Custom Body Lift Questions - eliminating the typical

[Tigger4X]

When I first bought my Chero I was really new to wheeling and it's ins and outs, do's and don'ts. Well I dunno if this is actually one of the don'ts or not but I look at a standard body lift like lifting blocks and hafta shake my head. Before anybody gets their fur up, I'm not raggin' anybody here I'm just reflecting on this guy I saw come down off of an obstacle pretty hard and the body of his rig shifted forward on bent bodylift bolts, not too mention it did a good job ovaling out the body metal.

What all this babble leads up to is I'd like to find a way to come up with some sort of body "lifting towers" that could bolt in or even weld in, and take the place of the body lifting pucks. They would have to be able to take out any wobble and sheer, but how much is really needed considering how basic the current option is. LMAO

I'm gonna try to sketch up some ideas and see what I come up with. How do you post pics on this board?

[Spectre]

How much lift do you have in mind? An all-spring lift might be a better way.

[Greg Y]

I've been thinking about this issue lately. Come up with an idea that I plan on using. Cut the top of the mounts off of the frame and then weld in some extensions (flat plates steel). I'm thinking that some extra bracing might be needed.

[ November 03, 2005, 12:43 AM: Message edited by: Greg Y ]

[Temple]

The reason body mounts are made of a semi soft material like hard rubber is to allow a certain amount of cushion between the frame and body so body mount bolts don't get over stressed and shear and to help with body and frame flex to a certain point.

How much body lift did the guy have that bent the body mount bolts? He may have put bolts in that were to soft for the job they were asked to do also.

My wife works at a wrecker service and I hang out there from time to time. A while back they hauled a truck in I think it was a Ford couldn't realy tell the guy hit something so hard he sheared some of the body mount bolts and he didn't have a body lift.

[Tigger4X]

Originally posted by Spectre:
How much lift do you have in mind? An all-spring lift might be a better way.

SPECTRE ...

I already have a 4" body lift on it right now. And as far as an all-spring lift goes ... I have heard there is quite a difference is ride quality going from a 4" to a 6" spring lift alone, so I can't imagine eliminating the body lift and going all-spring. 10" or more sounds pretty intense and a bit

[desert_freak]

My stock springs ride just great in my SOA lift What size tire are you running that you need 10" of lift. I am running 37's with an extra main leaf in the front and back. I did move my rear springs back 3" and down about 6" to match the lift in front. IMHO a SOA would be safer than a 4" body lift.

RIVERBEAST sells a nifty kit to aid in a SOA.

Something to think about!

L8r,

P.J.

[Tigger4X]

Originally posted by Greg Y:
I've been thinking about this issue lately. Come up with an idea that I plan on using. Cut the top of the mounts off of the frame and then weld in some extensions (flat plates steel). I'm thinking that some extra bracing might be needed.

GREG Y ...

I'm actually intending on keeping the stock mounting bolts in tact, but your idea is quite similar to mine in basic design. I was thinking a little bit more along the lines of rectangular box type that has a base wider than the top of the "tower" with a new Grade 8 body mounting stud.

Another idea was to use really thick walled round pipe that has a 1" solid slug welded into the bottom of it. It's been drilled and tapped to screw down onto the existing mounting stud. Then it has another plug welded into the top with a Grade 8 body stud protruding upwards for the body to bolt onto.

The nice things about idea #2 is that the new lifts would be hella solid and aren't permanant either.

Soooooo ... how do ya post pictures on this board?? I can sketch stuff up and then post em here for ya'll to critique, or flame.

[Tigger4X]

Originally posted by Temple:
The reason body mounts are made of a semi soft material like hard rubber is to allow a certain amount of cushion between the frame and body so body mount bolts don't get over stressed and shear and to help with body and frame flex to a certain point. ...

TEMPLE ...

The atypical body lift is an almost solid tube of hard plastic that is installed in ADDITION to the body mount. The two ideas I propose still incorporate the softer body mounts.

[Tigger4X]

Originally posted by desert_freak:
My stock springs ride just great in my SOA lift What size tire are you running that you need 10" of lift. I am running 37's with an extra main leaf in the front and back. I did move my rear springs back 3" and down about 6" to match the lift in front. IMHO a SOA would be safer than a 4" body lift.

RIVERBEAST sells a nifty kit to aid in a SOA.

Something to think about!

L8r,

P.J.

DESERT_FREAK ...

I have already done the SOA and already did my own block eliminator fix-up. I want to replace the crappy ride "bogger" springs but haven't decided to go with a 4" or 6" lift. As an alternative to the 6" springs I was thinking of using the extended/lift shackles.

I currently have 38.5" Dirt Grips on 16.5" rims but previously I was running on 36" TSL Swampers on this set-up. I want to get a bit more clearance to be sure I don't squash my fenders. I had considered cutting them but haven't been able to find any fender flares like the Bushwacker's they have for the mini-cheros & wags. I'd rather have extended metal flares but I'm not good with that kinda thing.