Why Lift

[ActionStarCBRxx]

Ok seriously... Why lift a truck? I don't get out for much 4 wheeling... just flat lands here in Texas.

What do you gain by lifting the body higher in the air?

 

[101coolcars]

lift

Ok seriously... Why lift a truck? I don't get out for much 4 wheeling... just flat lands here in Texas.

What do you gain by lifting the body higher in the air?

Better Mall status

 

[notsosanestan]

why modify anything you own? lifting a truck for looks or for better ground clearance and to fit bigger tires each person has there own reason.

 

[ActionStarCBRxx]

How does lifting the body give you more ground clearance? The tire/rim increase I can see gaining a few inches to keep the suspension/pumpkin/tranny up higher and out of ruts... but I don't understand how a 4 inch lift gives you any more clearance?

Not being argumentative... I just don't understand.

 

[tm america]

i hate body lifts they give more leverage on the body mounts . and make alot of problems .i put a three inch body lift on my bronko it would cause it to shift into different gears when flexed and would make the shroud hit at times . i would not put one on an offroad truck . a street truck i dont think you would have a problem .they do make it easier to work on the trans and transfer case. but make the engine even further down in the engine compartment . you feel like you are standing on your head trying to work on the engine with a body lift .i would go with a susension lift and cut out fender flares first even though most guys dont like cutting the body up. it keeps the center of gravity lower

 

[jluv1185]

To make it easier to roll over!

 

[todds112]

To allow for bigger tires, which adds ground clearance. Also to allow more articulation of the suspension in some cases. Trade off is increased center of gravity (among other things). Depends on what you want your rig to do, and where you do it.

 

[ActionStarCBRxx]

Also to allow more articulation of the suspension in some cases

I don't understand... what does this mean? How does it work and in what situations?

Sounds like you have some experience... please share!

K

 

[4bogginchevys]

better approach/departure angles are achieved without adding bigger tires....you said 4 inch lift earlier so to be clear i'm talking suspension lift, not aware of a 4 inch body lift even available, maybe custom.

 

[todds112]

I don't understand... what does this mean? How does it work and in what situations?

Sounds like you have some experience... please share!

K

My experience comes from working on Jeeps. Lifting the suspension allows the axle more room to swing up when the opposite side drops.

Bigger tires will give you better ground clearance. But it helps to always have as many tires as possible contact with the ground. If you have huge tires, but are always lifting a wheel or 2 because of lack of articulation, you're going to have problems. Again depends on what you want: a mud buggy, rockcrawler, etc. There are always trade-offs.

 

[todds112]

Also, talking about suspension lifts. I don't care for body lifts either. Although the best Jeep I ever built (2003 Rubicon) was only on 33's. 3" suspension lift and 1" body lift. I would never go over 1" on a body lift.

 

[ragedracer]

There are basically 2 ways to get stuck when you're 4 wheeling. You can get buried in mud/sand/snow or get high centered/hung on the bumper.

Moderate lifts can help with this. Take an M1009. 31" standard tires. A 4" lift will allow you to run 35" tires. This means your bumpers are ~6" higher than they used to be. Pumpkins, 2" higher. Transfer case? 6" higher. It's not much, but it changes your approach and departure angles by quite a bit.

For instance, lets say you're out in the flats and come across a wash in your stock M1009. (first, measurements are just guesses, I didn't go out an measure). The entrance to the wash has a 20" drop off. You can't go through, because when your back tires dropped in, your rear bumper would get hooked on the lip. I come along in my M1009 with a 4" lift, I can navigate that drop no problem.

ETC ETC. Lifts are not appropriate for some offroad situation. Like flat dirt. If your crawling through mud/sand/washes/rocks a lift can give you that little extra to get somewhere that a stock vehicle could not go.

 

[Stan Leschert]

Yup. What "ragedracer" said. Getting high centered is not fun! A body lift will raise your skid pans and bumpers to give you that extra bit of clearance. Too much will just cost a lot of $$ in U-joints and stress on diffs and T/F cases. Unless you buy a properly engineered kit, it will look cool, but be totally useless!

 

[K9Vic]

I don't get out for much 4 wheeling... just flat lands here in Texas.

Did you know about the Bridgeport OHV park that is open on the weekends?
Bridgeport, TX - Official Website - Northwest OHV Park

Oh and BTW, nice looking M1008 you have.

 

[nk14zp]

Why not lift it.

 

[TyJustice]

Its almost like asking why "boys" play with trucks and "girls" play with dolls.

Its in our DNA.

 

[Cucvnut]

so i can wheel on the Rubicon. can go farther if you have never been wheeling out side of flat areas in Texas i suggest you try it it might change your mind

 

[CDN-CUCV]

Its almost like asking why "boys" play with trucks and "girls" play with dolls.

Its in our DNA.

Haha! nice!

I can see this question being asked I guess because of your geography. Having never been to Texas, I'm sure it's pretty flat for the most part and not alot of mud? Here in B.C, 99% of the province is mountains and the terrain can be very challenging technically. I have a two inch lift and 33's on my M1009 and I struggle with even some of the deactivated logging roads because of some rock fall or water crossings. I know that without decent clearance around here, it won't take long before you get stuck on or in something.

Now, as far as a shiny paint, mall crawler that has never ventured beyond asphalt, that I do not understand. Some people let their inadequacies run their lives I guess...

 

[steved454]

Lifts make it easier to look at girls in mini-skirts or short shorts on setting in there cars!. I have seen them with Bikini's on too!

Really though I never do body lifts and always put 2 inch lifts on the old trucks I get. New leaf springs and shocks. I Have just went to a 4 1/2 inch lift on my M1008 so I can put bigger tires on because of the 4.56 gears.

 

[91W350]

You ever angle through a ditch and plow the front bumper or drive over a terrace and belly out? That is the kind of things guys avoid with a lift. I was never a big fan of body lifts due to the leverage the body has on the mounts. One thing they do for the truck though, is keep the chassis/engine/transmission weight down and still give more tire room. They also do not affect driveline angles. I always preferred the milder chassis lifts. Knock them as we may, the guys running big lifts, body lifts and monster tires, sure make climbing the rock ledges look easy. They suck on the sidehills, but going over a four foot tall rock, which is impossible without big tires/lift, sure looks easy sometimes.

I prefer my M1008 just the way it is, maybe a little taller tire. Same for the M1009, nice road vehicle that can handle some rough stuff. It is all a matter of personal preference. Some places you flat cannot go with stock suspension and/or tire height. My brother loves to bang away at the rocks, I tell him I really do not need to go there. I built a Kaiser M715 and did a lock of rock climbing and crawling around with it, it was pretty versatile for as stiffly as it was sprung. Glen