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Lifting, suspension v body

Paul

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So just to open some debate on this, and mostly regarding the practicalities and performance before the costs involved, what would you consider better?
For example: a 6" suspension lift - better or worse than a 4" suspension lift with a 2" bodylift? Or any combination like this.
 
A body lift would still leave your chassis, engine and drive train close to ground level. You might have more approach and departure angles but no better off in ruts and break-over though.

Actually, Now I don't know - you 80 fellas have solid axles which will remain at the same height even with a suspension lift. Ignore me :shh:
 
Crispin said:
A body lift would still leave your chassis, engine and drive train close to ground level. You might have more approach and departure angles but no better off in ruts and break-over though.

Actually, Now I don't know - you 80 fellas have solid axles which will remain at the same height even with a suspension lift. Ignore me :shh:
Suspension lift + bigger wheels = more ground clearance :dance:
Chas
 
A lot depends on what you're trying to achieve by lifting the truck and whether you're going to throw $$$ at getting the changed geometry properly sorted. Presumably a big part of the reason for doing this would be to put very big tyres on to increase your clearance, which is the only route to lifting diff and axles?

I assume with your 6" SL example, you're talking about sorting panhards to keep the axles centred under the truck, sorting caster with drop-boxes or similar, maybe adding DC joints on propshafts etc.. The biggest negative with a 6" SL to my mind (provided all the above has been done properly) is the higher centre of gravity.

The body lift option will mean not raising the CoG quite as much but you would probably be able to fit the same size tyres as you would with the 6"SL, assuming you were going for monster tyres that required so much lift. The 4" SL would not require quite as much correction on caster, axles centering and propshaft angles but I guess the cost is probably the same as you'd need adjustable panhards, drop-boxes etc for 4" SL as well as 6" SL.. The BL requires fiddling with the steering column and aligning the radiator/fan/shroud and I guess the bumpers would need relocating - nothing overly challenging or expensive, I wouldn't think.

Considering Ian's green truck with a 3" SL and a 1(?)" BL, it has a lot of lift overall and huge tyres - not sure why you'd want to go much higher as his truck is unstoppable in most conditions.

Interesting to see the thoughts that come in :mrgreen:
 
of course you could just opt for chopping rather than lifting. 6" is a big lift and its really only americans and australians who seem to love lifting big and then wonder about side slopes getting sketchy (or indeed don't because its just for show). i'd only see a 6" lift as a last resort if you couldn't possibly enlarge the arches any more.
 
A body lift is usually done as a compromise in place of doing the whole lift with springs. There are a lot of different reasons for choosing that compromise though.
 
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A 6" lift And the very big tyres you would use I wouldn't tackle with springs and body lift.
Just sort out some portal axles because the very big tyres will force you to regear the diffs anyway.

Allthough a mighty 80 it will make,... I wouldn't really know what I would do with such a high truck in my neck of the woods.
Along the road to obtaining the ultimate 4WD I owned a SWB 6.5 liter 6 cil diesel unimog for a while.
It was great for just about anything mud, sand, ruts, rocks only problem was the need to carry a chainsaw and hedgetrimmer with me on every trip :lol:
And off course ear protection because the cab wasn't insulated at all.
 
I was only suggesting 6" as an example, it could be any height.
 
For a minimum of hassle I used a moderate spring lift 2,5" on mine.
Adding some weight front and rear and you stay within the original design limitations.

You can run some large tyres 33 " and have a great vehicle.

If you want even larger tyres and don't mind sluggish acceleration and braking you can then lift the body several inches. And you're into 35" tyres game.
Everything will still hold up to moderate 4wheeling and sidehills aren't to big of a worry.

What will probably happen with these size tyres is that the vehicle really doesn't have enough weight to make them work, so you're running around with slick mud coated donuts.
Even at near zero pressure, great for sand, but useless in sticky mud.
Such large tyres on normal rims also are the antichrist of the balancing shop. :whistle:

To get the 35" tyres to work it is recommended you spin them when in mud, using the centrifugal forces to clear the muck. High power mudding equals high maintenance vehicles.
Or as they say: You Play, You Pay!
 
Holy thread resurrection Batman !

I've decided to go this route on my 80 (body & suspension lift) at a cost increase i might add for several reasons .

Basically to get the "look" without compromising on/off road ability but rather enhancing both with more clearance and articulation without deviating much from Toyota's spec .

So while a body lift seem's very straight forward in principal , remove bumpers , radiator cowl and i assume steering rod (though i haven't looked yet) . I'm also assuming a 1.5" body lift requires no steering spacer ?

I will be alone doing this so any time saving hints would be appreciated ?

Mines a manual gearbox by the way .
 
@Shayne What height lift are you trying to achieve and what size tyre are you looking to run???
 
Hi Tommy

1.5 inch body lift with a 3" suspension lift and 35" mud tyres on wheels that will likely force me to extend the arches somehow .
 
I think the biggest headache with a body lift is getting the rad back to align with the engine and the unsightly gap between bumpers and body. Sometimes a problem with the gear levers catching against the tunnel openings, but I can’t imagine that slowing young Shayne down too much :lol:

I prefer suspension lifts to get that extra bit of travel, but sorting out the geometry afterwards can be another headache.

A combo of the two like Shayne has on the Black Beast of Barry might halve the problems, but personally I still don’t like the way bumpers don’t align after a body lift, but I guess modding the bumper mountings is an option.
 
So what the price difference between the 3” lift kit and the 4” lift kit from superior?? I would guess not enough to make fitting a body lift worth while (in my opinion - for what that’s worth)

I see a body lift as a last resort (again this is just my opinion) I don’t like the adjustment you have to make to the vehicle components and the look of the gap between the chassis and body for that you actually gain.

Looks like a 4” kit starts at around 4500 AuD

The 80 series really works well on a good 4” suspension kit and 35” tyres.
 
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This route buys a headache Clive because it means i can't just buy steel bumpers and fit , and why buy a bumper just to chop it up . It would be very easy to put standard bumpers back where they should be but i kind of like the idea of custom made steel ;)

Can of worms ......................
 
This route buys a headache Clive because it means i can't just buy steel bumpers and fit , and why buy a bumper just to chop it up . It would be very easy to put standard bumpers back where they should be but i kind of like the idea of custom made steel ;)

Can of worms ......................

Shayne, I've got Ians old 80 round the back slowly being dismantled. You can have the body lift bobbins if you want them when I get round to getting them off. That way you can try the body lift without any expense.

Just a thought.
 
I could write a book with my thought processes Tommy but if i was going with just suspension it would be a 5" lift from superior , and the fact is i don't need it so why gamble with the some do some don't suffer drivetrain vibration .
Availability plays a part to if i fail an M.O.T for a leaking shock am i gonna leave the truck there while i wait for a spare to be delivered from Australia . I guess my Pedders shocks failing for no reason at all after very little use has made me cautious .

Stacked weight to , body roll , a double decker bus is very stable
 
Cheers Andy but 60 quid is neither here nor there so i may as well have shiny new bolts , wish i could find someone selling the mount rubbers though just to replace while i'm at it .
 
Cheers Andy but 60 quid is neither here nor there so i may as well have shiny new bolts , wish i could find someone selling the mount rubbers though just to replace while i'm at it .

Mr T sells ‘em.... :whistle:
 
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