This will sound as if I'm stupid but I am fairly new to 4*4. What is the difference between a body lift and a suspension lift, do you need both to lift up a truck, which is better, and whats the best names in the industry to use?
Body Lift Vs. Suspension Lift
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Guest_danielop18_*
, Aug 17 2004 04:51 AM
8 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_broncoshell_*
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Posted 17 August 2004 - 06:51 AM
First thing, it's not stupid at all!!! That is what this forum is all about... The body lift is where you just lift the body. the suspension lift is where you are lifting the frame & body to add big tires & ground clearance. Some good lifts are Superlift, Sky-Jacker. You can go to the broncograveyard.com & find out a lot more about lift kits... Welcome to the Zone & feel free to ask any question... Good luck with your truck!!! 
#3
Guest_Freewheel Burning_*
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Posted 19 August 2004 - 11:44 AM
Just to clarify things a bit, envision this:
The frame of your Bronco is the center point, with the body bolted to the top of it, and the suspension bolted to the bottom of it. With a body lift, you put spacers between the body and frame, thereby raising the body while the suspension and frame stay in the same place. This is good for giving you extra fender clearance. With a suspension lift, you are putting in taller springs which adds space between suspension and frame. This raises everything but the axles. The axles only get raised when you put the bigger tires on that you now have room for!
I just put the Superlift 4" suspension lift in my 79, which I highly recommend. I did it in my driveway, with basic hand tools, and it took me about three weeks of evenings and Saturdays. Broncograveyard.com and 4 Wheel Parts got most of my business. Good luck.
The frame of your Bronco is the center point, with the body bolted to the top of it, and the suspension bolted to the bottom of it. With a body lift, you put spacers between the body and frame, thereby raising the body while the suspension and frame stay in the same place. This is good for giving you extra fender clearance. With a suspension lift, you are putting in taller springs which adds space between suspension and frame. This raises everything but the axles. The axles only get raised when you put the bigger tires on that you now have room for!
I just put the Superlift 4" suspension lift in my 79, which I highly recommend. I did it in my driveway, with basic hand tools, and it took me about three weeks of evenings and Saturdays. Broncograveyard.com and 4 Wheel Parts got most of my business. Good luck.
#4
Guest_billybroncojr_*
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Posted 19 August 2004 - 01:18 PM
Usually cost is a factor between the two. Cheap body lifts start at around $80. Suspension lifts get more complicated and costly when you start looking at newer trucks with IFS setups. That's what the good thing about having an older straight axle truck is, you can get 4" lifts for a couple hundred bucks. Kits vs. systems are sometimes confusing. Kits are usually bare bones and missing things like shocks and rear springs. Systems are more expensive but are usually more complete with everything you need, like rear springs as opposed to lift blocks or helpers. The more componants in a lift kit the better it is, you may not need it but better safe than sorry.
Later,
Jeff
Later,
Jeff
#5
Guest_battered_bronco_*
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Posted 20 August 2004 - 12:09 AM
suspention lifts give you more suspention travel but shift all but axle/tire weight upwards making a higher center of gravity
body lift raises the body but the motor/trans is only lifted by the increased tire size
so with the stock~29 inch tires swaped for 34s and 4 inch lift is like ~9 inches
personally i would go with both 2 body/2 suspention unless its only for "looks" then stay with body(but 3 inch body lift on a 78/79 bronco will reck your lower column
i think you can put 33s on a ol bronco with a body lift it will just look better
start with a cheap/"easy" 1 1/2(pref) - 3 body lift and new body mounts
most suspention lifts seem to bee real soft too
and stay away from axle block
body lift raises the body but the motor/trans is only lifted by the increased tire size
so with the stock~29 inch tires swaped for 34s and 4 inch lift is like ~9 inches
personally i would go with both 2 body/2 suspention unless its only for "looks" then stay with body(but 3 inch body lift on a 78/79 bronco will reck your lower column
i think you can put 33s on a ol bronco with a body lift it will just look better
start with a cheap/"easy" 1 1/2(pref) - 3 body lift and new body mounts
most suspention lifts seem to bee real soft too
and stay away from axle block
#6
Jonne78
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Posted 24 August 2004 - 06:15 AM
so with the stock~29 inch tires swaped for 34s and 4 inch lift is like ~9 inches
actually swapping from 29's to 34's will only give you a 2.5 inches more lift plus the 4 in. susp. lift which only makes 6.5 inches more of lift. the best way i can think to explain it is to measure form the center of a tire and then to the outside of it, do the same with the other tire, then difference it the ammount of lift/loss on the tire swap
#7
77 crummy
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Posted 19 January 2007 - 05:01 PM
i rec suspension, its more money but it looks better. a did a 4 inch in my 77 f150 i had, worked well but i wanted bigger. then i bought a 6 inch super lift, had to get the driveline extended. cost was about 450.00 dollars on top of the lift. i loved the 6 inch with 38 inch tires. keep in mind your gears when you decide how big youre going, rec at least 4.11s with 38s.This will sound as if I'm stupid but I am fairly new to 4*4. What is the difference between a body lift and a suspension lift, do you need both to lift up a truck, which is better, and whats the best names in the industry to use?
#8
corn fed
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Posted 30 March 2008 - 03:25 PM
Another thimg to consider is the fact that a body lift raises the body and nothing else. The pedles are mounted to the body but the operating ent, i.e., carb, clutch, are not going to move so adjustments will be neccessary. The steering wheel will move but the steering box will not. The steering link may need to be longer. And last but not least, the fan shroud will move but the fan will not. There are alot of adjustments that need to be made with a body lift. In my opinion the only benifit to a body lift , besides the cost, and you get what you pay for, is the fact that you keep the stock suspention ride. The suspention lift is the right wat to go if you are lifting more that 1 1/2 inches. If you need more fender clearance, cut them. It is easier that a lift and make the truck look tougher.
#9
79Crewcab
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Posted 23 September 2008 - 08:39 PM
One more thing that no one has mentioned yet , as the amount of body lift increases the less your frame will be able to flex. The body and frame are designed to flex with each other, when you put spacers between them (i.e. a body lift) you create stress between them. Just somthing to keep in mind as cracks can have a better chance to start in the body mounting points.
Go Big or Go Home
'79 Supercab 460 3" body, 6" suspention lift 38.5" Boggers Ox lockers Frt and Rr
'79 Supercab 460 3" body, 6" suspention lift 38.5" Boggers Ox lockers Frt and Rr
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