My truck is currently stock with some really worn down 32" mud tires on it. The tires come pretty close to rubbing and i suspect if turn all the way they will rub. Im not to interested in a suspension lift as I dont live anywhere with massive rocks (swamp lands) but the body lift would help for servicing the pickup and give me some clearance.

-I notice on the build thread people taking the body lift off as something to do first. I would like to know why that is.

-for a 3" body lift what all would have to be changed besides brakes hoses and adding the spaces.

-What body lift kit is not a POS?

-Is there an affordable or DIY approach to a 2" or 3" suspension lift that wont add massive engine strain and a whole other world of problems.

 

Interesting you can`t afford to buy brake parts but can do a lift!!

To me that is reason enough .

The tires are worn out go to a smaller size .

Get the rest of the vehicle in shape before spending money you don`t have.

My theory in any case .

 

Why isn't there a like button. I totally agree with ya

 

SURE yes thats the idea, I'll discuss my future possibilities while I do my cheap break job.

 

any chance of discussing the points? The brakes are on the way from NAPA and I should have my wheel bearings today. Im taking care of the impotent stuff i swear!


-I notice on the build thread people taking the body lift off as something to do first. I would like to know why that is.

-for a 3" body lift what all would have to be changed besides brakes hoses and adding the spaces.

-What body lift kit is not a POS?

-Is there an affordable or DIY approach to a 2" or 3" suspension lift that wont add massive engine strain and a whole other world of problems.

 

You shouldn't need a 3" body lift to run 32s
My 90 Pickup 4x4 is running 32x11.5s and I have tons of room with a 1" body lift. Main reason I even did the 1" BL was to get the hood to clear the 3.4 I swapped in

With the 1" lift you don't need any special parts. With a 3" you'll need to extend the brake lines, shifter, raise the bumper, etc...

Also had a 90 4x4 pickup running 33x12.5s and it had a 3" body lift. Main reason it needed a 3" lift was more because of the width of the tires, not the height. 3" lift was a little tall but made working on the engine easy because you could get at it through the fenders.

Raising the truck raises the center of gravity making it more prone to roll over. A large body lift puts allot of strain on the cab and bolts attaching it to the frame. Not sure I'd trust it to keep everything attached in the event of an accident. IMO you want to lift as little as possible especially if using a body lift.

 

it lowers the center of gravity, but since you are on flat ground all the time, that's less of a concern... a good sway bar setup will prevent body roll, it made a night vs. day difference on my 4runner.

unfortunately when i'm in big rocks i have to disconnect the sway bar :-/ but that shouldn't be an issue for your location.

might have to get a longer hose for the clutch line, and the steering column might have to be adjusted out to the point where it's unnerving

since it's ifs you can't move the axle forward, but you can still pound out the body seam, behind the rear tire, it's ugly and half-assed, but pretty much s.o.p. for these trucks.

 

I think the point to take away here is to only do as much body lift as you need to do in order to accommodate what you have.

I have a '91 2WD truck with 30" tires and Fabtech suspension lift and don't need a body lift for it to work, for instance.

The '88 4Runner in my avatar had 31" tires with a 3" suspension lift and didn't need a body lift to fit the tires... matter of fact, without the suspension lift, the 31's would have fit and only rubbed a little when the front wheels were turned full-lock. I actually bought the rims and tires before I did the lift and had no issues other than what I just mentioned about the front wheels.

 

I've run 32 11.5's on my 88 pu without issue.

 

like said, only do as much BL as you need to accommodate a particular modification. 3" is pretty excessive in this instance IMO.

Since you need tires, I would simply switch sizes.

On my truck I clear 33x12.5 on wider aftermarket wheels (15x8-3.75bs) and I only have minimal suspension lift, no body lift. I DID have to clip the corner of my bumper and give some whacks with a BFH on the pinch weld of the cab, but everything fits and clears at full stuff while turning. My ride height is 22.5" from center of my axle to bottom of fender, on a 1993.

 

Running 32x11.5s with a 2" body lift and no rubbing. Also makes working on the thing easier at times, like others have mentioned. But i do dislike how much frame I can see.

 

I ran 33s with no lift what so ever. Just rubbed when I was wheeling or doing a u turn.

 

33x10.5s maybe.

 

33x10.5s are still 33s. do you have a point?

 

the width of the tire will have as much of an effect on rubbing as height will. Think about it, your tire turns and its the outside edge of the tire that contacts the fenders and fire wall and the inside edge that will rub the frame. A narrower tire wont rub as much because it will be farther from the frame and fire wall.

Back to the original thread. You never stated the year of your truck, if you have a solid axle, ifs, 2wd or 4wd so that will help us out.

In my opinion, the only reason to do a body lift is to give you clearance for an engine swap. If you're trying to run a larger tire, that means your going off road so you may as well lift using the suspension and gain some travel and therefore traction. A body lift gets you no performance gains, just the look of having a lifted truck without the added function of a lifted truck.

As for the title of the thread, "why shouldn't you do a body lift"...It doesn't have any performance benefits, that's why you shouldn't.

The only possible downfall of a suspension lift will be changing your drive shaft angles and your cv angles if you have ifs. But if you're only lifting 2" you won't have any issues. There is no added stress on the engine...

 

I have a 1987 ifs 4x4 pickup. I dont like the idea of possibly crashing with the body lift. Ill search for info on 2"/3" suspension lifts. the 2" sounds good for a first attempt.

With the wider tires would wheel spacers be a good option? I didnt see anyone mentioning them.

 

I did a 3" on my '87 and don't recall buying anything other than what came in the kit. Brake lines etc were fine. Running 33 x 12.5 with no problems.