Are BodyLifts Worth it?

[LittleBigFoot]

I've wheeled my IFS Ranger on an extreme budget while building my ZJ.

With the bullshit IFS, there's not a lot to do besides SAS, or a hellishly expensive lift kit.

The body lift was a great bolt on, but buy a kit. No hockey puck bull shit. The 3" should come with bumper relocation brackets, ground extentions, steering linkage extension, shift cable extension, the spacers, and bolts.

I daily drive my ranger with the 3", no sway bars, and extended shackles. It just takes some getting used to.

 

[c_note]

not only would i ever again do a body lift, but talking about washers and pucks! there are some of the cheapest mofos on here. damn!

 

[thoughtcriminal]

its been my personal opinion for a while that body lifts should only be used to make room for larger drivetrain components (tranny and engine specifically).

when you look at the price of a good body lift, vs a similar suspension lift done on the cheap, the suspension lift will ultimately be better.

for example 2 inch body lift is around $100. 2 inch coil spacers and new leaf shackles will run you about the same amount.
If you have the knowledge, a suspension lift isnt much more difficult than a body lift, especially when using components that require no fabbing. and you are going to be more pleased with the end result

 

[Hahnsb2]

Meh, Body lifts = cheap tire space.
Some people believe that tire size is where it's at, because it give you diff AND frame clearance. These people are not wrong.

The extra room to work on things is nice too, I hate working on RBVs without body lifts now...

 

[Mechanickid]

wow I guess its a love hate thing lol. Ill try and post some pix for ya'll too. I guess I'm going for a body lift and my friend just got a set of 32" muds for sale so Ill see how that goes lol

 

[gotmudd]

Body lifts can be pretty cheap too. Just weld up some pipe with some washers and BAM you have spacers.

+1. i just did a body lift on my fullsize DD by using 3inch ID scedule 40 pipe [pre-cut at the machine shop] with pre-cut squares ground round round afer welding. totle cost was like 50 bucks with an hours worth of welding and a half a day to raise the cab = 3 1/2 inches of body lift. also i had to mod my steering sector by lengthening my steering shaft which wasn't too bad, i just mowed it in half and slipped a piece of pipe and welded her back together, and i had to lengthen my tranny shift linkage [automatic] by the same method and since i have mechanical linkage for throttle i had to refab that too, all told, a day and a half later and i was driving. i have known lots of people who have gone either way, suspension or body and both have their issues. if you lift the frame too much it becomes unsafe not too mention that on solid axle applications it don't matter how much you lift the frame, you STILL only have so much clearance under the axle. the only way to get more clearance under the axle is to put bigger tires, and you can't put big tires on if they rub because you don't have the body clearance. if it was me looking to get ground clearance i'd go with the body lift, maybe 2-3 inch, then go with a bigger tire then if you want to flex the hell outta her then maybe these guys can steer you in the right direction for better flex, mine flexes just fine so i don't have that issue, but if i need more flex i know where to go cuz from what i have read in other posts, these guys have some pretty slick tricks.

 

[reginald fairfield]

+

= Those two statements dont add up to me.... 3" body lift will have a lower center of gravity than a 3" suspension lift...


I know suspension lift gives you frame clearance, I have 6 inches of it, lol. I use it alot, mainly crawling over logs and such. I am a fan of suspension lifts, but I dont think it's right for him. (and his pizza delivery budget, perhaps down the line he'll graduate to suspension lits)

What I am trying to get across is go for the suspension lift or nothing. If I want a lift, which I don't obviously, I want the frame clearance. Sure, hacking the body sucks, but if the body is good then you have no business lifting it in the first place. Just put as wide and tall tires as you can and drive the damn thing. Plus with a GOOD suspension lift system that is what is actually improved, the suspension. To me the best lifts are created by yourself.

 

[dburton07]

i want to do 2" leveling coils a 2" BL and 32's for a little mud rig so i say go for mechanic my $0.02

 

[danger88ranger]

\ I hate working on RBVs without body lifts now...

+1

Body lifts serve a good purpose especially for someone with a low budget.

 

[c_note]

+1

Body lifts serve a good purpose especially for someone with a low budget.

someone with a low budget should set their priorities strait imo.

 

[86ford]

get bigger tires and get to torches or sawzall out!

86

 

[bobbywalter]

What I am trying to get across is go for the suspension lift or nothing. If I want a lift, which I don't obviously, I want the frame clearance. Sure, hacking the body sucks, but if the body is good then you have no business lifting it in the first place. Just put as wide and tall tires as you can and drive the damn thing. Plus with a GOOD suspension lift system that is what is actually improved, the suspension. To me the best lifts are created by yourself.

you lost me.



body lifts are nice. they definatly serve a purpose. i love mine.


and, i cant wait to get a pristine gen 1 cali body and cut the fawk out of it. if i dont do that i will buy a spankin new stripper 2wd ex cab off the lot or find one salvage and cut that to hell to build what i want.

basically take the 1 tons and powertrain shit off my chassis and swap it over...with a 1.5-2 in body lift in the end by some means...be it spacers or custom body brackets. even if i had a stock ranger powertrain the 2 in bl is awesome for tranny fixin time. cause if your using it...your gonna be fixin trannies...


and...my hockey pucks outshone and vasty are outliving my store bought bullshit lift blocks. not what i expected...but its what has happened...over hundreds of thousands of miles of extreme truck abuse and use. they were a temporary measure initially, but i left it in the bed for spare parts capacity and curiosity just to see.

 

[Hahnsb2]

someone with a low budget should set their priorities strait imo.

Just because it's low budget doesn't mean they can't afford food if they build up their rig. Not everyone can afford the best shit, I'll pitch my rig up against a lot of higher budget rigs. My body lift works just fine.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

someone with a low budget should set their priorities strait imo.

Wheeling is fun, but I have other hobbies that require money as well.

And since I mostly wheel in mud, more flex isn't really required. Even with the front sway bar intact I haven't flexed beyond where I can take my truck with both diff's open.

 

[dogboy]

I love my body lift!

A body lift is good cheap way to fit that extra tire size, or keep the ones you have from rubbing. It is defentally nice to have the extra room too.

I honestly don't see what is so bad about body lifts other than the fact that if you had gotten a suspension lift, you would be getting more flex.

I am in high school, so afterschool work doesn't really provide that much money after I factor in gas and insurance. Granted driveing 15 miles for 2-3 hours of work isn't the idea thing, but that's my choice and I'm glad I do it. So, after that, I really don't have alot of money, and it would take me a VERY long time to get a good suspension lift that would actually provide extra flex, and not punch a hole in my diff. . And, since I drive the truck everyday, and wheel it just about every weekend, I will settle for the lack of extra flex for the fact that I am less top heavy than I would otherwise be.

All in all, I think a body lift is worth every penny of the 120 bucks. But on the other hand, I'm sure a $1,200 Skyjacker lift is worth every penny too, but it would take to long for me to save up for that, so I get the body lift so I can actually wheel in the time it takes me to save for that suspension lift.

Most people can't just become the president of a company. It takes time and other things to become managers and other positions before you are actually the president of said company.
I'm one of the guys who isn't able to just jump to the top, I have to work my way up.
If that analogy makes any sense at all...