I have a '93 extra-cab 4x4, I would like to lift it 3"-4", now:
WHY are bracket lifts so hated, WHY are they so bad of a way to lift?
WHAT can I get that much lift with BESIDES a body lift (I don't want a body lift) and a SAS (I am NOT cutting up my frontend and I quite frankly don't like how SAS trucks handle, yes I've had them)?

So heres the deal I know what I don't want, I don't want a body lift or SAS, so please refrain from trying to tell me how great something I don't want is or how I'm so wrong or whatever.

If it can't be done say so but, I'd sell the truck and buy another Tacoma before I get rid of the IFS, its my DD and I want IFS period.

 

If you're not doing any real hardcore offroading the bracket lifts are fine. I have one on my truck and I'll still go off-road, but I won't take it out and beat on it. The brackets will bend and they also provide a longer leverage point for the control arms so if you get too crazy you can bend everything.

If you're 95% street like I am, and when you go off-road it's light trails, mud and hills you'd be fine with a bracket lift. Remember, the advice you're going to get on this forum is just this forums POV. Not only are there a bunch of web wheelers here there are also a bunch of hardcore wheelers that influence the web wheelers. The people in the real world are running bracket lifts and rear blocks and dealing with their inherent weaknesses.

Body lifts get the same rap around here. I'll tell you this though, I have all 3 types of IFS lift on my truck (bj spacer, bracket, bl) and out of them I trust the body lift the most, the ball joint spacer next and then the bracket lift. For my driving I don't think I'll get any failures though, but I do go easy on it.

Love the truck the way it is though and I wouldn't change a thing.

 

x2 well said

So who is it that is not in the real world again? the web wheelers or the hardcore wheelers?

Bracket lifts are for on-road, dirt trails and gravel roads, the shows and the mall.

 

I've had my superlift kit on for about 11 years and haven't had too any problems with mine except for poly bushings blowing and the front diff drop bracket broke once (free replacement on that from SL). No bending at all, but it does have some extra bracing that supports it good and it was a top of the line lift.

Also its not like the SA guys don't break stuff too.

 

If you add ball joint spacers to the bracket lift you'll have a lot of articulation inthe front. Can't comment on the strength of them since I am going cranked torsion bars and BJ spacers with cruiser coils in the rear. Should give me about 3-4"

 

I think ovrdrive hit the nail on the head.

There is alot of web wheeling, and it's sad. There are reasons not go go with a bracket lift, but as said, they pertain to a truck that will see hard trail time. For mild roads, street and big tires, they work well.

thefatkid, who is a member here, runs a bracket lift on his SC'd 3.4 second gen 4runner, with 34's. It does great, and it's an AWESOME truck. He comes from buggies and truggies, and wanted to go back to a more basic approach. It works well.