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Cant Decide... 1.5" Or 3" Body Lift!

bmcfadden

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bmcfadden Enthusiast

bmcfadden

Posted
Posted

Hey guys,

 

I am torn between 1.5" or 3" body lift. I've already ordered the RC leveling kit. I'm planning on running 33's on my factory 18" rims. Firestone destination M/Ts. I am leaning towards the 3" lift, but have read "most 3? lifts on the market can max out your balljoint angles or need replacement upper A-arm" which kinda freaks me out a bit. Has anyone ran into any problems like this with either the zone or BDS 3" body lifts? The reason I am going with a BL is to keep my factory ride and obviously the cost effectiveness! But if i'm going to be replacing suspension parts by going with a 3", i may as well just go 1.5".

 

Anyone have any input on this? I want to order it up this week!!

 

Thanks

stlavsa Senior Enthusiast

stlavsa

Posted
Posted
Hey guys,

 

I am torn between 1.5" or 3" body lift. I've already ordered the RC leveling kit. I'm planning on running 33's on my factory 18" rims. Firestone destination M/Ts. I am leaning towards the 3" lift, but have read "most 3? lifts on the market can max out your balljoint angles or need replacement upper A-arm" which kinda freaks me out a bit. Has anyone ran into any problems like this with either the zone or BDS 3" body lifts? The reason I am going with a BL is to keep my factory ride and obviously the cost effectiveness! But if i'm going to be replacing suspension parts by going with a 3", i may as well just go 1.5".

 

Anyone have any input on this? I want to order it up this week!!

 

Thanks

 

I am adding a 1.5" body lift to my fabtech just because I dont like the looks of the 3" BL. The 1.5" BL is half as noticeable...but you only get half the height.

 

Thats the argument, do u want the most lift go 3" but its gonna be more obvious, so i wont do it. Some say however, you will just wish you had the full 3" when u come across somebody that does... Depends how much BL's bother you.

mrOAPx2 Enthusiast

mrOAPx2

Posted
Posted

I'm adding the PA 3" later on this month. Right now I am running 33's with 20x9 rims on a 2.25" Leveling kit. I am experiencing some very minor rubbage, therefore I am going to a 3"...that I am wanting 35's :rollin:

stlavsa Senior Enthusiast

stlavsa

Posted
Posted
I'm adding the PA 3" later on this month. Right now I am running 33's with 20x9 rims on a 2.25" Leveling kit. I am experiencing some very minor rubbage, therefore I am going to a 3"...that I am wanting 35's :rollin:

 

 

you will put yourself right back to where you started.. It will rub with 35s

Matt_ Senior Enthusiast

Matt_

Posted
Posted
..... but have read "most 3? lifts on the market can max out your balljoint angles or need replacement upper A-arm" which kinda freaks me out a bit. Has anyone ran into any problems like this with either the zone or BDS 3" body lifts? .....

 

 

You're confused :rollin:

 

The 3" lifts that "max out balljoints and A-arm angles" are coil body spacers, like your 1.5" leveling kit. Body lifts do not alter the suspension geometry at all... neither the 1.5 nor 3.0" body lift will mess with your suspension and balljoints.

 

With that said, get the 3" kit. These trucks hide the body lifts so well.... true that a 1.5" is "less noticeable", but the 3" isn't even noticeable unless you're specifically looking for it. I've had so many people ask me what kind of suspension lift i had and are amazed to find out its a body lift. They both require about the same amount of work.... so go with the 3" IMO

 

Also, i had to trim like crazy to fit my 33s with the 3" body lift. You'll have better luck with the stock wheels... but if you get the 1.5" body lift you won't be able to run aftermarket wheels without rubbing/trimming. Get the 3" body lift now that way you have the clearance you need if you ever decide to swap out the wheels. 4-5" is ideal for 33" tires on these trucks.

chakis24 Senior Enthusiast

chakis24

Posted
Posted
I'm adding the PA 3" later on this month. Right now I am running 33's with 20x9 rims on a 2.25" Leveling kit. I am experiencing some very minor rubbage, therefore I am going to a 3"...that I am wanting 35's :rollin:

 

this is what i have on my truck- and i couldnt be happier. havent had any issues with it, ive had it for close to two years now, put quite a few thousand miles on it. although 35s wont fit, i have 34s and they just fit with no rub.

 

i dont understand how a body lift would effect anything with the suspension? all a body lift does is physically lift the body off the frame, not touching any kind of suspension bits. what it will effect is the steering column (thats why the kit comes with an extender) and the guy who installed mine said hes seen guys 4x4 systems go out because the installer forgets to adjust the cables or something like that. my brothers shifter actually didnt work when he got his truck back because they didnt reconnect it or something to that extent (he brought it back and now it works fine).

 

i say go 3". if your gonna spend the money might as well get the best. you'll be sorry in the end that you didnt. oh, and your gonna need some sort of wheel well liner- otherwise youll have a nice 3" gap between the bed and the frame rails.

stlavsa Senior Enthusiast

stlavsa

Posted
Posted
I'm adding the PA 3" later on this month. Right now I am running 33's with 20x9 rims on a 2.25" Leveling kit. I am experiencing some very minor rubbage, therefore I am going to a 3"...that I am wanting 35's :rollin:

 

this is what i have on my truck- and i couldnt be happier. havent had any issues with it, ive had it for close to two years now, put quite a few thousand miles on it. although 35s wont fit, i have 34s and they just fit with no rub.

 

i dont understand how a body lift would effect anything with the suspension? all a body lift does is physically lift the body off the frame, not touching any kind of suspension bits. what it will effect is the steering column (thats why the kit comes with an extender) and the guy who installed mine said hes seen guys 4x4 systems go out because the installer forgets to adjust the cables or something like that. my brothers shifter actually didnt work when he got his truck back because they didnt reconnect it or something to that extent (he brought it back and now it works fine).

 

i say go 3". if your gonna spend the money might as well get the best. you'll be sorry in the end that you didnt. oh, and your gonna need some sort of wheel well liner- otherwise youll have a nice 3" gap between the bed and the frame rails.

 

 

yah theres no way the 35s will fit on a nnbs if ur just clearing 34s on the nbs..

blackout07 Senior Enthusiast

blackout07

Posted
Posted

Matt pretty much cleared it up for you IMO. Don't waste your time with the 1.5" and go straight for the 3". I get the same reactions about the body lift on my truck that Matt gets about his.

bmcfadden Enthusiast

bmcfadden

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks a lot fellas for the input! You've convinced me to go with the 3"! I was planning on going with the Zone 3" BL over the BDS simply because the price is 75 bones cheaper. I talked to the BDS territory rep on the phone today and asked about the steering extension and problem Matt (i believe) had with play in the extension. He said both kits have the exact same parts and figured that was an isolated problem.

 

Matt, can you post pics of your wheel wells? Your pics look awesome, but in all of them, the wheel wells look blacked out and its hard to see what you did to make them look so good!!

 

Thanks again for your help guys, really like this forum!!

 

 

by matt, i mean sk1er!

bmcfadden Enthusiast

bmcfadden

Posted
  • Author
Posted
heres the complete bl album, pics of install/gap guards/triming/etc; http://s37.photobucket.com/albums/e55/sk1e...ra%20BL%20Work/

 

also... zone sent me 2 more extensions and they were loose and there were a few members on another forum with the same issue. put some silicone caulk in it to take up the clearance.

 

 

thanks matt!! looks like you had quite the adventure putting that all together! what material did you make your gap guards out of? good job getting the wife to do the labor while you were out snapping pics!!! how difficult did you find the kit to install? how big of tires can i go on my factory 18s? (they are the all-terrain package rims)

 

thanks again

Matt_ Senior Enthusiast

Matt_

Posted
Posted

lol thanks.. it didnt help that it was 20 degrees and windy, but i wanted to get it done.

 

the gap guards are 1/8" thick oil and weather resistant rubber that i ordered from mcmaster... a 36 x 36 sheet is enough for all 4 corners and should be about $40.

 

with the 3" body lift and your leveling kit you should be able to run 33s nicely.

lsuguy Senior Enthusiast

lsuguy

Posted
Posted
Thanks a lot fellas for the input! You've convinced me to go with the 3"! I was planning on going with the Zone 3" BL over the BDS simply because the price is 75 bones cheaper. I talked to the BDS territory rep on the phone today and asked about the steering extension and problem Matt (i believe) had with play in the extension. He said both kits have the exact same parts and figured that was an isolated problem.

 

Matt, can you post pics of your wheel wells? Your pics look awesome, but in all of them, the wheel wells look blacked out and its hard to see what you did to make them look so good!!

 

Thanks again for your help guys, really like this forum!!

 

 

by matt, i mean sk1er!

 

I will be installing the Zone 3" BL on the 25 of this month. When I was shopping around I was going to go with BDS. When I called them up I was told they no longer make BL and sold their design and everything to Zone. I can't wait to get it installed though. I've been waiting a while

bmcfadden Enthusiast

bmcfadden

Posted
  • Author
Posted

thats great Brett!! Post pics when your done and if you remember, PM me and let me know how it goes... tips, problems, etc. I am ordering my zone 3" BL this week. My truck is being built this week as well, hope to take delivery in 2 or 3 weeks. Good luck!

bmcfadden Enthusiast

bmcfadden

Posted
  • Author
Posted

hey guys, have my 2" RC leveling kit and my 3" zone body lift in hand! hope to install them next weekend! one more question about tires (i know im in the wrong section), but a buddy of mine put 33" firestone desination MTs on his stock f150 without any lift or leveling. with both my leveling and body lift, i'll have raised my front end 5 inches. could i go bigger than 33's? i'd like to go as big as possible!

 

let me know what you think!

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