CK5
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body lift
- Thread starter cclemmer
- Start date
TrcksR4ME
1/2 ton status
Personally I would stay away from body lifts in general. The 1" body lift from ORD would be the most I would ever do. As far as the brands out there for 2" to 3" lifts, I dunno /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif Most of the ones I see for these trucks are basically the same.
Z3PR
Banned
[ QUOTE ]
Personally I would stay away from body lifts in general. The 1" body lift from ORD would be the most I would ever do.
[/ QUOTE ]Fully agree.
Personally I would stay away from body lifts in general. The 1" body lift from ORD would be the most I would ever do.
[/ QUOTE ]Fully agree.
I have a perf. accessories 3 incher and it sucks.....body lifts are more work to make them right than most people think. They can be a pain the the freaking ass to install, look goofy, and can open a door of overheating problems.
1. Mine took me 1.5 days to get installed, had a lot of snags. Suspension lift is easier IMHO.
2. They look goofy with the bumpers 3" lower witha fat gap....I had to cut all 4 frame horns and lift them 3" to match. If you don't have a welder, torch, and grinder that isn't easy.
3. You have to either remove or cut the bottom half of the fan shroud. If you have a good radiator and an engine that likes to stay cool easy than it's no big deal....Made it almost impossible to keep my 406 cool in hot weather with the A/C on. Not to mention the A/C sucks afterwards because the fan is unable to pull enough air to keep the condensor cool. Wound up and cost me $400 to go to hi performance electric fans.
Bottom line body lifts suck for a daily driver....case closed. /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif
1. Mine took me 1.5 days to get installed, had a lot of snags. Suspension lift is easier IMHO.
2. They look goofy with the bumpers 3" lower witha fat gap....I had to cut all 4 frame horns and lift them 3" to match. If you don't have a welder, torch, and grinder that isn't easy.
3. You have to either remove or cut the bottom half of the fan shroud. If you have a good radiator and an engine that likes to stay cool easy than it's no big deal....Made it almost impossible to keep my 406 cool in hot weather with the A/C on. Not to mention the A/C sucks afterwards because the fan is unable to pull enough air to keep the condensor cool. Wound up and cost me $400 to go to hi performance electric fans.
Bottom line body lifts suck for a daily driver....case closed. /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif
vw62rag
Registered Member
whats wrong with a body lift? i like mine cuz i can get to the trany bellhousing bolts easyer if im swaping the motor
My truck has a 3" body lift that I installed 6-7 years ago, and I spent half a day installing it, by myself. The most time was spent removing factory bolts, as I live in the "rust belt".
1. I had no "snags" other than extending the rod to my throwout bearing fork (had to have someone else weld it). 2. I raised my bumpers along with the body lift, so it wouldn't look goofy. I did this by having a friend help me bend, cut and splice factory brackets.
3. I did remove the fan shroud temporarily, and with the small block I had no overheating problems. With the big block, I am experiencing some overheating on the trail, but only when pulling someone else.
When I installed the body lift, the truck already had a previous owner installed suspension lift. For the mainly daily driving I did then (only minor trail use) the body lift worked great for me, and served its intended purpose of keeping my 35's out of the clean sheet metal it used to have. I had no qualms with a body lift.
Now the truck sees mainly trail/off road use. The sheet metal around the fenders got mangled with a new 6" suspension lift, the 3" body lift, and 38" TSL's. Crawling over anything big, she creaks and groans a lot, and I probably need to re-check torque on the body lift bolts. The center of gravity is pretty high, I tipped it over once, and have nearly rolled it twice again since then. Having learned a few things now, I probably wouldn't use a body lift on a strictly trail truck, but for a daily driver/light off road, I think they can be useful.
1. I had no "snags" other than extending the rod to my throwout bearing fork (had to have someone else weld it). 2. I raised my bumpers along with the body lift, so it wouldn't look goofy. I did this by having a friend help me bend, cut and splice factory brackets.
3. I did remove the fan shroud temporarily, and with the small block I had no overheating problems. With the big block, I am experiencing some overheating on the trail, but only when pulling someone else.
When I installed the body lift, the truck already had a previous owner installed suspension lift. For the mainly daily driving I did then (only minor trail use) the body lift worked great for me, and served its intended purpose of keeping my 35's out of the clean sheet metal it used to have. I had no qualms with a body lift.
Now the truck sees mainly trail/off road use. The sheet metal around the fenders got mangled with a new 6" suspension lift, the 3" body lift, and 38" TSL's. Crawling over anything big, she creaks and groans a lot, and I probably need to re-check torque on the body lift bolts. The center of gravity is pretty high, I tipped it over once, and have nearly rolled it twice again since then. Having learned a few things now, I probably wouldn't use a body lift on a strictly trail truck, but for a daily driver/light off road, I think they can be useful.
TrcksR4ME
1/2 ton status
I noticed a huge difference out on the trail after I got rid of my 3" body lift, the truck felt way more stable. Body lifts do give you more room under the truck to work on stuff and even route exhaust and other things up higher, but its just not worth it IMO. My advice is always to not do body lifts, they are a PITA to put in, and a PITA to take out once you realize they suck /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
tree_entz
1/2 ton status
well, i was unfortunately ignorant enough to buy a truck witha 3" body /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.giflift. yeah, it sucks, but how about the bright sides?
-the more you work under your truck, the more you'll find 'oh, i can turn my wrench here' etc.
-IF, IF, you didn't want to cut your fenders.....(myne are cut now anyway) /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif
-you can keep a soft spring w/ moderate lift and still clear large(r) tires.
sigh... I wish I didn't have it, but I sure as hell aint taking the time to get rid of it either!
-the more you work under your truck, the more you'll find 'oh, i can turn my wrench here' etc.
-IF, IF, you didn't want to cut your fenders.....(myne are cut now anyway) /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif
-you can keep a soft spring w/ moderate lift and still clear large(r) tires.
sigh... I wish I didn't have it, but I sure as hell aint taking the time to get rid of it either!
TrcksR4ME
1/2 ton status
/forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif That was the situation I was in, bought the truck with a body lift on there and decided to take it off when I put new body bushings on. Glad I did it, but it was a PITA...luckily all the bolts came out easy /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grind.gif /forums/images/graemlins/hack.gif
[ QUOTE ]
1. 3. I did remove the fan shroud temporarily, and with the small block I had no overheating problems. With the big block, I am experiencing some overheating on the trail, but only when pulling someone else.
[/ QUOTE ]Lucky you.
1. 3. I did remove the fan shroud temporarily, and with the small block I had no overheating problems. With the big block, I am experiencing some overheating on the trail, but only when pulling someone else.
[/ QUOTE ]Lucky you.
I have considered removing the body lift, because I agree with you, she's definitely more unstable! I guess removing the lift hasn't been one of the priorities, as far as truck modifications go. I plan on installing 42" TSL's soon, and I know I'll have to do way more fender trimming, so maybe then I will remove the body lift.
Im with you, i put in a 3" body lift and wouldnt take it out for nothing, it takes a half day by yourself if you know how and the clearence for getting to tranny t case, routing of exhast is great. I have taken my truck to uhwarrie a couple times and screwed around locally alot with no problems. I think its just a bad image of "cheap lift" that gets alot of people, but that always comes up with anything like wheel spacers or spinners
backcountry
1/2 ton status
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[ QUOTE ]
whats wrong with a body lift? i like mine cuz i can get to the trany bellhousing bolts easyer if im swaping the motor
[/ QUOTE ]
How often do you swap motors? /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
whats wrong with a body lift? i like mine cuz i can get to the trany bellhousing bolts easyer if im swaping the motor
[/ QUOTE ]
How often do you swap motors? /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
tree_entz
1/2 ton status
oh yeah!! you know the air filter you can fit with a body lift! /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
lot more sitting room too.
lot more sitting room too.
