i dont like body lifts but i found a decent deal

[mikhail]

I found a 3" bl for a bronco2 for $50 on craigslist, i dont really like them though but if i ever need more lift this might be a good way to go since im kinda maxed on suspension without getting drop brackets or a SAS. I was just wondering if body lifts increase frame flex at all and what will need to be extended, fuel lines, brake lines, etc.? and is it possible to cut off some of the bushing to make it a 1" or 2" lift? thanks

 

[434fireboy52]

I have a 3in on my ranger and aside from the ride being a bit rough it isnt that bad. I'd never put one on a newer truck but they work just fine on older trucks. You will need to extend your parking brake cable and trim your fan shroud, also the metal plate under you carpet around your shifters will need to be trimed to ease shifting gears and 4x4 shifting. Not that much work for an extra few inches of tire clearance.

 

[brendank]

I have a 3in on my ranger and aside from the ride being a bit rough it isnt that bad.

A body lift doesn't affect the ride quality of the truck.


These things get a bad wrap from people who use them improperly, or who use inappropriate pieces as body lift blocks. If you do it properly, there's really nothing to worry about.

 

[LittleBigFoot]

A body lift doesn't affect the ride quality of the truck.


These things get a bad wrap from people who use them improperly, or who use inappropriate pieces as body lift blocks. If you do it properly, there's really nothing to worry about.

+1

I havn't had a problem at all. The frame flex is exagerated greatly. It shows more, but it's about the same IMO. Go for it.

 

[predator]

A body lift doesn't affect the ride quality of the truck.


These things get a bad wrap from people who use them improperly, or who use inappropriate pieces as body lift blocks. If you do it properly, there's really nothing to worry about.

and you also need to acknowledge a higher center of gravity....lots of people forget about that...

 

[brendank]

Yeah, we're talking about lifting so a higher COG is pretty much a given.

You do bring up a good point though. A 3" body lift will result in a lower COG than a 3" suspension lift. That's one advantage.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I haven't noticed any ill effects from mine, it rides about the same and might have a tad more body roll than before. It it didn't exactly handle like a sports car or ride like a Cadillac before though.

I had to cut the bottom out of the fan shroud since on the older trucks you don't get radiator relocation brackets. I took the fan and shroud off before I lifted it, modified the shroud and put both back on afterwards. I had concerns of overheating, still runs 190 degrees on the nose. I also loosened the rad hoses and readjusted them to fit the new angle as the radiator went up and the engine stayed the same.

I remounted the parking brake bracket higher on the frame, it is on the drivers side. Unbolt from the frame before you lift. The frame is made of some pretty good stuff, have a good drill, bit and a wall handy. You will need the wall to brace yourself against.

You don't get bumper relocation brackets for the older (first gen) trucks, you will either need to make your own (I did) or live with the goofy looking low bumpers.

I used the steering extension provided, still works ok. Some don't use it, but since I paid for it I put it in from the start.

They make a manual transmission shifter extension, it is sold seperatly and I didn't get it, I have an automatic. If it is second hand it may or may not be included, and you may or may not need it. I didn't need to do any adjusting to the stock floor shifter.

They do not make a extension for the manual transfer case, I used a shaft from a old starter (same DIA as stock shifter) and welded a small piece of pipe with a tapped hole to it, used a bolt as a setscrew to clamp it in place. I painted it black and put the stock knob back on it and it looks 100% stock. With the stock setup the knob was sunk down in the boot and didn't work. Some have to do some trimming to get 4low to work, I didn't.

I made spashguards for the inner fenders using a old tractor innertube and filled in the new space between the inner fender and frame, I just pop rivoted it in to the plastic inner fender. My truck sees a fair amount of mud in the summer and the salt in winter, and I really didn't want all that crud coming in to my engine compartment that way.

That is all I can think of right now that was a issue when I put mine on my Ranger two years ago and that I have heard brought up over time, I have never been around a BII so I couldn't tell you what would be different. Bodylifts can be a easy, cheap way to lift, or a long painful process if you are picky and do all the little stuff I have (bumper brackets, t-case shifter, splash guards...)

 

[Hahnsb2]

I really like my body lift for the money. Makes working on it easier and allowed me to run my exhaust between the frame and body keeping it protected. The manual shift extension is only for M5ODs which your b2 shouldn't have.

 

[alaskan155]

while on the subject of the 3 inch body lifts, did any of you raise your front and rear bumpers, on my 89 bronco II the rear looks allright, but the front looks stupid.

thanks.


other than that i gotta say the 3 inch lift was easy to install and it helped my clear my NP208

 

[fordman49450]

I already had the intention of having custom bumpers made, so when I did the body lift, I had no need for the bumper adaptors. I just installed the body lift and then had the bumpers made to match the height. you can see it at www.dskellogg.com/ranger.html

 

[Natedog]

2" is max bodylift that I would do...preferably only 1" or none. You gotta move the bumpers or it looks like crap and even then the frame hangin way down looks terrible. Save your money and make your own 1" out of some bar stock (delrin or aluminum work good) on a lathe.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

while on the subject of the 3 inch body lifts, did any of you raise your front and rear bumpers, on my 89 bronco II the rear looks allright, but the front looks stupid.

thanks.


other than that i gotta say the 3 inch lift was easy to install and it helped my clear my NP208

I made brackets that mounted to the side of the frame for my front bumper, I had a neat drawing of it but somehow lost it. Our trucks are different enough that it probably wouldn't do you much good anyway. I thought they made relocation brackets for the second generation trucks?

You can see more of the frame, but it also lets the frame catch stuff before it gets to the body (like if you are high centered) I don't think it shows too bad on my truck. Plus it gives you alot more room to work on everything.

This is the best picture I have of my bracket, and it is from the outside of the truck. It is just some plates that mounted on two existing holes in the frame and goes up, with two angle iron peices welded on it to mount the stock bumper to. Then I welded both brackets together with another angle iron with two D-rings on it. I did have to notch the stock bumper to fit the brackets, or else it would stick way out.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/3/web/291000-291999/291515_17_full.jpg

 

[mikhail]

you can hardly tell yur truck has a body lift, is that a 3"? You can already see the frame on my truck easily, i think i might rather fab some drop brackets for the TTB, seems smarter than having to modify the radiator and extend the shifters for a lift that wont really improve my ground clearance.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It is a 3", it doesn't look that tall really but it is alot taller than it used to be. Personally I think it sits about like it should have from the factory.

Here is a pretty bad picture of it shortly after I got it:
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/3/web/291000-291999/291515_11_full.jpg

 

[Hahnsb2]

you can hardly tell yur truck has a body lift, is that a 3"? You can already see the frame on my truck easily, i think i might rather fab some drop brackets for the TTB, seems smarter than having to modify the radiator and extend the shifters for a lift that wont really improve my ground clearance.

It takes 2 seconds to cut the fan shroud and you don't have to extend the shifters...