----- Original Message ----- From: <srubano@xxxx> To: <dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2001 3:27 PM Subject: [DML] Re: getting body off frame > Required: > -2 people (make it easier and you have an extra set of eyes to watch) > although you can do it alone. > -2 2.5 - 3 Ton rolling floor jacks. Again you can do it with only > one, but it makes it easier. > -15 - 20 cinder blocks (to keep the body on top of while you work) > -a few lengths of 4x4 wood posts. The jacks have a limited travel and > some of them cannot lift the body high enough to clear the frame, > that's where the wood comes into play. Place them in-between the body > and the jack. > -Level area to work on > -Patience! > > Body Removal: > As always disconnect the battery before doing any work. > There are a Total of twelve (12) bolts that are holding the body to > the frame. They are as follows: two (2) are in the luggage > compartment, each one located above the shock towers. > > Six (6) are located inside the car, three (3) on each side of the > center console located near the seats. Two of those bolts (out of the > six) are holding the seat belts to the frame. Once you unbolt the > seat belt from the floor, pull back the carpeting on both sides (the > bolts are located right near the seat belt bolt) of the center > console and you will see the other four (again 2 on each side). > > Four (4) are located in the engine compartment. Here's where it gets > tricky. There are two located on the cross member bar (see parts > manual). Now from what I understand it is a common problem that the > bolt(s) are frozen in there (at least mine was a few other owners > have told me). Be careful removing these since the nut is just a cage > nut sitting in the frame...you can bend the "cage part" (welded to > the frame) and cause the square nut to just spin in there, you'll > then have to cut the bolt and use a little ingenuity in getting the > other half out of the cage (shocks are in the way). The last two will > require the removal of the rear fascia. One you get the fascia off > you will se two large openings on either side of the pontoon, the > bolts are located in there. You'll have to stick your hand in there > with a socket to remove them. > > Once you have the bolts removed, disconnect the following: Brake > lines to the master cylinder, Clutch line to the Clutch master > cylinder, Remove the leather gear shift boot, remove the front ground > wires (bolted to the frame), disconnect the ground wire from the > battery to the trailing arm bolt, disconnect all the engine wiring > harness (behind the ignition coil cover), ground wires going to the > engine. > > Jack up the body from the sides GO SLOWLY. If you use two jacks, > place a piece of wood between the two and place them on both sides of > the body under the seat area as close to the edge as possible > (stronger area near the bend). DON'T place the jack directly in the > center of where the seats are unless you want a floorless Flinstone > car. Again, jack up the car slowly and EVENLY. As you jack it up > you'll see that the body will start to rock from front to back...use > the cinder blocks to prevent that by placing some in the front and on > the sides (next to the jacks) as you raise the body. > > Is it necessary to remove all those things? Some are...but some you > may be able to leave connected since some of the wires are long > enough (since you are just lifting the body enough to get to the > lines). When you go to replace the fuel lines, be prepared those > plastic clips will break when you are removing the old line! I would > suggest ordering all those clips holding the fuel line also, they are > very inexpensive and I believe DMC Houston has them in stock. > > I hope this was semi helpful. I have a few pictures of me removing > the body off of the frame completely. If you need any more help you > can contact me directly by email if you like. > > Steve Rubano > > --- In dmcnews@xxxx, "Walter" <Whalt@xxxx> wrote: > > Nobody has volunteered any info yet on getting the body off the > frame so > > that I can replace a kinked fuel line. I'm not out to completely > remove the > > two halves, but just get them far enough apart to replace the line. > > > > According to the parts manual there are a total of 10 bolts that > hold the > > fiberglass underbody to the frame. Is this correct? What else > needs to be > > disconnected in order to get the two apart? Brake master cylinder? > > > > <SNIP> > > > > Before posting messages or replies, see the posting policy rules at: > www.dmcnews.com/Admin/rules.html > > To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address: > moderator@xxxx > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > >