Lift kits..

[chuck7]

Ok..I don't understand anything about lift kits so here are some newbee questions..

1. Will any mechanic do these ? What is a ball park estimate for a 4 inch lift kit..

2. If you went with a 4 inch lift..what other parts will I need to buy?

3. Are lift kits primarily just to put on bigger tires..

and if bigger tires..what other expenses are there?

4.Is one simply putting spacers between the body and the frame?

Thanks,
C7

 

[Bennybooster]

A body lift is putting spacers between the body and the frame....i personally would never run one. Although for you ifs guys you dont have many options.

 

[daniel3507]

1. I dont know about any mechanic but any off road shop will do them.

2. Most kits come with everything you will need so you shouldn't normally have to buy any other parts. Some kits though do not come with shocks so you may want to check on that part.

3. You get more room for bigger tires but you also get more suspension travel if you get a suspension lift. Depending on how big of tires you get and what gears you have in your axles, you may have to re gear them.

4. And like benny said a body lift is just adding spacers between the frame and body. When you do that you have the stock suspension and everything so the only thing you gain is a little clearance for tires. Some people dont like them because (other than the fact you get no extra suspension travel for them) it just lifts up the body you can see the frame at its stock height if you dont have gap guards. And if you dont have bumper brackets your bumpers will stay at the stock height while the rest of the body is up higher.

 

[Bennybooster]

Im also friends with a mechanic and he was saying it weakens your crap.

 

[Bryan22]

Im also friends with a mechanic and he was saying it weakens your crap.

*BUZZ* what is stool softener?

do i win?

 

[daniel3507]

*BUZZ* what is stool softener?

do i win?

That just made my day.

Im also friends with a mechanic and he was saying it weakens your crap.

Interesting. I havent ever heard that before. Did he say what it weakens?

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Yeah I can't see what it would weaken... its only lifting the body up, so in that case it could only weaken the body mounts as everything else is untouched.

1.Yeah most off road shops as well as some mechanic shops usually if they sell lifts.

2.Well there really only is one lift for the IFS rangers thats common (Superlift) and I believe it comes with everything you need. But yes as Daniel said some don't have shocks.

3.With a suspension lift you gain ground clearence with both frame and body, more travel, and clearence for bigger tires. A body lift will lift just the body and the fenders with it making room for bigger tires, but the frame and suspension stays stock.

And with bigger tires you will generally want to regear, so like 4" lift you can get 33's under your truck but your engine will have a harder time turning them and it will make your fun factor and mileage drop, Stepping up a gear set or 2 as in going from 3.73's to 4.10's or 4.56's will help you get the factory feel back into it.

4. Yes it is called a body lift and it is alot cheaper then a suspension lift for the newer trucks. (about 200.00$) There really is no proven reason why a body lift is bad other then people that do like modified 10" bodylifts that are really unstable, and alot of people here hate them (which I don't understand.) Its a good way to get an extra 3" of solid lift for tires, the down side is that it leaves a gap between the frame and the body and the bumpers either stay where they are and look odd or get lifted and you can't use them fo heavy towing and you cut the valence up front or remove the tow hooks.

 

[TheOne]

i just ordered a bodly lift for my new 91 ranger....my 31's barely fit stock (have about an inch till they reach the bottoms of the fenders) so bah drop $200 for a bodly lift and off u go!

 

[chuck7]

Appreciate the feedback fellows..

 

[Bennybooster]

Im mainly talking about it weaking the body mounts. I personally woundlt run one especially cause i have a 3rd gen.

 

[dbp]

Well let's see...your truck body is sitting on what is it, 6 body mounts for the cab...after you're done with a body lift, the truck body is still sitting on those same mounting points...they're just a little taller.

How would that weaken anything?

 

[strvger]

i have a $150 2" bl and like it fine. nice thing is if i want it to ride like a 6" suspension lift, all i have to do is add another 30psi to each of my e rated tires. yep, best of both worlds for sure!

 

[Nater]

I have a 3" BL in. I am one of those types that could care less about the gap, plus it makes it easier to get our barn cats out LOL! (we have 9 barn cats)

 

[bcost882]

i don't like bl's cause it makes the truck look fat. i mean 1" or 2" bl is cool but at 3" you can see the frame below the cab and crap and see between the frame and body. and supposedly it weakens it cause of the leverage applied to the mounts is greater when the distance is taller so if they are rusted a bit they get demolished faster. but if you take proper care it should hold up fine.

 

[strvger]

i don't like bl's cause it makes the truck look fat. i mean 1" or 2" bl is cool but at 3" you can see the frame below the cab and crap and see between the frame and body. and supposedly it weakens it cause of the leverage applied to the mounts is greater when the distance is taller so if they are rusted a bit they get demolished faster. but if you take proper care it should hold up fine.

i'd have to see the physics on that claim. if your regular body mounts are, say 3" in diameter and your body lift blocks are 3" in diameter, that is the surface area the body and frame comes in contact with. whether it is 1" tall or 3" tall, the surface contact area is the same. there is no where there for "leverage" to exist really. if the lift blocks were mushy foam where the body could rock and move around on them, then you might have a case. if your mounting bolts were good old Chinese grade 2 that would flex like crazy before breaking, you might have a case. but as the lift blocks are the same material as replacement body bushings and you're using grade 8 hardware, not gonna happen. just my $.02.