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Sure. Easy. And glad to help.
Mine is just a little bit too long, so I added the second crossmember in the front.
If you make yours at 139-1/2" outside to outside, front to back, you will not have to add that extra crossmember, and you can mount your two end vertical supports like I did.
I got the 2x10’s and 4x4’s all cut today before it started raining.
If the weather cooperates tomorrow, I’ll get my saw back out, cut the plywood pieces, run to Lowe’s for the hardware, drill all the holes and start assembly.
So the bottom of the floorboard is say 48" off the ground?
Does that give you enough room to scoot underneath there on a little red wheeled mechanics stool to clean stuff up on the underside of the body?
'cause sooner later you will want to do that.
I would add a couple of inches to the height if you have any doubt.
Mine does but I am not at home where I can measure that right now.
So the bottom of the floorboard is say 48" off the ground?
Does that give you enough room to scoot underneath there on a little red wheeled mechanics stool to clean stuff up on the underside of the body?
'cause sooner later you will want to do that.
I would add a couple of inches to the height if you have any doubt.
Mine does but I am not at home where I can measure that right now.
Hey Leigh,
I’m not building mine high up off the ground and only posted these pictures in my thread for someone else to reference at some later date.
Can I ask you one big favor while your body is off the chassis?
Can you take the center to center measurement between the birdcage channels and post it for me?
Can you also provide the width of the birdcage channels themselves?
I tried but with the body still on the frame it’s impossible.
I posted a separate thread in C3 tech so if someone posts there before you can, don’t worry about it.
Thanks!
Hey Leigh,
I’m not building mine high up off the ground and only posted these pictures in my thread for someone else to reference at some later date.
Can I ask you one big favor while your body is off the chassis?
Can you take the center to center measurement between the birdcage channels and post it for me?
Can you also provide the width of the birdcage channels themselves?
I tried but with the body still on the frame it’s impossible.
I posted a separate thread in C3 tech so if someone posts there before you can, don’t worry about it.
Thanks!
Sure I'd be glad to. At least that is something I can do with 1-1/2 hands right now. Can't do much else.
My 2x3s land on a lip in the birdcage channel. Alans dolly was designed to bolt a 2x4 to the left of the body dolly in the above pic, and then it would land right on the body mount bolt area. It worked tho. But it was close.
You should be able to get several measurements off this. The lip on the left is 1/2" thick and only exists at the very front 4 inches of the birdcage, so ignore that. You can see / measure the double lips on the inside edge. This is pass front. #1 mount. The upper flat portion that runs full-length is about 3-1/2" wide.
Here's the across measurement 2x3 outside edge to 2x3 outside edge . Best I could do with a bum hand. This is driver side. You need just a little more to center it in the channel or get it under the body bolt area.
I measured my bare frame also and confirmed the chart pics above. #1 mount is a little wider than the #2 mount.
#1 54-1/4" ctr-ctr
#2 52-1/2" ctr-ctr
Last edited by leigh1322; May 5, 2023 at 06:07 PM.
Sure I'd be glad to. At least that is something I can do with 1-1/2 hands right now. Can't do much else.
My 2x3s land on a lip in the birdcage channel. Alans dolly was designed to bolt a 2x4 to the left of the body dolly in the above pic, and then it would land right on the body mount bolt area. It worked tho. But it was close.
You should be able to get several measurements off this. The lip on the left is 1/2" thick and only exists at the very front 4 inches of the birdcage, so ignore that. You can see / measure the double lips on the inside edge. This is pass front. #1 mount. The upper flat portion that runs full-length is about 3-1/2" wide.
Here's the across measurement 2x3 outside edge to 2x3 outside edge . Best I could do with a bum hand. This is driver side. You need just a little more to center it in the channel or get it under the body bolt area.
I measured my bare frame also and confirmed the chart pics above. #1 mount is a little wider than the #2 mount.
#1 54-1/4" ctr-ctr
#2 52-1/2" ctr-ctr
Your measurements confirm the chart I posted. Thank you for the validation.
You should be cooking with gas now Greg.
You know the old saying.
“Measure twice and cut once”.
When you can’t measure, ask then, ask then, ask, then hope for the best!
I recut my crossmember pieces yesterday and as I started laying everything out to start assembly it started raining.
I just had time to move all my equipment and stuff back into the garage before a thunderstorm came down.
This morning, I’m packing stuff into a shed to make room in the garage so I can assemble this thing inside.
There isn’t much room in a 360sq ft garage.
Had some family duties to attend to yesterday and didn’t get much done on the dolly.
I did get started, then my OCD kicked in trying to build it perfectly square.
After a while I realized the crap 16 ft 2x10’s the lumber yard delivered were warped just enough that I needed to install the middle supports first and pull the sides in so my square would lay flat against the corners.
Once they were in I got it squared up and everything tightened.
I was also amazed to find that one 2x10 was actually milled 1/8” wider than the other two.
It seems like quality in this country has gone downhill in all industries.
I hope to get it finished today!
Today I got the dolly all framed up.
Harbor freight was out of the 8” castor wheels so I bought their 10” castors, which seem a little large, but they will work perfect.
Tomorrow I’ll run to Lowe’s, get the 2x4’s for the uprights and get them mounted.
I finished the body dolly and as you can see moved everything back into the garage I had on the back patio to give me room to build the dolly.
I’ll put together a parts list with everything that you would need to build this dolly design to make it easier for the next person. .
