Need some answers
#1
06-30-2001, 06:16 PM
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Dalton, OH
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Need some answers
I just ordered my 3" body lift and I need to know how hard it is to install. How long should I expect to spend on it? Are there any special tools I will need? Any info would be appreciated.
------------------
'98 4.6 5sp. 4x4 ORP (Fully loaded, Power everything).
Mods.
- Modified Air Box
- K&N
- Borla Stainless Steel Exhaust
Future Mods.
- BBK High Performance Throttle body
- Superchip
------------------
'98 4.6 5sp. 4x4 ORP (Fully loaded, Power everything).
Mods.
- Modified Air Box
- K&N
- Borla Stainless Steel Exhaust
Future Mods.
- BBK High Performance Throttle body
- Superchip
#2
07-02-2001, 04:33 PM
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Dalton, OH
Posts: 130
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#3
07-03-2001, 07:58 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Athens, Ohio, USA
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Chill..........some answers..
If you do a search on the suspension forum and in here for "body lift" you will find tons of useful information that is answered almost every week. You will also find lots of different opinions on it. Some will say they did it in 4 hours, it took me a weekend. Some say it is simple, I say it is time-consuming.
You really don't need any "special" tools. A fully stocked tool box with variatious sizes of ratchets, extensions, and wrench lengths will help tons, but everyone should have that. This is not a job that can be done with a JC Whitney " emergency tool kit" just for everyone's information. You have to have, and know how to use a garage and it's tools. I used everything from a 4" grinder to a cutting torch, to a saw-zall, to the dremel, to the welder, but that's just me. Just be sure to have a couple of torx bits for the bed bolts in case you round a few off. Air tools are a nice thing to have and will speed the job, but it by no means makes it go from 15 hours to 4.
The little things are what gets you. Cutting the lower tabs off the radiator shroud with a dremel or hacksaw blade without taking it off speeds things up. Some people opt to not weld in the extension for the transfer case (if yours is manual) but I would, since you'll have it that far along. Having a big a#$ cheeter bar will help you bust the bolts loose and you need probably atleast a 36" 3/8 or 1/2 drive extension to get the front cab corner mount bolts loose (dropping in beside the radiator from the top is the easy way). Make sure you bring up the cab and the bed at the same time, lest you'll ding your cab corner with the bed. You don't have to have a second jack to do the bed. Once it is completely un-bolted, you can lift each corner and get the block in with someones help.
That is the other thing, be sure to have someone to help. It will speed things tremendously. That way two people can be doing tedious things at the same time. Someone can take out the back seat and the kick panels and pull the carpet back while you are taking off the battery ground, air intake tube, frame ground straps, etc.....
Make sure you have a couple of good 1/2 drill bits and a good stout 1/2" drill to make new holes in the frame for the cab safety cables and the bumper relocations. Make sure you have a 1" metal-cutting hole saw to drill a new hole for the spare tire lowering mechanism. Since you have the 4.6, you will have to use the tranny shifter cable relocation bracket, which is in a tight spot, but just use a small 1/4" ratchet and small box end wrench and you can easily get to it. The steering shaft extension can be a booger, but you just have to have someone go under the hood and give the outer shaft a few good tugs to get it to start sliding on the splines. Make sure the steering extension pulls up tight, mine didn't, and I had to open it up so it would pinch tighter. You have to put the supplied bed supports under the bed, You will need to have a welder or have someone tack it in for you. Be sure to sand and primer the areas you welded (transfer case shifter and bed blocks) or they will rust in a heart-beat.
The instructions included in the PA Body Lift are pretty darn good and if you follow them step-by-step you will be fine. If you have any specific questions, let me know and I'll help if I can. Good Luck!
You really don't need any "special" tools. A fully stocked tool box with variatious sizes of ratchets, extensions, and wrench lengths will help tons, but everyone should have that. This is not a job that can be done with a JC Whitney " emergency tool kit" just for everyone's information. You have to have, and know how to use a garage and it's tools. I used everything from a 4" grinder to a cutting torch, to a saw-zall, to the dremel, to the welder, but that's just me. Just be sure to have a couple of torx bits for the bed bolts in case you round a few off. Air tools are a nice thing to have and will speed the job, but it by no means makes it go from 15 hours to 4.
The little things are what gets you. Cutting the lower tabs off the radiator shroud with a dremel or hacksaw blade without taking it off speeds things up. Some people opt to not weld in the extension for the transfer case (if yours is manual) but I would, since you'll have it that far along. Having a big a#$ cheeter bar will help you bust the bolts loose and you need probably atleast a 36" 3/8 or 1/2 drive extension to get the front cab corner mount bolts loose (dropping in beside the radiator from the top is the easy way). Make sure you bring up the cab and the bed at the same time, lest you'll ding your cab corner with the bed. You don't have to have a second jack to do the bed. Once it is completely un-bolted, you can lift each corner and get the block in with someones help.
That is the other thing, be sure to have someone to help. It will speed things tremendously. That way two people can be doing tedious things at the same time. Someone can take out the back seat and the kick panels and pull the carpet back while you are taking off the battery ground, air intake tube, frame ground straps, etc.....
Make sure you have a couple of good 1/2 drill bits and a good stout 1/2" drill to make new holes in the frame for the cab safety cables and the bumper relocations. Make sure you have a 1" metal-cutting hole saw to drill a new hole for the spare tire lowering mechanism. Since you have the 4.6, you will have to use the tranny shifter cable relocation bracket, which is in a tight spot, but just use a small 1/4" ratchet and small box end wrench and you can easily get to it. The steering shaft extension can be a booger, but you just have to have someone go under the hood and give the outer shaft a few good tugs to get it to start sliding on the splines. Make sure the steering extension pulls up tight, mine didn't, and I had to open it up so it would pinch tighter. You have to put the supplied bed supports under the bed, You will need to have a welder or have someone tack it in for you. Be sure to sand and primer the areas you welded (transfer case shifter and bed blocks) or they will rust in a heart-beat.
The instructions included in the PA Body Lift are pretty darn good and if you follow them step-by-step you will be fine. If you have any specific questions, let me know and I'll help if I can. Good Luck!