Body Lift or Suspension Lift

dsmazz · January 24, 2003

I'm looking at lifting my '01 GMC Sierra. 3" would be fine, which is what a body lift would provide. However, I'm less than enthusiastic about cutting the lower valance below the front bumper, to clear the frame horns so they can "stick out" slightly. Seems it would look a bit "back yard" to me. The kit plus installation (I can afford to let someone else bust their knuckles) is a little over $700. Takes one day to install.

4" also would be fine, which is what Rancho's suspension provides. Not sure if I'd then have to look into larger tires and wheels, which I'm not too interested in swapping out. I currently am running 265:16s on stock alloys. The suspension plus installation, shocks, and alignment is a little over $2700. Takes 3 days for the shop to do it all! Seems kind of long.

I don't off-road, I just want the truck to sit higher, but I don't want it to look weird, whick I'm concerned would happen with the body lift. I also don't want to spend more money than I can justify. (I also want my cake and want to eat it as well.)

So, how do you handle the front frame horn issue with a lift kit? Is there a way to keep the nubs from sticking out? Will stock wheels fit with the Rancho suspension? And what about the prices and labor times the shop quoted? Seem reasonable?

Thanks - Dave

MountaineerTom · January 24, 2003

So, how do you handle the front frame horn issue with a lift kit? Is there a way to keep the nubs from sticking out?

Here's what I did with mine after adding a body lift. I just cut the loop part of the frame horns off (leaving an 1/8 to 1/4 inch sticking out), that way I didn't have to cut the opening any bigger than needed. I did still have to trim the opening a little around the area of the frame horn, so it wouldn't hit, but it wasn't much. I did cut a notch in the bottom of the opening for the tow hooks to be mounted in the original location. I was going to flip the hooks over and swap sides, but the holes for the bolts that install vertical wouldn't line up. You could redrill a new hole in the frame and secure it with a nut, which I didn't think of until after I did what I did to mine, or add after market hooks, which I think would still require some drilling. Some have flipped and swapped them and only installed the one bolt horizonally, but I didn't feel that was the best thing to do, as far as the strength of the tow is concerned.

I don't think it turned out too bad, compared to having the whole frame horn sticking out of the air dam.

Good luck.

Chuck Cheeze · January 28, 2003

As someone new to full size trucks, but having a ton of experience with Jeeps and off road driving, my philosophy has always been to do a suspension lift because a body lift will only gain you clearance over the tires (not the frame, etc) and create a large ugly gap between the bumpers/frame and body. I can spot a body lift a mile away.

Suspension lifts give you the clearance of the entire vehicle, save the axles, and has a better overall look. As well, you get greater articulation of the axles when off road.

Because you are not going off road and are doing it for looks, its your choice but I still think body lifts look bad. If you put a 4" lift on with stock tires they will look like pizza cutters. Why don't you try cranking the torsion bars for a 1.5" lift (or use the Ford keys for 2-3") and add a Zero rate spring to the rear. This will give you 2-3" in front and back and not make those tires look too small, and won't give you the strange look of a body lift.

Chad

MountaineerTom · January 28, 2003

Nah, I don't think thye look that bad, if done right.

The only gap I have is from the bottom of the rear bumper and the trailer hitch, which doesn't bother me, but I've seen some people custom make some stuff to hide that gap. The Performance Accesories kit for the new trucks comes with both front and rear lift brackets for the bumpers. Naturally, there is a gap between the body and frame that can be seen in the wheel wells, but that's fixed easily with gap guards, which can be made at home also. Trimming the front air dam the way I did wasn't too noticable. The frame was more visible, but not too noticable after I but modified my step rails to lift them up a little.

k1500chevy97 · January 28, 2003

Nah, I don't think thye look that bad, if done right.

City_Slicker · January 28, 2003

Cant wait to get my body lift on. It seems it looks better is you have nerf bars on it. 3 inches goes a long ways in style. If you flip the tow hooks over is that going to affect how they work?

BigTrucK · January 28, 2003

Nice truck tom. Nothing like having a big rig to haul out the desert toys. When you getting the suspension lift?

MountaineerTom · January 28, 2003

Cant wait to get my body lift on. It seems it looks better is you have nerf bars on it. 3 inches goes a long ways in style. If you flip the tow hooks over is that going to affect how they work?

If you flip them, only one of the two bolts will line up. I didn't want to sacrifice the strength of them by only using bolt for looks. I have thought since then that you may be able to redrill a new hole for the bolt that installs vertically. Or, you could install some aftermarket hooks on the sides of the frame rails, which would still require drilling a new hole for most hooks.

MountaineerTom · January 28, 2003

Nice truck tom. Nothing like having a big rig to haul out the desert toys. When you getting the suspension lift?

Thanks.

LOL, I think I'll have to will the lottery or something like that before any suspension lift.

dsmazz · January 29, 2003

Why don't you try cranking the torsion bars for a 1.5" lift (or use the Ford keys for 2-3") and add a Zero rate spring to the rear. This will give you 2-3" in front and back and not make those tires look too small, and won't give you the strange look of a body lift.

Chad mentioned using Ford keys and a Zero rate spring to the rear. Can someone enlighten me on "Ford keys"? The "Zero rate spring" I think I can research on my own, but hey, if you know about that also, I'm all ears.

I like the concept, if it means not having to screw around with the bumpers and cutting out the valence to clear the nerf horns on the frame. Plus, 2 - 3 inches would be just fine with me for a lift.

Thanks guys - Dave

Chuck Cheeze · January 30, 2003

Ford Keys:

http://www.anythingcars.com/members....all.htm

Torsion Bar Crank:

http://www.members.aol.com/xofmot/tb.html

http://www.anythingcars.com/members/chane/torsion.htm

Zero Rates:

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/Zero%20Rates.htm

knuts · January 31, 2003

Couple pics of my HD w/ body lift on my website at the bottom of post.

I've always had suspension and body lifts together in the past. Although I guess that's now "not recommended". Anyways, if all you want is a size or 2 bigger tires and clearance for it go with a body lift. Like MountaineerTom said the only real noticeable spot is the rear hitch. Cover the frame on the sides with steps or bars.

On older trucks like my old Blazers "gap guards" or "lift lips" weren't really available and bumper relocating brackets had to be made yourself or not used. Thats why most people frown on bodylifts. All my old Blazers you could see right through them from the sides! And the bumpers were 3" lower than they should be.

If you want to keep the factory comfortable ride, and don't need extreme flexability, and dont want to spend a couple grand (for these new sus lifts), go with the body lift. My HD w/ 305's and 3" body lift will go anywhere my blazer with 6" suspension and 35" tires would ever go.

OK, almost. It is a few feet longer than the old blazer!

KK

FullSizeRado · January 31, 2003

I have a question about body lifts also, do you have to modify the exhaust tailpipe at all or does it just hang 3 inches lower? maybe this is a stupid question but I don't know much about bodylifts. Thanks

Mike

MountaineerTom · January 31, 2003

I have a question about body lifts also, do you have to modify the exhaust tailpipe at all or does it just hang 3 inches lower? maybe this is a stupid question but I don't know much about bodylifts. Thanks

Mike

You don't "have to", but it is different looking.

Here's a before shot:

And and after shot:

And a close up one of the spacers:

A few people have made some custom spacers to fill in that area a little better, and one guy custom made a spacer out of some type of tubing (like step rails are made of) to follow the contours of the frame mounted hitch. It all depends on how you want it to look, and your recources too I guess.

As of now, my exhaust tips are cut off and dump down towards the ground after they go over the rear axle. The reason I cut them off was because the chrome tips started to rust pretty bad, just havn't got around to having them re done. Whe I do, I think I may go with a set up like chevy4x4trucks did with his Silverado, but try to get them tucked up a little tighter to the body. I think he had a Flowmaster system that hadn't been modified to tuck them closer when he took this pic.

Oh yeah, another plus side to a body lift was it only cost me $210-$215 for the lift from JC Whitney and nothing for the install because me, my brother and some buddies installed it. :thumb: The gap guards did cost $50 though.