3" Body Lift

[mattpiotr]

Im looking at getting a 3" Body Lift For 86 2500 reg cab long bed. what do i need to do to raise the bumpers?

[DetroitDan]

buy a body lift kit that includes the bumper brackets

[Redcap]

Why? Body lifts suck.

[DetroitDan]

body lifts don't suck, they have their pros and cons just like anything else. I happen to think their pros outweigh their cons, personally. I've put several of them in trucks, and I may yet put one in my crewcab.

Here are a few reasons I think bodylifts don't suck:

Bodylifts are generally far less expensive than suspension lifts, but they give you a good amount of lift that is visibly noticeable, while giving you clearance for larger tires. If you already have a suspension lift and don't want to go to a larger suspension lift, spending the same money twice, then bodylifts are a good solution to increasing your lift.

If you don't want to alter your suspension geometry, because either you already have, or you prefer how it rides stock, bodylifts won't. Doesn't have any affect on steering, or shocks (plus won't require you to buy new shocks). Bodylifts are not going to give you ground clearance for offroading, but they will give you clearance for larger tires, which will give you ground clearance. If you are going rockcrawling, bodylifts are not your best solution, but not everybody rock crawls, and if you're into that you probably already know that, and you probably should buy a Jeep or Toyota, instead of destroying a fullsize truck trying to keep up with better suited rigs.

Some people don't like how you can see some frame with a bodylift. It is most noticeable on the 90s Chevys that had the framerails that dropped down low in the center of the truck. On my 97 I painted the framerails flat black and it stood out less. Doesn't bother me, noticing a bodylift just shows me that someone lifted their truck, I don't think it makes a truck look bad. If you do, then I guess bodylifts do suck after all.

For street driving and light offroading, bodylifts are perfectly competent. I have heard of the body bolts loosening up and either falling out or just needing to be re-tightened, but as with anything, you should go over your truck if you want it to last. IIRC the bodylift instructions tell you to retorque after the first 100 miles. I've always re-tightened them once and never ever had a problem.

Bodylift kits usually raise the radiator a bit higher in relation to the fan. This means you should use the included hardware to modify the fan shroud. You can just remove the bottom half and discard it, and probably be fine, but if it comes with the kit I'd use it. I think one reason people say bodylifts suck is they've heard of overheating issues...well, it was probably because a lot of guys would remove the fan shroud altogether, being too lazy to make the proper modification.

People also say that body flex or roll can break the longer bolts, as a result of increased leverage. If you have the entire kit installed correctly, and all the bolts are tightened properly, I don't see how it could. Maybe twisting it up on the Rubicon Trail or something. I don't think I've ever twisted my frame or body enough to begin to impact a body mount. And that's another thing, people may say it has a negative effect on the ride-how could it, you use the blocks in conjunction with factory body mounts, not instead of them. Usually while it's apart is a good time to replace all the stock rubber cushions, too. I wouldn't recommend anything but oem rubber, I tried the so-called high-performance urethane body mounts on one truck, and it did ruin the ride. I felt every crack in the pavement up through the body, and one actually split and failed shortly after installing it. Went back to new oem rubber, and it rode like a new truck again.

Another neat little positive is having that gap under the body really helps if you like to keep it clean. If you go in the mud you'll find it gets everywhere, and it is easier to hose or pressure wash it out with a body lift. You can get up over the gas tank and everywhere else mud likes to hide. Even for cleaning road salt and everyday grime, it's a plus.

Lastly, my favorite part is that the bodylift, while giving you a visual impression of a taller truck, and the feeling of driving a taller truck, doesn't raise your towing platform. Your hitch receiver remains at frame height, (larger tires notwithstanding) so you can still tow what you could before the body lift. And in the north half of the country, it also applies to the other end of the truck. If you have a snowplow, the bodylift keeps your frame attachment points down where they need to be.

So, that's my standard pro-bodylift rant, that I always throw out there when people say bodylifts suck. I thought maybe you could gain some insight from someone who has had many lifted trucks and installed and used a lot of bodylifts. Although, to be truthful, I think my earlier post actually answered your question, which was about raising bumpers, not about whether bodylifts suck or not.

[andrewmp6]

The down side i see to it is if you need to use a 5th wheel or goose neck you can't have a body lift.And being these are leaf spring trucks a suspension lift would probably take less time to put on.

[DetroitDan]

Agreed about the 5th wheel/gooseneck, however a big suspension lift would make the truck too high to do that also, so it would only apply in the instance of doing say a 3 inch body vs 4 inch suspension.
I don't think bodylifts are any harder than suspension lifts, maybe a little easier. I've done both a few times, usually on the ground, front springs can be a pita sometimes. I actually had a 79 that had a 4 inch suspension and a 2 inch body, I used to take the bodylift out for winter (dont remember why, must have been told it was a good idea). Finally took it out, put in a 3 instead and left it.

Hardest part of a bodylift is if it's an auto, you are supposed to extend the shift rod. And, if you're trucks a rustbucket like we have here in the northeast, body mounts are sometimes rotted or they break when you try to remove them. I've got a Blazer right now that has 4 inch all spring lift, but the body mounts are not in good enough condition that I'd attempt a bodylift.

[mattpiotr]

The Only Reason Im Going With A Body Is Because It Is In My Budget

[andrewmp6]

The front you can do a shackle flip and switch for 175 bucks and it will lift it about 4 inches then just throw a lifting block in the rear.Take a look at http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?rout...product_id=125

[DetroitDan]

Originally Posted by andrewmp6

The front you can do a shackle flip and switch for 175 bucks and it will lift it about 4 inches then just throw a lifting block in the rear.Take a look at http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?rout...product_id=125

Actually that kit is for the rear springs. It replaces the front shackles on the rear leaf springs.

[JPalmer81]

If you are just doing it for looks, than a body lift is best, but if you are going to be hauling heavy things then spend an extra couple hundred and get the suspension lift. Me personally, would never put a body lift on any of my trucks, but that is just me, but i use my trucks for hauling heavy things. so if you just want a truck to cruise around town then go with the body lift.