Are BodyLifts Worth it?

[rickcdewitt]

i cant wait to get a pristine gen 1 cali body and cut the fawk out of it.

there are plenty of them here for sure...

 

[Evan]

Body lifts are great:

Pros:
-They are cheap
-Easy to install
-Reliable
-Allow for bigger tires which results in more frame and axle clearance
-Keeps CG lower than it would be with a suspension lift
-Makes it easier to remove the tranny and engine
-Allows you to run a doubler on BIIs and Explorers without cutting up the floor boards
-Raises the height of the engine's intake

Cons:
-A BL alone nets no additional frame clearance
-Does not improve flex

The best lift setup in my opinion is a combination of a body lift and suspension lift.

 

[TrucksGetDirty]

EDIT:

Don't get one if you want to do serious off roading.
If you just want to throw some larger tires and drive around town then a body lift is perfect.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

EDIT:

Don't get one if you want to do serious off roading.
If you just want to throw some larger tires and drive around town then a body lift is perfect.

Actually quite afew of the serious guys on here have them, Bobby, Evan, 4x4Junkie...

 

[TrucksGetDirty]

Actually quite afew of the serious guys on here have them, Bobby, Evan, 4x4Junkie...

I would never do it.

 

[Evan]

EDIT:

Don't get one if you want to do serious off roading.

Why?

 

[Jim Oaks]

TRS-1 has 4-inch suspension and 3-inch body.

TRS-2 currently has 6-inch suspension.

I am probably going to add a 2-inch bodylift to TRS-2 for 2 reasons:

1) It will give the body a little more clearance on the trail.

2) It will give me room for a slightly larger tire say 35".

At this point it doesn't seem worth trying to add 2-more inches of suspension lift on this truck. Instead I'll just use a body lift. I'll simply need to drill 1 new hole on my front bumper to raise it 2-inches.

On TRS-1, the bodylift was very helpful in making room for the V-8 and tranny.

 

[lil red]

True! I Agree, But I can't CAN'T bring my self to hack into my minty body! If it was rusty or a beat up 1st gen ranger/ bronco ii I would hack away, but not on the ol explorer. lol I need a reliable way to lift it cheap, I was wondering about the washer stack under the springs and a shackle lift but can't go too high because of the TTB. decisions decisions....

ya i agree half
who says all first gens are all rusted out!!!





, JK, mine is, but she's still sexy

 

[86ford]

if you ask me, my build is low budget. but its a rubicon dana 44 with with a detroit locker, chromoly axle shafts and 5.13 gears and had hydralic ram assist which i've removed. i also have a set of y-links and Bilstein 9100 Rock Crawler 12" coilovers which all ive collected for just under $800 for the SAS. this is way less than a suspension lift from superlift or even trailmaster.

this weekend ill be picking up a set of 5 35x12.50 15 bfgs with 95% tread for $400.

when i get done with the build, you can pitch your rig against mine.

yea...... DONE never really happens. you just say that to justify spending money to yourself or others. "DONE" means your BROKE, you killed it completely or your selling it

86

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

ya i agree half
who says all first gens are all rusted out!!!





, JK, mine is, but she's still sexy

While mine isn't that rusty, it is dented... and since most others of that style are rusted out and nearly ready to implode, it does make it tough to find replacement panels.

 

[Evan]

At this point it doesn't seem worth trying to add 2-more inches of suspension lift on this truck. Instead I'll just use a body lift. I'll simply need to drill 1 new hole on my front bumper to raise it 2-inches.

On TRS-1, the bodylift was very helpful in making room for the V-8 and tranny.

Bingo Jim. If you already have good frame clearance, why bother with the time, cost, and possible steering issues associated with another 2" of suspension lift? And your CG will stay low this way.

I mentioned in my post that a BL helps fit a doubler into a truck, but you also have a great point: it makes larger engine and tranny swaps easier and/or possible as well.

 

[Hahnsb2]

if you ask me, my build is low budget. but its a rubicon dana 44 with with a detroit locker, chromoly axle shafts and 5.13 gears and had hydralic ram assist which i've removed. i also have a set of y-links and Bilstein 9100 Rock Crawler 12" coilovers which all ive collected for just under $800 for the SAS. this is way less than a suspension lift from superlift or even trailmaster.

this weekend ill be picking up a set of 5 35x12.50 15 bfgs with 95% tread for $400.

when i get done with the build, you can pitch your rig against mine.

I guess different needs for different people. See, I could have spent money on big tires and a big lift like 98% of everyone else does, I chose a little cheap lift, big tires, some fender trimming and used the money I saved by using a body lift I was able to upgrade my axles/gears and get lockers making my rig far more capable than others with just suspension lift and tires, with my short wheelbase the frame clearence isn't a big problem and it takes a pretty good breakover angle to drag it. This doesn't mean it won't be getting any suspension lift, I've already picked up some 3" duff brakets and coils for the front, it just wasn't my biggest priority since I could make my rig more capable for less money.

 

[Mechanickid]

Wow my idea of budget is like 500$ max! lol

 

[c_note]

yea...... DONE never really happens. you just say that to justify spending money to yourself or others. "DONE" means your BROKE, you killed it completely or your selling it

86

pretty damn sure "done" means when i have 4 to 5 days strait to work on my truck such as labor day weekend. i have 5 days off and am planning to do all the work then unless something comes up.

 

[Mechanickid]

yeah im guessing a pa body lift is as good as it gets... unless i make my own?