co | Jon -- Thanks for the reply. I was planning something similiar to your approach. I don't need to replace the Steel Body Mounts or the Floors on my car. However, the Rubber Pads between the Floor & the Steel Body Mounts are my target. In particular the 4 you replaced plus 2 inner Frame & 2 under the Trunk Floor. If I read you reply correctly, you cut the Bolts between the bottom of the Floor & the top of the Steel Mounts. I was planning to just replace the Rubber Pads. Are there Bolts & Nuts or Studs from the Floor of the Body? All I can see are the Thread End & the Nut. If these are Bolt/Nuts, where are the Heads of these Bolts? I bought the Pads from Andy Bernbaum & they came in 10 pairs but no Bolt/Muts. If they are Bolt/Nut, I'm going to need access to the Bolt Head while removing the Nuts. I plan on pulling the Bolts out inside the car & then lifting the body an inch or so to make room to remove the old Pads & swapping in the new ones. It looks like the Pads sandwich the Steel Mounts & the Floor sits on top of the top Rubber Pad with the Head in the Passenger Comp. You must be a lot thinner than I am as I can not get under my car with out it being a foot or so off the ground. Perhaps no Floors in your car gives you an advantge? I'm somewhat more of a Resto Rod guy than most I run into here so Look Good & Go Fast is more important to me than proper Assembly Chalk Marks but to each his own. Thanks for the positive input. I'll post pics when I finish. LAter. Colorado Firedome |
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Expert
Posts: 1493
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA | Hey there,
I had to cut the nuts off the through-studs where they meet the frame. Not sure your car is set up so you can do that. Easy to reach with a grinder. You probably don't want to cut yours if you don't have to. I'd just try to loosen the nuts. Maybe some penetrating oil beforehand. The bolts were tacked to the floor, and since the floor was spotty there, I cut the area that they were attached to out. Then I welded in the metal and fabbed my mounts. On yours I would probably cut the studs off so you can fit new ones through the floor without having to raise the body up 6 inches... But, more advice might be good. |
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Veteran
Posts: 111
Location: Aurora, Co | JT -- Hmmm. Bolt welded to floor means I don't have to remove the Carpet & Seats to get to the Bolt Head. That's a good thing. My fronts are 73 New Yorker 3/4 Buckets with Arm rests. From a 2 door. They look & feel great but really HEAVY!. I need to crawl under & refresh my memory but I don't think the Body Mount Bolts are 6" long. I can see the Threaded section sticking through the Steel Body Mounts & they aren't that thick. Maybe 3"? The bottom Rubber Pad should fall off with the Nut/Washer & the upper should ride up with the Body. I'm hoping to recover the Washers & Nuts & use them with the new Rubber Pads. Good point spraying Penetrating Oil on the Nuts before hand. Bound to help. I'm hoping to get all the Pads on 1 side before I lift the other side. I'm thinking I'll have to loosen all the bolts on both sides to give the needed movement on the side to be lifted. Don't bolt down until the other side is done then torque them all down. The ones under the Trunk Floor might be the toughest as there's nothing back there to use to lift the body. Maybe the whole side will rise up from front to rear & I can get them all at once, on 1 side anyway. Wonder if there's any one else who has done this with the car assembled? THanks for the input. I'll try to document this as I go. A couple of weeks out. Headers & exhaust happen theis week end. LAter. R.T> |
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Expert
Posts: 1493
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA | Hopefully this will be a simple fix for you. I think if you take all the nuts off and raise it gently you should be good. I'd also torque all of them in 3 or 4 stages, and watch your door gaps. If they start to get wonkey, I'd say stop and use more supports. |
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Veteran
Posts: 111
Location: Aurora, Co | Well, nothing like the Mark I Eyeball. I had a chance to look at the Rubber Body Mount Pads while the car was on a lift & saw that they are fine. Not crushed flat or dry cracked. So, where is all the noise coming from? I took a Ride Along over some bumpy roads & had him listen for the source of the Bang. Turns out it's the Driver Side Doors bouncing around in the Door Openings. Weather Striping is old & brittle & doors on that side of the car drop approx 1/2" when you open them. They don't rattle in the Latch & Striker but give an alarming Thump when you run over a bump or pedestrian. I'll be returning the 10 pairs of Body Mount Pads & concentating on getting the doors to latch with out the Jump Up I've gotten used to. I'll have to wait for the Paint & Body work to replace the Weather Stripping. Those who offered suggestions & encouragement, Thank You for your positive input. Those who offered discouragement & negitive input, Thanks for your insights. I'm sure they represent your experience & Life View. Later. R.T>
Edited by ColoradoFiredome 2012-06-28 2:15 PM
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Expert
Posts: 1493
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA | Nice deal!
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 774
Location: Atlanta GA USA | Would sagging doors indicate worn or misaligned door hinges? |
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Veteran
Posts: 111
Location: Aurora, Co | Actually, they represent repair work done in the early 60's. A little adjustment of the Striker & the doors both close smoothly & latch everytime. No racket on a bumpy street. The glass was also making some of the noise. There's a good deal of air moving around the windows as well but that appers to be due to the Cat Whiskers being worn out. New Weather Striping & Window Felt will be ordered/installed after the Paint & Body work get done. Target is end of Feb. Later. |
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Replacing Rubber Body Mounts
