This is what came with the truck. There are 6 holes in the cab floor that align with 6 frame holes. Usually one bolt without a spring anchored the cab while the remaining bolt/spring ***emblies allowed for some frame flex. In what location was a spring NOT used? Thanks. John
If you're NOT restoring an original truck, I suggest you "86" that mounting set-up. Those were (IMO) a "Band Aid" for the rock hard springs and suspension of the truck.
The long bolts with the springs on them were to allow the frame to flex as much as possible and not damage the cab. Most of the OEM cabs I've seen that still had the long bolts and springs did not have any bushings between the cab and the frame. I wonder if the short bolt was someone's replacement over the years, I never remember seeing one with a short bolt (but that doesn't mean much, haven't seen a lot of those older trucks). If indeed one bolt was shorter, it may have been the left front, that would have needed to have the least movement for steering column alignment as it p***es through the cab. The column shaft was part of the steering box. By the mid 50s (I have a 54 Dodge truck factory service manual), at least the civilian truck cab mounts all had rubber bushings and bolts (the left front cab mount was the only cab mount with a double rubber bushing). Those cab mount bolts were long enough to get the job done, with enough capacity to add washers to align the cab if needed. The 39-47 cabs still had the long bolts and springs, and that cab was carried through the military (and early 4x4) through the mid 60s, so all the military trucks may have kept the bolts and springs. If that was the case, the guys over a www.vintagepowerwagon.com might be able to help.
I did not use the factory mounts on my 37' once I upgraded the front and rear suspension. There was no need.
I'll try to look at my original '36 DB pickup and see what it has. ***uming the snow we are getting doesn't get too deep! Dave
Both of these are correct. ^^^^^^^ If I was short a spring I would run both solid bolts in the front and the others sprung. Something to consider I have built a few later model car/trucks and removed the rubber bushings to lower them a little bit. You don't gain a ton but enough to make it different. OK that's the back story. I have wrinkled a few roofs over the years too. Usually when I finally got them to hook but it would have happened anyway with time. Trucks are the worse. They flex in places that cars do not. I think that is part of the reason that Ford tried the unibody in '61-'63. On a truck you really want something to take up the shock in order to preserve the body.
@john worden , my original '36 DB pickup has 6 bolts also. The 4 fronts are solid bolted and the rear 2 are spring loaded. Nothing has been removed off this except the front sheet metal that I took off when replacing the engine w/ a 230 and had the radiator rebuilt. @DDDenny , we have been getting snow, then melting right off. Sun was shining so I went and got a tarp and slid under the '36. By the time I got out there it was blowing a really cold wind and now that I'm back inside, it is snowing again. Dave
It was hard to tell but I think there is wood between the frame bracket and the body mounts, at least at the front. Couldn't tell in the rear with the spring bolts. It will probably become obvious upon setting the cab in place. Dave
My '37 Chevrolet uses the same type of mounting ( as most all the trucks of this era ), the front bolts mount solid to the frame going through sheet metal and wood, with a 1/8" rubber strip between frame and wood. The back half of the cab is spring mounted with springs inside the cab. They hold the cab down to the frame but let it flex using the wood filler strips up front and the springs at the back. The ladder type frames are designed to flex, unlike a modern rigid frame, so the cab needs to be able to flex with it. Suspension adds nothing to the rigidity of the frames, its still going to flex in the middle.
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