Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Ive been scratching my head at this for a while now.

What is the difference between a body lift and a suspension lift, apart from the obvious.

Please correct me if im wrong, but if you lift the body, say 3", it will just lift the bottom of the car 3" from the ground. Will this get me more flex?

Suspension lift, i gather would involve longer springs and shocks.
If i raise the suspension, but not the body, will that get me more flex?

Im in the process of buying a new 4b, the dealer will be lifting the body for me 3". He told me that he would be puttin those blocks betweein the body and the chassis, but wont they also need to get longer springs and shocks? wont they fall out with all that added height if it flexes too much?

sorry bout all the questions but, this is the best way to learn

Body lift is what the dealer said, put blocks between chassis and body, basically they unbolt the body mount bolts, jack the body up put blocks in the space between the mounts then put longer bolts through.
This won't affect suspension at all as the suspension mounts to the chassis, also it won't lift the bottom of the car as the bottom of the car would be a chassis rail or cross member.
An advantage of a body lift is that it makes room for bigger tyres, and gets vulnerable panels out of the way, and its cheap.

Suspension lift would be shocks springs e.t.c. that'll lift everything, may give more flex and therefore affect handling a lot more, also when the chassis gets raised (suspension lift) so to does all the heavy stuff (engine, gearbox, chassis) therefore you raise the centre of gravity.

X-R-Cist wrote:Im in the process of buying a new 4b, the dealer will be lifting the body for me 3".

wow some dealer! Make sure you get a roady with it, and make sure the dude handing out roady knows about the body lift.

What 4b u gettin that needs 3inch body lift?

If you dont even know basic suspension mate how possinbly have you got over 100 posts? what have you been talkin about. Righto Bogged i know your there so give it to me.....

I doubt there's an engineer anywhere who will approve 3" body lift, and even if there is, there are a bunch of associated problems with lifting the body this time. gearshift boots/orifices will foul on the sticks, radiator/fan will need relaigning and in some cases it is no longer possible to guarantee the radiator cap is the highest point which leads to air locks in the cooling system which can lead to localised overheating. there will be ugly gaps between body and chassis in the wheel wells, steering column may need adjusting/lengthening, bullbars/bars/steps will no longer line up with body. The dealer isn't doing you any favours.

dumbdunce wrote:I doubt there's an engineer anywhere who will approve 3" body lift,

Mine was engineered in NSW and VIC with a 3" body lift.

So did he (the dealer) just say 'a 3" body lift is teh sh!T" or what

Because I assume if you don't actually know what it is you didn't request it

I'm not havin a dig here, I'm just saying that you shouldn't let someone else modify your car for you especially with your $$$

Drive your vehicle is stock form with other vehicles and/ or people from here. See what works, learn, research, waste your work time like the rest of us When you are more capable as a driver than the vehicle then you will need to modify it. Time out and about and experience/ talking to others and seeing their mods in person will mean you will know what you need (at least basically) to do to the vehicle in order to make it more capable. THEN you make an informed decision on what happens to the truck, fully aware of the costs/ benefits and potential ramifications, legal and physical properties of the rig.

I'd never buy something for my vehicle if I didn't understand it You may wish you had taken a very different direction in the near future as your knowledge grows.

Always make well informed decisions because there's a lot of snake oil peddlers around

Good luck
Mick

getdirty wrote:

dumbdunce wrote:I doubt there's an engineer anywhere who will approve 3" body lift,

Mine was engineered in NSW and VIC with a 3" body lift.

oh well I guess even engineers have their price

Camshaft1 wrote:If you dont even know basic suspension mate how possinbly have you got over 100 posts? what have you been talkin about.

Who are you talking to?

Righto Bogged i know your there so give it to me.....

Give what to you?

firstly thanks for ripping into me. I didnt know i had to be a genius in suspension to have a postcount in this forum.

secondly, i do have a basic understanding of suspension and body lifting, all im asking is some advise as to what would be more feasable. I am getting a 2" suspension lift, as opposed to the body lift which the dealer said he would do.
I have asked him to get it engineered and it will be 100% roadworthy before i take it home.
It is a nissan patrol GU 99 TD 99. Only reason im asking to have it lifted its because ive driven a stock GU offroad and i would prefer it a little bit higher.

I have driven one with a 3" suspension lift on the road and the roll is not that bad so i know what im getting into.

Ive had some sound advise from croz and mick (thanks guys) and now know what to look out for.

X-R-Cist wrote:It is a nissan patrol GU 99 TD 99. Only reason im asking to have it lifted its because ive driven a stock GU offroad and i would prefer it a little bit higher.

I have driven one with a 3" suspension lift on the road and the roll is not that bad so i know what im getting into.

So, why body lift? You put much more strain on body mounts, the tin 1mm or what ever floor pan with that, than doing suspension. Adam H had his body lift break every body mount on his GQ. the whole body was moving around on the chassis... Would have felt interesting!

EG
Suspension lift, - less hassle + more $$ :(
Bodylift + Cheap - strain and stress on body of car.

YMMV

bogged wrote:

X-R-Cist wrote:It is a nissan patrol GU 99 TD 99. Only reason im asking to have it lifted its because ive driven a stock GU offroad and i would prefer it a little bit higher.

I have driven one with a 3" suspension lift on the road and the roll is not that bad so i know what im getting into.

So, why body lift? You put much more strain on body mounts, the tin 1mm or what ever floor pan with that, than doing suspension. Adam H had his body lift break every body mount on his GQ. the whole body was moving around on the chassis... Would have felt interesting!

EG
Suspension lift, - less hassle + more $$ :(
Bodylift + Cheap - strain and stress on body of car.

YMMV

thats the kind of advise i was after. Wanted pros and cons and recommendations. personal experiences.
base on what was said here and was spoken to me, im going with suspension and the dealer will willingly do a 2" suspension lift no extra charge

pick her up on Thursday arvo

[quote="bogged"][quote="Camshaft1"]If you dont even know basic suspension mate how possinbly have you got over 100 posts? what have you been talkin about. [/quote]
Who are you talking to? X=R cist

mine has an engineers certificate for a 3" body lift
I've just miss placed it thats all
The gaps are not that bad really, my fuel tank is modified to suit the lift to it tucks up better and therefore no longer fuel lines needed
Steering is okay, just move the flex coupling up and down a little bit. Just have to get around to putting new rubber in the wheel arches.
The Body doesn't move round at all either

Most people spend heaps of time researching their suspension mods. I would be very wary of letting a dealer make the decision for you. I am sure he would be doing it based on cost rather than quality.

Mind you I agree with the GU suspension. I have been to places with GUs and seen them drag their bums when my standard Rodeo doesn't.

Body lift

as stated in previous posts above gives:
pros:
.lifts body above chassis (great for v8 cooling)
.allows bigger rubber
.lower COG than a suspension lift for the xtra inches
.allows body to flex more (not altogether sure if this is a pro) however will 'appear' to give your rig more flex!!
.should handle better than a same lift with suspensions.

cons:
.modify barwork all round.
.brake lines clutch lines fuel filler hose need to be modified in most cases.
.radiator brackets need to be fabbed/modded to alleviate probs from prior posts.
.back rear needs proportioning valve to be raised/dropped so back brakes don't lock (if attached to body).
.not helping 4wd ability except for clearing more obstacles without damage.
.modify steering column.
.modify gearbox/transfer levers.
.prone to cracking in floorpans from chassis torque.
.check all fixed lines (elec air etc...) for clearance.

i think thats it