To Body Lift or Not to Body lift. That is the Question.

[Dowser]

So basically, Body lifts seem to be one of those things that people either Hate them, or Love them.

What I would like to know is, If your planning a SAS, most people it seems want to shoot for a Belly clearance of around 21". That being Said, If I was trying to achieve that and Run 35x12.5 and have as low a COG as possible, with a WMS of about 62.5, would it be absolutely necessary to have a body lift to Stuff the tires in the Wheel Wells, or would I have to increase the Lift higher yet to stuff them inside the wells?

I know some of you SAS Guru's have done many a different thing including adding the body lift so that you can mount a Higher Spring and Shock Perch in the rear and Ryan even mentioned that his BL was an inch larger in the back then the front cause that worked for him at that time.

Would just like to get some more input.

[Ryan Gee]

A body lift just saves your wheel wells. If a Sawsall can be used to make the clearance it is your best bet. With your pathy the rear wheel wells are the problem. The 2 door guys can hack away without the rear doors to worry about. I would try it without the body lift first, then apply whatever it takes. A guy could make a 1 inch lift from a 2 inch or a 2 1/2 inch from a three. Not that it really matters much but the body lift is a pain in the arse when it comes to bumpers, sliders, shifters, etc.

[Sully4x4]

I'm not sas'd, but I do like my body lift. Yea, my bumper is a pita, but I don't have sliders yet, so that won't be when I do get them. The shifter for my 4wd was a pita as well, but thankfully I had Ian there to help and he welded an extension onto it to make it work. But, like I said, I am not sas'd, and a lot of the guys with a sas remove their body lift entirely, or shorten it like Ryan said. I think Tyler got rid of his completely, don't know if it was because he didn't like it, or if it was for other reasons. I know another guy on 4x4parts.com who is cutting his BL down to 1 1/2 with his sas. I think Jamie still has his, but he has wanted to get rid of it for awhile.

[tbecktold]

Barry's belly clearance is right around 21" with his 3link and 35s on his HB, and he seems to stuff them alright. Check his rigs out at nissannut.com

[Packman5280]

if my bumpers, sliders, shocks hoops, spring buckets, etc. weren't built around the BL, i would take it out. it just sits too high with it, makes the 35's look like 31's, and just feels REALLY talll.

[Sully4x4]

if my bumpers, sliders, shocks hoops, spring buckets, etc. weren't built around the BL, i would take it out. it just sits too high with it, makes the 35's look like 31's, and just feels REALLY talll.

We should put my 31's on yours, just for shits and giggles :laughing:

Jamie, what did you do for your bumpers with your BL? Mainly your front bumper.

[Packman5280]

lol, guess i shoulda said bumper. just the rear, nothing on the front at the moment.

[itsme1738]

i like my 3 in bl....at the moment...ill see what happens after the sas,if i dont like, it bummer about the sliders,gota move em

[ChefTyler]

I don't think I've ever measured my clearance at the belly...and there was never a figure in my head...I just looked at my X and said...that'll do. Having said that, I removed my BL, not because it's too tall with it on, but I needed get myself an additional 2" of suspension lift to keep my arms from hitting my frame every time I hit a pebble in the road. After I did that I removed the BL because then it was too tall.
Having said that, it was a godsend when I was IFS running 33s with just a PML.

[itsme1738]

thats funny.....as we look back

[Ryan Gee]

LOL, this measurement to the frame is based off what? Wheel base, size of tires, axle width.. I think there is more to it than a firm measurement of 21inches.

OK, next! Sased or not the only reason to use a body lift is to not have to cut out the wheel wells period. Some folks think of this as a lift and some think of it as a frame lowering kit. I think it is up to the owner to do whatever gives him the tingly feeling in the pants. However if there is room for a little hacking and the person doesn't care about cutting out the fenders... it is better in all ways.

OH.. some engine conversions are easier with a body lift. So I could see that as a reason too.

[itsme1738]

wow ryan......right on!

[Dowser]

Thanks for the feedback so far. The main reason I'm trying to find the information out is cause for the next couple of years my time in the Garage is going to pretty damn limited. Our baby is due in a few weeks give or take, so my life will be nothing but dirty diapers and sterilizing bottles. :baby: I figure by the time I'm able to get to any sort of fun projects, or any sort of projects for that matter, I'll have amassed a lot of different stuff to try and piece together a front axle. I was just trying to get an idea if I should go thru the hassle of putting a 3" BL on if one of the first things I'd like to do to it is throw in a Solid Front. :duh: In the end, I'd like to have to cut off as little of the fenders as I can and perhaps move the rear axle back about an 1" - 1-1/2". Cutting out the back side of the rear fenders doesn't bother me as much as the side by the door.

As far as the 21" measurement to the Belly I was just strictly throwing it out there to get an idea of how high I'd like to have it sit. So that you can see that I'm not looking to go crazy on Lift and be utterly jacked up. I'm in no way shape or form trying to say I even know the first thing about how to even measure up a SAS and reconfigure a rear setup cause I don't. That's why I'm here... to pick along and try and work out what the process's are. The reason I said WMS and Tire size was strictly so that you could imagine the width so that no one thinks Im trying to stuff Full width axles under Fender wells because although I know little on the subject in comparison to many of you, I know that you'd need a pretty tall ride to stuff that set up.

So basically most of the SAS'd guys that are happy with the suspension setup's that have chimed in at this point have got rid of BL's because they felt it sat too high.

Thanks for the input.

[tbecktold]

I really like the way you're going about gathering your information and making your plan.

What kind of SAS are you planning? If you were to go with leaves under the axle, I think a body lift would be fine. I think with leaves over the axle, the added 2-3" would make the truck too tall, and for coils/links, I think it depends on what you have in mind.

[itsme1738]

rember a bl is always removable....that was my thought....it just got me where i wanted to be (or looks) for the time being

[Packman5280]

i chose BL instead of cutting. would probably do the same thing again. i don't like it now, but it was invaluable with the IFS and wanting an uncut rig. taking it out wouldn't be that much work, i just don't wanna mess with it.

[Ryan Gee]

See.. they all have the tingly feelin' in the pants...:broke:

Just hang out a bit.. There will be plenty more to come.

[nissandoms47]

body lift ftw. Cant really go wrong with it.. The xterra has a 2" cheap bl. Helped a lot trying to clear the 33s before i got an actual suspension lift too. The only thing i didnt like was relocating my ARB. All my shifters and that cleared..

[Ryan Gee]

:saw: