i usually dont like body lifts, but im very strapped for cash right now (not workin cuz its football season) but at the same time im dyin to get my truck higher.....


so im kinda lookin at body lifts. id much rather do a suspension lift first, but my eventual goal is to have 3inch BL and 3 inch SL (like radwebsters) so i figure i may as well do the cheaper one first (just to get one of them done)


but my question is this; ive heard that body lifts are particurally bad about falling out on old fords, and i was just kinda wonderin if anyone has had problems with the blocks slipping out on these dodges? i dont really understand how it can be more likely to slip out on certain makes and models, but thats what im told.


also as far as body lifts go i cant ever seem to understand which ones need steering/linkage extensions....... would my 95 (auto) need anything like that?

 

I've had no problems what so ever with my BL. I think people that hear horor stories are from people that do some hick *** BL with some hockey pucks or 2x4's. If you buy a good namebrand (mines Trail Master) BL I think you'll be fine. The blocks can't slip out on these cause the bolt goes right through the middle of it. The blocks themselfs are made of some crazy high stregnth plastic material and the kits come with new longer bolts which are sufficient.

I have a '97 auto. For your '95 you'll need a steering extension which is simply a square tube that comes with the good kits. You also need an extension for the transmission linkage, also included with a good kit.

An extension for the t-case shifter also comes with the kit, but its not needed. The only thing it does is raise the t-case shifter back to the level it was before the BL. Mines a little low, but it doesn't bother me at all since you really don't shift it enough to bug you.

In my opinion, go for it!! If you have any questions go ahead and ask of PM me. I did my myself in my buddies shop. 3 hours, but we did have nice things like a lift and impact gun. Not to mention every other tool known to man!

 

Performance Accessories makes the best BL kit. I just ordered a 3" BL for my 99 Ram 1500 Sport, and im putting it in next weekend. There will be 3 of us doing the lift. We have never done one before, but it looks pretty straight forward. I also ordered the Borgeson steering shaft replacement, so I dont have to use the spacer that comes with the kit (even though it looks really high quality) I'll keep everybody posted on how it goes!

 

there is absoloutley nothing wrong with a body lift.

People stay away from them because of all of the getto home jobs gone wrong.

I say go for it!

 

hey Tempsho would you mind taking pictures of exactly what you have to do with the steering shaft? thatd be great if you have a digital camera



the steering and transmission linkage that socha said i needed; do either of those require welding?

 

I just did mine last weekend, took me about 8 hours by myself. I had to weld an insert for the shift linkage(came with the kit) a PA kit. I don't weld so for 15 bux I bought a new linkage rod from the dealer and had a shop weld it for me before I did the install. There are four metal blocks that they say have to be tack welded to the frame to support the bed where there are no original bolts. Insted of doing that I used an angle drill and drilled up through the frame and bolted them on. It really is pretty easy to do.

I put a new borgenson shaft in at the same time(don't need the steering extension with it) Can't use the steering extension even if you wanted to with a borgenson shaft. It's not the same connection.

The welding part is what I didn't like, but that's how I got around it and it cost me a total of 25 bux

 

im confused did you buy the steering extension or the shift linkage? or do both require welding? and when you bought a longer one at the dealer did they install it or did you take it somewhere else? thanx for that info!

 

The steering extension requires no welding. I bought a new shift linkage rod from the dealer and cut that in half myself and had a shop weld in the insert a few days before I installed the BL kit. So I wouldn't be stuck with out a truck trying to find somebody to weld the original for me on the day I did the lift. That should be the only part that needs to be welded. You cant buy a longer one for it.

The shift linkage just snaps out of 2 plastic gromets. I used a small pry bar to remove it. And then you just snap the extened one back in.


http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech/bodylift.php
This link might help you some

 

The steering extension comes with the PA body lift kit. It is a machined extension thats about 1.5" long. The stock steering shaft doesnt extend long enough, that's why the kit comes with it. If you have the $$, get the borgeson steering shaft. Its way heavier duty than the stock one and then you dont have to use the spacer.

My truck is a 5 speed, so i dont need to weld in any shifter extension. The t-case shifter doesnt need to be modified.

Hopefully that helps a bit.