PA 3 Inch Body Lift Help

[04XLT40]

I'm in the process of installing the 3 inch body lift on my 2004 ranger. I have a few questions and I'll probably be asking more soon as I go.

Currently I'm stuck on...
Edit: Okay I'm running into trouble.

The body mounts under the cab (the ones you turn from inside the cab) are turning as I'm trying loosen the bolt. What is a good way to get those body mounts loosened up?

Any suggestions?

Before the Lift:

 

[Ranger4657]

i think i used a pair of needle nose vice grips and a Flathead to separate the little cable crimp that the lines attach to for the e break.

 

[RangerSVT]

I haven't done a BL on that new of a truck, but I didn't have to disconnect my E-brake cable when I did mine, if you unbolt the front bracket on the framerail, it will give you enough slack to lift the body. Same with the shifter cable, I didn't have to unbolt mine. You should have plenty of slack to do the BL, I'd check to see if you have enough slack in the cables before removing/disconnecting them
SVT

 

[04XLT40]

Edit: Okay I'm running into trouble.

The body mounts under the cab (the ones you turn from inside the cab) are turning as I'm trying loosen the bolt. What is a good way to get those body mounts loosened up?

 

[JohnnyO]

Assuming the bolts are corroded and that's what's giving you trouble, a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone is supposed to work better than PB Blaster.

 

[04XLT40]

I'm able to spin the bolts, but the bushings are spinning as I turn the bolt. I tried having a buddy jam some pliers up in between while I tried spinning the bolt but it only worked a little bit and its going to take forever for all 4 inside the cab, which are all thread-locked from the factory...

Does anyone have a clue how to get the cab body mounts off? Without the whole bushing spinning with the bolt...?

 

[lilred93ranger]

Im having the same problem with my truck and i just started working on it yesterday. the only other thing that i could think of then to get it all greased up is to see if you could somehow got to the top of the bolt in the cab and maybe get ahold of it.

 

[04XLT40]

It's the whole bushing and body mount that is turning when I spin the bolts in the cab.. they say to hold on to the whole thing with channel locks but that isn't working... idk what else to do and my truck has to be running by tonight...

 

[kennykenny]

Are you using air tool? If you're not see if you can get your hands on an impact gun.

 

[04XLT40]

Okay I am using an air gun and I cant seem to keep the bushings from turning while I spin the bolt for the body mounts. Does anyone know how I can stop the whole body mount and bushing from turning while getting the bolt loose?

 

[RangerSVT]

You are not going to re-use those bolts, cut the heads off, lift the body and then remove the remaining bolt and bushing, take that to a vice and proceed to remove the remaining bolt. Rusty bolt problem solved
SVT

 

[04XLT40]

how should I go about cutting the head bolts off from inside the cab? whats the safest, easiest way to do it? Remember the bolts sit down in the cab a little bit, so its not exactly an easy spot to work with.

 

[RangerSVT]

There is a nut that the body mount washer is welded to, you should be abot to get a wrench or breaker bar on this to hold it while using an impact wrench on top. If that doesn't work, Try this, put you a block (2x4 or 4x4) at least 12 inches long against the floor (to distribute the load) and put a bottle jack or floor jack under it and try lifting the body enough to put a sawzall blade between the body mount and body and cut the bolt. Last alternative is to cut the nut attached to the washer on the bottom, but be careful not to cut the mount washer. Doing this you will have to replace the nut, but you will proceed with your BL installation
SVT

 

[04XLT40]

a nut? I'm uncertain what nut you are talking about. The four bolts in the cab, go through the bushings and down to the bottom. I can see the bottom of the bolt, but there is no nut visible. I see a washer that is an oval shape, it has round corners and flat sides. Can you maybe describe it with a diagram or something of the body mount?

 

[RangerSVT]

The 04's might be different than my 96, which is what I am using for comparison. Look along your framerail and you will see your body mount, the bottom of your mount you should see a washer and a nut, with the bolt going through the washer and nut. If your setup is not like this, you will need to take a pic of the bottom of the body mount for me so I can further help you out...
SVT