I did a body lift on my choptop mostly only because when it came time to replace the body mounts, I got a great deal on a body lift - I had the option of a 2" or 3" body lift for the same price as buying all the bolts would have cost, so I bought a 2" kit. I ended up with mixed emotions on it, part of me loves the extra clearance around all things mechanical, but part of me doesn't like body lifts because even a 2" shows a bit more frame and changes a lot of the dynamics of the machine. I don't think I'd ever want anything taller than a 2".
I ran into the issue with my 2000 Ranger back a couple years where I had a desire to lift it, but found that it was expensive to do right. So what did I do? Well, at the time my Ranger was my only vehicle....
So I went looking for a 4x4 playtoy and picked up my 88 Eddie Bauer Bronco II for $340. With another $100 into it, I had a road legal 4x4 that was cheap and easy to work on. Of course, the engine decided to swallow a couple valves a few thousand miles later, but still, it was cheap and fun while it lasted, so I started an engine swap. Then I came across my choptop, engine was blown up (SERIOUSLY cracked head) and I picked it up for $160. Then I picked up a junk BII for $250 that had a 2" suspension lift and locked 4.10 geared axles. Used the junk BII to fix up the choptop for it's first build. Cracked the heads again and swapped in another 2.9 out of a wrecked BII that I stripped for parts for $100. Sold and traded parts as I needed to and now I have a total of about $1,650 sunk into my choptop, including what I paid for it and the nearly new 35" tires sitting in my shed waiting to go on. As I had money, I scrounged parts and the truck grew, it's been a really fun toy and a great learning experience.