Bodylifts on Middys... My Story

[V8 Middy]

There have been a few threads recently re: bodylifts on Middys. I did one yesterday so here are some points you may want to keep in mind:
(I hope something here is some use to someone!)

Block sizes:
55mm front and rear and 75mm on the middle 3 worked well. You could go slightly bigger all round but these sizes matched the rubber mounts they were sitting on top of.

Bolts:
The stock bolts are 100mm long all round except for the fron 2 which are 150mm long. I did a 60mm lift so I went to the shop looking for 160mm and 210mm. Aparently you can't get longer than 150mm so I ended up buying lengths of Hi Tensile Threaded steel rod, 10mm diameter (same as stock bolts) then cut to size with a hack saw.

Blocks:
I used Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. Cut to size with a circular and 12mm holes done with a lathe. Figured 2mm bigger than bolt diameter should give ample clearance

Hassles:
Headlights have to come out to get front bolts in and out.

Rear Bolts are a bitch cos the access holes are very deep. A strong magnet on the end of a rod assisted here... not until the metal tubes were out from underneath, otherwise the bolts wouldn't come out at all. The washers had to stay cos they wouldn't come out through the access hole (just for rear 2) I was able to drag them in line with a screw driver and get the new bolts through. Had to lift the rear higher than 6cm to get bolts through on an angle then lower again. Also, with the restricted access here, ended up using vise grips on the bottom of the bolts to tighten. Other 8 bolts were a piece of piss compared to the back 2.

Brake lines:
There are 3 brake lines that run from the body to the chassis halfway along under the vehicle. I un-bolted them before the lift but they won't bolt back on. They are secure enough to float but you may want to lengthen them (there are short rubber sections so it wouldn't be hard)

There is also a line going into the transfer case (I think its the hydro 4wd activation) that I didn't see until the last minute so I almost ripped it out... Watch out for it.

Other thann that stuff it was pretty straight forward. I did cheat in that there was no engine in at the time and I had access to a hoist to lift the body up all in one go. There may be other hassels with radiator hoses etc I missed out on. (Gee damn!)

The gear stick surrounds wouldn't go back on so I'm having extentions welded on. There did appear to be enough room for both levers to move so it was OK from that point of view.

The rear bumper also needs to be lifted to match. Again, I've handballed that to someone else.

Thats all I can think of off hand. Hope this has been of some use!

[V8 Middy]

another pic:

[MUSS]

did you have to extend your fuel filler hose?

[V8 Middy]

It stretched a little but is still OK. Its held in place with cable ties so you can relsase it easily.

Even when I had to lift to approx 8cm to get the rear bolts in it still survived

[Ruggers]

were the nuts captive or did you use nylocks, and did you put crush tubes in the blocks. how much do you reckon it cost you all up in the end also did you reuse the old rubbers and washers

[Meldge]

Hey V8 Midy,

My little bro is cutting up some blocks for me out of UHMW-PE, will the 75mm blocks fit front and rear, or do they have to be turned down to fit...

HE also keeps talking about the cup sizes, by the looks of the front pic, with the front being 75mm it prolly wont fit in the Cup... Is that right.
If so I will get him to turn down four of the blocks for me...

I can't wait to get my car together and get some pics of it, before and afters, and then go for a spin in it...


Regs,

Meldge

[Bluey]

middy owners unite!!!

The gear stick surrounds wouldn't go back on so I'm having extentions welded on. There did appear to be enough room for both levers to move so it was OK from that point of view.

Thats all I can think of off hand. Hope this has been of some use!

do you mean that gap between (rubber) gearstick surround and floor? or something else?

thanks V8 Middy, this has definately been useful


Cheers
Lance

[V8 Middy]

Ruggers: I used threaded rod with a nut and lock nut on top to make it like a bolt. The nuts were all metal... apparently like the nylon ones but stronger and more heat resistant (not that it matters)

I used old rubbers and washers and no crush tubes. I would have liked to put something in the blocks to protect the plastic from the thread (cos it goes all the way thru, not like a bolt where the middle is smooth) but it had to be finished in a day.

UHMW PE cost $130 total for 1m x 75mm and 1m x 55mm but I only used half of each so if I can flog the other 50cm of each then thats only $65.

The bolts were $45... $38 of that was the high tensile rod. I had to get 3m although I had no time to shop around, I had to buy on the spot. Also, if I took 5 min to do the math I could have formed all the bolts from 2m of rod so call it $32 ofr the bolts is feasible

So... $97 all up in theory!!

[V8 Middy]

Meldge:

The 75mm prolly won't fit but you may not have to go as small as 55mm. When I get the truck back I can look closer.

As for the cup... The rubber bit will sit in the cup to the block goes between the rubber and the body so size doesn't matter.

Lance:

As for gearstick surround, it slides up and down the gearstick no worries and the gearstick appears to have enough clearance in the hole in the floor. The problem is that the rubber won't stretch far enough cos of the bend in the stick. If the vertical section of the stick is extended it should be OK. The guy doing my engine is fixing this so again I can't say for sure how it will work until I get the bus back next week

[roscoFJ73]

Did the steering column go the distance ok .I was wondering how itll be when your off road and it all starts to move around.
Wasnt knocking your handiwork,I was just curious for future reference after my diesel conversion.
Was your suspension already lifted

[Meldge]

I was told that for my 50mm body lift, that I wont need the steering shaft extension, but you do for a 75mm lift. Let me know how yours goes V8 Middy, it may be close, there may only be about 5-10mm of shaft left.

I am going to try and get the nuts and bolts and then go and hit it all at once, might be a day or two after i get the truck back now, might find out what the cup sizes are and just add a big chamfer to the top of the blocks.

........50mm
.......______
...../............\
.../................\
..|..................|
..|..................| Something like that if you can picture it...
..|..................| (Without the dots, the picture condenses otherwise)
..----------------
. 75mm

Lovely Handiwork...


Regs,

Meldge

[V8 Middy]

Rosco: I'll check out the steering shaft. it looked OK but I didn't look too close

Meldge: Take a closer look when you bet the truck back. The rubber bit will sit inside the metal cup so there is no need to get too fancy on the blocks cos they won't go near the metal cup.

The restricting factor is the space around where the block will be. If the 75mm block will fit then there is no reason not to use it

[Ruggers]

so with your gear stick boot it just keeps pulling it out of gear becuase its to tight yeah. thanks for the info it has been a great help

[roscoFJ73]

Lovely Handiwork...

well melgde what wouldyou call it?

[Meldge]

Whats that Rosco73 - My Drawing, I thought it was quite well done...
Yeah Right...

Meldge

[Meldge]

Hey Guys,

I know it's an old thread but I have only just hot back to a PC after doing all the work... (Hmm... Will have Cable Net soon...)

I got all of my 75mm Dia blocks in, rears fitted fine at that Diameter, the fronts I added a Chamfer on the top to fit them into the Cups...

I did not make a crush tube for them, and I am supposed to get them inspected, I rang DOT QLD, and was told that just recently somebody had a B\Lift passed out of UHMW-PE without a crush tube... (SWEEET)...

Supposed to get it inspected first, but there is a four week wait, plus I havent yet sent in the approval form...

Will try and get it registered with the lift in it, and follow up the procedure later.

Will get piccys up soon, have to get the front bar, rear bar and roll bars made, might be around $2500 all up, damn, that hurts the budget, but it will be mandel bent polished alloy...

Anyways, Pics to come...


Meldge

[Ruggers]

how did you go with the gearshift boot and fuel and brake lines all ok.

[bj on roids]

In a 1989 75 series ute, 60mm diameter front ones work fine. 75mm rear four. Gotta pull the headlights to get to the front bolts.

Rear bolts 150mm x4 (around 1/2") front bolts, 200mm, at 1/2" the bolts are bigger and your rubbers need to be drilled out a little. I used nylocks. IF the bolts are not rusted in, it is a simple say 2 hour job. What happens is the little crush spacer rusts to the bolt and its impossible to get anything out. I normally cut them off complete with an oxy. (Careful of fuel and brake lines)

The middle two in the cab are easy and the back ones are outside the cab and are a full mission. Not really drop through, but ive seen either the bolt reversed or the hole notched to drop them through, i got mine in with some coaxing.

Cut the bottom of your radiator shroud off, or move it down 2" earth lead on battery is tight.

Everything else is fine. You need to adjust the transfer lever or the floor around it. Whatever takes your fancy. The bottom three on your gearbox, 2,4, and R, are all tight, cause the boot is putting heaps of pressure against the stick. Im not sure what to do here, maybe adjust the boot forward. A very simple job, do it while replacing the vinyl with carpet or melting your t-case lever with an oxy. Good stuff.

Haven't done the tray, as I want to fit my styleside and sub-tank at the same time. I am also upgrading to a HZJ75 series grille for new pimpin looks, and battery tray, to move the battery out of the way of the turbo.

Hopefully it be swweeeett..

[Meldge]

Well then Long time no reply for me...

Lift in and driven hard to test...

***Had me fourbie airborne, only 'bout a metre and a half between the ground and the bottom of the tyres, hit hard and broke nothing - Gotta love TOYOTA...***

Works well, 75mm fit in the front cups with the chamfer as my handiwork above shows... Bought all the bolts, then two were just too short, went to buy more and in UNF they were $20 for 2, thats as much as the first ten cost me altogether... Two Nuts on each end with no crush tubes...

I did not separate the fuel lines when lifting, i can see how much they separated after climbing under though, it's all good.

The fuel filler I did not touch, and the rear bolts, what a b@stard, just keep on jacking, she'll be right.

V8 Middy - I sat the Mounts on top of all the rubber mounts, instead of Under, looked like they belonged that way, specially on the front, as the front had like a little crush tube setup as standard.

The only other thing I have done is cut the bottom half of the radiator shrowd off instead of trying to move the radiator... But I also plan on getting a Thermo fan and another shrowd, the only heating problems I have been getting is sitting in one spot on a hot day for a long period of time (like getting bogged )

I still have no piccies up since it has been regoed, I need to polish the front and rear bars, I ended up having to farken pad all of my rollbar.

One other thing I have done, is tilt the windscreen forward on the hinges, similar angle to the FJ40s and Jeeps, looks kinda cool. Will do in the end anyway, as at the moment I have 60 series springs in the rear as I have snapped one of my rears, it sits like a funny car at the moment, nose to the ground...


Anyway, lets hear it for the Middy Owners and the Body Lift posting, you could write full instructions off this page...