I've been thinking about lifting my truck a bit, probably 3 or 5 inches, not too high my grandparents can't get in it and just high enough to make it look nice with my 33s (I have to wait and see if I'll be parking in a garage at college or not because if I will be, then it will be a big chance because as it is it seems like I'm very close to hitting the top). My question is how much would that affect milage? I already have the tires (285's) so would just be getting the lift. How much should I be looking to spend for parts and then taking it to a shop to install? Also, whats the differences between a suspension and body lift?

 

A 3" susp. would be the cheapest. A few ppl here have used the top gun customz 3" lift and like it. Its like 189 plus shipping. I have no clue what a shop would charge you to put it on. The lift shouldnt affect milage much...you will be sitting up higher so that might mess with areodynamics and wind resistance a bit, but it shouldnt be much. A body lift is jst that it lifts jst the body. A suspension lift lifts the entire truck at the suspension. A suspension lift is much better imo.

 

3" suspension would definitely be wisest, especially because you would be able to purchase a 3" for the least amount of money. Specifically that topgun kit, you can definitely find it on ebay for around 190, and if you're a little handy and have the tools, you would be able to install it yourself.

Spoken from a college student myself, I understand the parking garage dillemma (arrrghhhhh college parking sucks...). I have an '01 offroad with 285/70r17's and a 2" leveling kit. Our garages here at The University of Alabama are around 7' clearance, which I make comfortably (although it looks scary from inside the cab). I would imagine that a 3" lift would give your truck the stance that you want, fit in the garage, and allow your grandparents to get into the cab without too much difficulty, providing you have some sort of step bar. Also, I would suggest against going any larger than a 3" lift if you plan to stick with your 33"s. My truck looks good, but I wouldn't want any more room in the wheelwells than I have now to provide a good looking stance. Just my $.02 there.

I agree with habeba86, I doubt you will have much affect on mileage, just whatever differences there are in Aero. Anyone on here will tell you to go for a suspension lift compared to a body lift, and for the 190$ topgun lift, your price difference will not be that great. A body lift essentially places blocks inbetween the frame of your truck and the cab of your truck, giving the apperance that your truck is sitting higher, when your cab/body is all that has been raised. A suspension lift will actually greaten the distance between the frame of your truck and the axles where they sit. This gives you more suspension travel and clearance when offroading, or whatever.

Also, there are problems that may be expected when installing any body lift. Since your bumpers are attached to the frame, they will need to be raised (either with a seperate bumper kit, or with our dodges, you can drill new holes to make the bumpers sit higher). And if in the worst case you ever get in an accident, your cab and body will create leverage against the frame with a body lift, which can create much greater pressure and strain on your frame. The extra $$ up front for a suspension kit may very well prove to be more than worth it in the end. Once again, just my $.02.

Let us know how it all turns out if you decide to lift it.
Where are you planning on going to school?

 

Thanks for all that info. I do have step bars already (don't think they could get in without them ). Theres still a couple of things I need to look into first, such as if I were to lift it, going with any smaller tire would probably look bad so I would have to stick with my 33s when the time comes to replace them. I have bad acceleration now because I still have 3.55 gears and I don't think I would want to always have that so I would probably have to get new gears.

I will be going to Stony Brook University majoring in Mechanical Engineering (all this truck stuff has got me interested ). Its only 25 mins from my dads house here on the island.