3" Body lift - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

'89Z71 · 07-12-2003, 11:29 PM

Just ordered a PA 3" body lift for my '89 GMC Z71 today. Should be here Tuesday, Thursday at the latest. Hopefully I wont run into and hidden surprizes installing it(my trucks a 5 spd). It was $167.57 after tax, not to bad from what Ive heard. Even if its alittle high it doesnt matter to much. If anyone here has done a body lift on a manual truck please let me know if anything special has to be done the the clutch linkage or anything else like that. Thanx, DK

GMC71k20 · 07-13-2003, 12:04 AM

just to let you know...body lifts suck

'89Z71 · 07-13-2003, 12:18 AM

I put this post up for positive responses, and body lifts imo are a great way to add that little bit of extra height to the new trucks. Yes body lifts suck on older trucks cuz they rip through the body mounts and create stress cracks and movement between the body, blocks and frame. The new trucks are not like that. They are much stronger at the mounts and the couple dozen that I've ridden in never moved or flexed awkwardly because of the lift. So please if your going to criticize(Spell?:p ) dont post a reply unless you have heard or run into a problem installing or using a body lift on the 88-98 chevy/gmc trucks. Thanx, DK

GMC71k20 · 07-13-2003, 12:24 AM

sorry for being harsh but my friends 93 step has a 3" body lift and still runs into many problems. biggest is tranny linkage on the colomn which youll be fine for with your 5 speed but youll prob have to cut up the floor for shifting. stability will suck no matter what. need new bumper brackets. rad hoses prob ahve to be changed because of new position but im not sure on that. overall i think its better to save up a little more and buy a suspension lift. the thing i hate the most about body lifts is the gap between the body and the frame. sorry for not being constructive with my criticisizm but im lazy and its almost time for bed

'89Z71 · 07-13-2003, 12:31 AM

Its quite alright, I'm glad that you added that stuff about your friends 93. Thats the type of info im lookin for. From what ive heard and looked at, the foor will have enough room for shifting after the lift, I dont care about stability(I would like to buy an older CJ5

and they are really unstable after lift) and Performance accessories Includes radiator relocation blocks(from what ive heard, if not ill make my own). I will probably make some gap covers to if the gap bothers me. O yea, PA kits also come with bumper relocation brackets.

ozarkhippie · 07-13-2003, 08:26 AM

You should not have to move the rad, you will probally need to cut the bottom of the fan shroud.

jd4300fel · 07-13-2003, 12:02 PM

89Z71
Body lifts are a good quick easy to get up in the air a bit.
you didn't mention or I did not see if you are running an auto tranny. if soi the sift linkage will need to be lengthened.
also watch the brake lines for stretching at the master cylnder.
I have a 3 inch on my 90 jeep. i have noticed that Ihave crakes on one mount. Also I have twisted the frame pretty good with lots (wish I haad time to do more ) rock crawling. I am planning
on chopping them ddown to 1.5 in lift and replace all the body mounts. I have ran mine for 5/6 years.

Good luck

alf4444 · 07-14-2003, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GMC71k20
sorry for being harsh but my friends 93 step has a 3" body lift and still runs into many problems. biggest is tranny linkage on the colomn which youll be fine for with your 5 speed but youll prob have to cut up the floor for shifting. stability will suck no matter what. need new bumper brackets. rad hoses prob ahve to be changed because of new position but im not sure on that. overall i think its better to save up a little more and buy a suspension lift. the thing i hate the most about body lifts is the gap between the body and the frame. sorry for not being constructive with my criticisizm but im lazy and its almost time for bed

rad hoses do not need to be moved just trim the shroud or PA kits come with spacers my trailmaster didn't. Mine is a standard and it just lowered the stick abit but i don't even notice now.

'89Z71 · 07-16-2003, 12:42 AM

Well my kit arived today(July 15) and I cant wait to put it in!!!

Thanx for everyones help, DK
O yea, Ill post pics after its in!

'89Z71 · 07-19-2003, 01:05 AM

Well its finally in and it looks awsome!

It only took about.....18 HOURS!!!

I was pissed. Took two days to get it in. The first day I lifted the cab, the second the box. Both took longer than expected. The only probs I had with the cab was one bumper bracket bolt wouldnt come out and I had to cut it off, and the kit didnt come with new bolts for the new two inner brackets so I had to run to town and pick up 6. The box was a different story. In the kit they say that on short boxes there are only 6 mounts/bolts, well they were wrong, there are 8(two right under the tailgate). Unfortunately I had to grind off 4 of the 8 bolts, the 2 front and the two rear(i got lucky and all the hard to get to ones in the center came out!)On the drivers side front bolt the nut broke loose from the frame so I ground it off and fished another nut in the tube; on the passenger front bolt, well it wouldnt come loose so i ground that one off and drilled another hole right next to it an inch away and tapped out the top hole to the threads of the bolt; the rear two bolts were ground off too but i got lucky and there were unused holes right behind them so i just ran the bolts up through those and put nuts and lock washers on the top. All thats left to do is tack weld the support blocks to the frame under the box and get some gap covers for the wheel wells. I will also be installing a rollpan which will eliminate the gap caused by the lift. O and my pipes are going to be re-routed straight out the back right under the rollpan.
I should have pics up late tomorrow nite or possibly sunday.

'89Z71 · 07-20-2003, 04:38 PM

Some crappy Pictures(bad cam) but u get the idea. I also have a rollpan coming in the next week so i can get rid of the ugly gap above the rear bumper. Im also buying some rubber skirting to fill the gaps in the wheelwells. The frame will be touched up with flat black paint and my pipes will be either rerouted straight out the back; straight out the back exiting through the rollpan; or out the corners but not sticking out past the corners.

Well the pics arnt loading right so ill try and figure it out and post some pics later

07-12-2003, 11:29 PM	#1
'89Z71 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Star Prairie WI Posts: 392	3" Body lift Just ordered a PA 3" body lift for my '89 GMC Z71 today. Should be here Tuesday, Thursday at the latest. Hopefully I wont run into and hidden surprizes installing it(my trucks a 5 spd). It was $167.57 after tax, not to bad from what Ive heard. Even if its alittle high it doesnt matter to much. If anyone here has done a body lift on a manual truck please let me know if anything special has to be done the the clutch linkage or anything else like that. Thanx, DK __________________ '89 GMC Sierra Z71 -"Scream'n Demon" * LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES * My Truck

07-13-2003, 12:18 AM	#3
'89Z71 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Star Prairie WI Posts: 392	I put this post up for positive responses, and body lifts imo are a great way to add that little bit of extra height to the new trucks. Yes body lifts suck on older trucks cuz they rip through the body mounts and create stress cracks and movement between the body, blocks and frame. The new trucks are not like that. They are much stronger at the mounts and the couple dozen that I've ridden in never moved or flexed awkwardly because of the lift. So please if your going to criticize(Spell?:p ) dont post a reply unless you have heard or run into a problem installing or using a body lift on the 88-98 chevy/gmc trucks. Thanx, DK __________________ '89 GMC Sierra Z71 -"Scream'n Demon" * LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES * My Truck

07-13-2003, 12:31 AM	#5
'89Z71 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Star Prairie WI Posts: 392	Its quite alright, I'm glad that you added that stuff about your friends 93. Thats the type of info im lookin for. From what ive heard and looked at, the foor will have enough room for shifting after the lift, I dont care about stability(I would like to buy an older CJ5 and they are really unstable after lift) and Performance accessories Includes radiator relocation blocks(from what ive heard, if not ill make my own). I will probably make some gap covers to if the gap bothers me. O yea, PA kits also come with bumper relocation brackets. __________________ '89 GMC Sierra Z71 -"Scream'n Demon" * LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES * My Truck

07-13-2003, 08:26 AM	#6
ozarkhippie Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Eureka Springs AR Posts: 494	You should not have to move the rad, you will probally need to cut the bottom of the fan shroud. __________________ Buy Sale or Trade 71 3/4 4x4 72 1/2 ton cheyenne 4x4

07-13-2003, 12:02 PM	#7
jd4300fel Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: wheatland, Ca Posts: 427	89Z71 Body lifts are a good quick easy to get up in the air a bit. you didn't mention or I did not see if you are running an auto tranny. if soi the sift linkage will need to be lengthened. also watch the brake lines for stretching at the master cylnder. I have a 3 inch on my 90 jeep. i have noticed that Ihave crakes on one mount. Also I have twisted the frame pretty good with lots (wish I haad time to do more ) rock crawling. I am planning on chopping them ddown to 1.5 in lift and replace all the body mounts. I have ran mine for 5/6 years. Good luck __________________ Mike K Friend of Bill W

07-13-2003, 12:04 AM	#2
GMC71k20 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: mass Posts: 1,277	just to let you know...body lifts suck

07-13-2003, 12:24 AM	#4
GMC71k20 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: mass Posts: 1,277	sorry for being harsh but my friends 93 step has a 3" body lift and still runs into many problems. biggest is tranny linkage on the colomn which youll be fine for with your 5 speed but youll prob have to cut up the floor for shifting. stability will suck no matter what. need new bumper brackets. rad hoses prob ahve to be changed because of new position but im not sure on that. overall i think its better to save up a little more and buy a suspension lift. the thing i hate the most about body lifts is the gap between the body and the frame. sorry for not being constructive with my criticisizm but im lazy and its almost time for bed

07-16-2003, 12:42 AM	#9
'89Z71 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Star Prairie WI Posts: 392	Well my kit arived today(July 15) and I cant wait to put it in!!! Thanx for everyones help, DK O yea, Ill post pics after its in! __________________ '89 GMC Sierra Z71 -"Scream'n Demon" * LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES * My Truck

07-19-2003, 01:05 AM	#10
'89Z71 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Star Prairie WI Posts: 392	Well its finally in and it looks awsome! It only took about.....18 HOURS!!! I was pissed. Took two days to get it in. The first day I lifted the cab, the second the box. Both took longer than expected. The only probs I had with the cab was one bumper bracket bolt wouldnt come out and I had to cut it off, and the kit didnt come with new bolts for the new two inner brackets so I had to run to town and pick up 6. The box was a different story. In the kit they say that on short boxes there are only 6 mounts/bolts, well they were wrong, there are 8(two right under the tailgate). Unfortunately I had to grind off 4 of the 8 bolts, the 2 front and the two rear(i got lucky and all the hard to get to ones in the center came out!)On the drivers side front bolt the nut broke loose from the frame so I ground it off and fished another nut in the tube; on the passenger front bolt, well it wouldnt come loose so i ground that one off and drilled another hole right next to it an inch away and tapped out the top hole to the threads of the bolt; the rear two bolts were ground off too but i got lucky and there were unused holes right behind them so i just ran the bolts up through those and put nuts and lock washers on the top. All thats left to do is tack weld the support blocks to the frame under the box and get some gap covers for the wheel wells. I will also be installing a rollpan which will eliminate the gap caused by the lift. O and my pipes are going to be re-routed straight out the back right under the rollpan. I should have pics up late tomorrow nite or possibly sunday. __________________ '89 GMC Sierra Z71 -"Scream'n Demon" * LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES * My Truck

07-20-2003, 04:38 PM	#11
'89Z71 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Star Prairie WI Posts: 392	Some crappy Pictures(bad cam) but u get the idea. I also have a rollpan coming in the next week so i can get rid of the ugly gap above the rear bumper. Im also buying some rubber skirting to fill the gaps in the wheelwells. The frame will be touched up with flat black paint and my pipes will be either rerouted straight out the back; straight out the back exiting through the rollpan; or out the corners but not sticking out past the corners. Well the pics arnt loading right so ill try and figure it out and post some pics later __________________ '89 GMC Sierra Z71 -"Scream'n Demon" * LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES * My Truck



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