Body lift kits DIY

[Shark]

Hey guys in the process of organising myself to do a three inch body lift. Got the lift blocks and found all the lift points. Can someone here tell me how to remove/extend the middle 6 bolts. I cant seem to find a way to remove them.
Also is there anything else i need to do. Someone mentioned the brakelines need to be extended but what else. Oh and something about extending the fuel filler.
Any help would be fantastic
Cheers
Marc

[Damo]

Firstly, i'd be a bit leery about lifting the body 3" as I think it'd put too much leverage on the existing body mount bolts. In Qld 50mm is the max body lift allowable.

The way I have done mine is to run a die over the body mount stud and cut the thread (M10 x 1.25) along the entire length of it. The stud is then cut off at 25 - 30mm. The lift blocks have a M10 x 1.25 thread thru the middle and just screw on (I screwed mine on with a bit of silicon underneath to stop water getting in there as well as to avoid alloy/metal contact).

Then once the body is back on you bolt the thing down with (from memory) a 60mm long M10 x 1.25 bolt (I used high tensile) using the standard flat washer/cup thingy and a spring washer.

For a 3" body lift I would make the spacers bigger in diameter. To do this you would also want to make the surface that they mate up to the same size. Alternatively you could remove the body studs, drill holes and run a bolt all the way through. I think this would probably be a better way to go but will be a real pain to do.

[-Mick-]

What size tyres do you want to run That's a decent body lift, how much lift are you going/ got in springs? Have a look at what other guys are running with what lift and see what works To high = roll over IMO. Just chop some guard for clearance

I'm just jealous cause you're allowed to do decent mods in your state

[greg]

I'll second what damo said and suggest that going more than 2" is a bit of a no-no...

We got around the captive body bolts by getting a larger diameter bolt, then drilling down into it's centre and cutting some thread into it, we also remove it's outside thread. This allows it to slide up inside the body lift block and screw over the outside of the existing body bolt. Works a treat - but you will need to drill out the steel washers on the body mounts by another few mm's to make it work (no big deal).

If you limit yourself to only 2", then you will have enough length on the fuel hose to slide it around a bit and still have enough coverage at each end.

The brake lines at the front are held onto the body (see inside the drivers side front wheel well). Remove the 2 screws/bolts and screw the top one back into the bottom hole on the body (so that only 1 is held in place)...

Don't forget the coil wire (i think), it may get pulled tight when you lift the body.

And expect to do some work to your gear sticks - or to the floor surrounding them - otherwise you will not be able to get the car to stay in gear.

Cheers.

[N*A*M]

with the fuel filler... you can get a solid piece of corrosion proof pipe about 40mm diametre about 3" long. then cut the existing flex pipe and use the solid pipe to join the flex pipe halves with hose clamps etc...

i really recommend sticking to 2" for simplicity. what are you gonna do about the steering shaft? cutting and welding that shaft is pretty suspect. your shifter levers may also need to be cut and extended. lots of work for just an extra inch clearance.

i'm going 2" body lift and 1.5" guard chop. easier and safer imho.

[Beastmavster]

Hey guys in the process of organising myself to do a three inch body lift. Got the lift blocks and found all the lift points. Can someone here tell me how to remove/extend the middle 6 bolts. I cant seem to find a way to remove them.
Also is there anything else i need to do. Someone mentioned the brakelines need to be extended but what else. Oh and something about extending the fuel filler.
Any help would be fantastic
Cheers
Marc

The Suzisport one is done but getting some custom "bolts" with a female thread, much like damo suggested except he used the lift blocks themselves - great if you can tap into high tensile with ease, pretty dubious if it's just into aluminium


There's some kind of couplers availble (from building industry) but I can't remember what they are called... and dunno if I would trust them anyway since they low tensile although quite thick.

You can drill out the exisitng ones and put bolts through but access to one of the sets just behind the passenger seat is the issue on my SWB Vitara - the panel that it's welded to is actually running on a 60 degree angle.

What is it for - Vitara or Sierra?

Over 2" you start putting unwanted stress on steering columns and the like.

The higher up you go the more space you need for shift lever movement, there's another good reason to stay lower.

You can get just away with just over 30mm on the stock studs.... Much easier and go the rest in spring (and/or cut).

Filler hose easy - rubber hose + clamps....

[moose]

ummm , 4" !!!!!

[*BESTY*]

ummm , 4" !!!!!

And they say Size doesn't matter

[Shark]

Fantastic stuff guys keep it coming. I must admit that i am now leaning towards the 2 " lift. I really wanted to do the three inch but if its going to be a real pain then i will stay clear of it. So far this is what i think i have to do keeping in mind that the blocks and bolts are taken care of.

1. Some work will be required cutting the area where the shifters are ( Can this be done after the lift or does it have to be done during????

2. Fuel filler tube just needs to be stretched a bit, doesnt need to be lengthened??

3. Braklines just need a little bit of adjustments, no lengthening????

4. Possibly longer coil lead

5. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO THE STEERING IF ANYTHING???? This is the part that is confusing me!!! If i go the 2" will i not have to bother adjusting anything???

Well thats all i can think of at the moment, i wanted to go 3" when i put some 32's on but i guess i can hack away at the flare if need be. If its going to save a hell of a lot of trouble im gonna go the 2"

[Damo]

Fantastic stuff guys keep it coming. I must admit that i am now leaning towards the 2 " lift. I really wanted to do the three inch but if its going to be a real pain then i will stay clear of it. So far this is what i think i have to do keeping in mind that the blocks and bolts are taken care of.

1. Some work will be required cutting the area where the shifters are ( Can this be done after the lift or does it have to be done during????

2. Fuel filler tube just needs to be stretched a bit, doesnt need to be lengthened??

3. Braklines just need a little bit of adjustments, no lengthening????

4. Possibly longer coil lead

5. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO THE STEERING IF ANYTHING???? This is the part that is confusing me!!! If i go the 2" will i not have to bother adjusting anything???

Well thats all i can think of at the moment, i wanted to go 3" when i put some 32's on but i guess i can hack away at the flare if need be. If its going to save a hell of a lot of trouble im gonna go the 2"

The steering should be extended. I have seen this done by putting 2 rag joints in and it seems to work OK. I made up a metal spacer which bolted to the end of the steering shaft (between the steering shaft and the rag joint).

You should be able to fit 32s with a little trimming, and moving your front axle forward a bit possibly.

[greg]

1. Some work will be required cutting the area where the shifters are ( Can this be done after the lift or does it have to be done during????

You can drive the car without doing any mods to the floor but you will have the following problems:
1. 2nd, 4th and Reverse will want to pop out of gear
2. You won't be able to drive in 4Low (maybe also 4H)

Both of these issues are due to the floor being in the way of the shifter sticks... If you remove the boot from the sticks you'll be able to work out how much you need to trim - normally less than 10mm.

2. Fuel filler tube just needs to be stretched a bit, doesnt need to be lengthened??

Use the existing hose... Undo the top end when you jack the body off the chassis... Once it's on it's body blocks then loosen the bottom end and center the hose so that it has equal amounts of coverage at each end.

3. Braklines just need a little bit of adjustments, no lengthening????

Just need to move the bracket down a bit... use the existing lines no worries.

4. Possibly longer coil lead

I don't think you will - but because you have to jack the car up 4" to get the blocks under you may damage the wire - good idea to undo it just in case.

5. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO THE STEERING IF ANYTHING???? This is the part that is confusing me!!! If i go the 2" will i not have to bother adjusting anything???

For my steering shaft it has a "slip joint" in it - we just loosened the bolt on it, did the lift, then centered the slip joint so that it had equal coverage at both ends. Then did the bolt up again... So you don't need any new parts - just loosen, lift, adjust, tighten again

Well thats all i can think of at the moment, i wanted to go 3" when i put some 32's on but i guess i can hack away at the flare if need be. If its going to save a hell of a lot of trouble im gonna go the 2"

32's? Comon mate - go the Q78's

[mud4b]

all i done to mine for the shifters was bent them 10mm.they are fine.

[Shark]

Okay i am almost 100% satisfied that i have the information to do the lift the only thing i am not sure of is the steering. I dont actually know where to loosen and tighten etc. Can anyone help us out there, its a 89 sierra standard wt. I dont want to bother making adaptors if i can.

What would happen if i just elft it?? Would i break something??

Cheers Marc

[N*A*M]

your steering joint (near the steering box) has a flex joint that is attached to a splined shaft on the box. there is some measure of spare length on this shaft which can accomodate a low body lift. the steering shaft connects to the steering box with a clamp type arrangement onto the splines. there is one bolt that keeps the pressure on the splined shaft. undo this before jacking up the body. when you have put the blocks in and lowered the body down again, you should be able to reinsert the clamp bolt. don't worry it'll make sense once you start doing it.

[greg]

Yep - that's what i was trying to describe

clear as mud.

[Shark]

So remove the bolt totally?? and then once done put it back? That simple??

[greg]

So remove the bolt totally?? and then once done put it back? That simple??

Yes mate - pretty much. Though in execution with murphy's law etc you will probably strip the thread or the bolt head and have to drill it out or something and it will no doubt take hours to do

[Shark]

Normally that would happen to me but i invested in a can of INOX not that long back and even the most stubborn of bolts have come out with relative ease

[Shark]

Will this put too much stress on the uni joints?? One of my mates did a 2" body lift in his surf and he kept on blowing uni joints. Anyone else had these dramas???

Cheers
Marc

[bigsteve]

Will this put too much stress on the uni joints?? One of my mates did a 2" body lift in his surf and he kept on blowing uni joints. Anyone else had these dramas???

Cheers
Marc

Although its a bit early in the morning :

Your driveline bolts to the chassis, you are extending the gap between your body and the chassis so the drive line angles are not altered.

[greg]

Correct... Body lift makes no difference to any of the running gear...

sounds to me like your mate has done a spring lift or some other sort of lift that alters the distance / height (and angles) between the transfer case, and the axels.

[Shark]

How much body lift will i need to accomodate 31" tyres?? I have a 2" spring lift already.
Cheers
marc

[N*A*M]

you can fit 31s with a 2" bodylift and 0" spring lift so i'd say you're pretty close to fitting 31s as is

you may need to hammer some seams down but i reckon you might be right already

[greg]

How much body lift will i need to accomodate 31" tyres?? I have a 2" spring lift already.
Cheers
marc

A 2 inch body lift will fit 31's.

you can fit 31s with a 2" bodylift and 0" spring lift so i'd say you're pretty close to fitting 31s as is

you may need to hammer some seams down but i reckon you might be right already

This is not quite true NAM... The 2" lifted springs will mean that the tyres may fit when at normal ride height - but if the springs are good ones (i.e. OME springs which are flexible, rather than being stiff), they will still allow full compression all the way up to the bump stop - this means that your 2" spring lift still has the same clearance as flat springs (when at full stuff)... That is why the body lift is still required.

cheers

[christover1]

I recently fitted 31 x 10.50 mt's, I already had a 50mm body lift and o.m.e spring lift. I had to hammer quite a bit of the firewall. but very easy to do. If I had standard springs, they'd fit easier, like gerg said with just the body lift. I had 700 x 16's, as they were skinnier, they fitted more easily, christover

[N*A*M]

good point greg

[Shark]

With a body lift kit ( 2" ) how do you all find it stability wise??? I like to thrash my car on the dunes and do jumps etc and was just wondering wether that would make it more dangerous??? I really need to do something cause when i land the guards chew the tyres and i only have 235's on.

Marc

[N*A*M]

if you can already fit your tyres and don't need a body lift then do a slight bumpstop extension

[greg]

if you can already fit your tyres and don't need a body lift then do a slight bumpstop extension

Or cut the guards out of the way a bit more?

Sounds like if Shark is jumping the car, the ol' bump stops are going to be taking a beating

[Guy]

Sounds to me like more lift is needed here along with some stiffer shocks and some longer more progressive bumpstops .. or you may well end up with your front diff looking like a smiley face ..