jeepnyak

so the general concensus is that we should stay away from the 2" body lift from bds or any other 2" lift for that matter.

so I guess it comes down to a 1" lift.
m.o.r.e.--------------------------aluminum--$150.00 shipped
daystar--------------------------Urethane--$195.90 shipped
performance accessories-----nylon-------$95.96 shipped

does anybody have pics of installed BL not from disatance, but of mounts?
give me your 2 cents

TEEJ

To a degree, with JK's and other modern designs...its largely an aesthetic opinion. In the olden days, it was because the body would side forward off of the frame in an accident, etc.

The tower types (Traditional "Pucks") are the most obvious....from the outside, especially a rear view, you see the tower of puck, and it looks out of place, etc.

The daystar design that doesn't use a round puck, and mounts to the frame, with the stock body mount above it going to the body...looks more like a stock mount, but as far as I know, is only available as a 1" BL.

Most of the 1" BL's on the JK don't show as much, as the body mounts are more inboard than on the older designs, and the JK is built with larger panel gaps to allow flexing of panels, etc....so the 1" BL on the JK is all but unnoticeable except for the larger tires that then fit, etc.



I doubt a 2" BL, if done with appropriately strengthened materials, etc, would pose a structural problem in of itself....its the GAP it creates that most people cringe at.

Not having DONE a 2" BL on a JK...but extrapolating 2" BL's on other trucks, etc...sometimes the primary issue is the body to frame connections (AC lines, gas filler tube, shifter floor panel clearance, etc...) and what's required to get them to go that extra inch...for example, your floor mounted shifters for the t-case, manual tranny, etc, are all suddenly 2" shorter/closer to the floor, the steering shaft, the AC and brake lines that are clipped to the body and frame need some more slack to stretch to the new position 2" away, etc.

So - that extra inch might merely prove to involve a lot of work-arounds....or it may be a piece of cake.

Westbayou

I keep seeing threads like this, so I gotta ask. Why on earth would you buy a body lift instead of the Rough Country budget boost? They are almost the same price, and having done body lifts in the past, I can tell you the BB is easier to install than the body lift and the results are better. You will be happier with the RC BB, I can guarantee you.

pulman01

For me it would be to add one more inch of clearance without increasing my center of gravity. I may go the tubefender route b/c I have seen pics of tube fenders with a 2.5" BL, 1" BL that looked like it easily clear 37's.

Westbayou

Guess I should clarify. I understand putting a 1" body lift on top of a regular suspension related lift to get that little extra clearance, but I am talking about the "I have no lift now and want to clear a little larger tire so I want a body lift" crowd.

Oh, and body lifts still increase your center of gravity just not as much. Higher is still higher.

TEEJ

_____________________


I guess the answer is that you have no idea what each does.

One raises the body, so you have room for larger tires at a rate of 2" more tire diameter per 1" of BL...therefore, a 2" BL will let you go from ~33's to 37's on stuffage.

A 2" BB only raises your ride height, so at ride height, you also get 2" of additional tire diameter for each 1" of BB...but, when stuffed, you can only fit the same sized tires as stock, unless you surrender your uptravel articulation with longer bumpstops, etc.

IE: A BL allows you to PRESERVE uptravel articulation, and an SL (BB's are SL's...) requires you to run smaller tires, or install bumpstop extensions.


So - for poser height/mall crawling, sure...the cheapest way to a particular height is fine.

If you actually rock the JK, well, the JK will be more stable if the tire can go up, but leave the body level.

The JK will be less stable if the tire cannot stuff, hits a stop, and that corner is forced to raise the body/frame, tipping you over more, making the other tire hang, etc.

So - the BEST answer is always do BOTH, as each has a particular function.


The BL, in of itself, just makes room for larger tires....by making a fixed distance of extra room for the tire to stuff freely w/o hitting. And, of course, the larger tires raise the ENTIRE jeep, including the axles and diffs, not just the frame....which in turn improves approach and departure/break over angles. (The body pieces are higher....out of the way higher off the frame, the frame parts are where ever the larger tires lifted them too.


The BB, in of itself, just raises your ride height...and improves approach and departure/break over angles....but leaves the axles/diffs at their previous height, and really doesn't increase the tire size that fits, merely stops the axle from rising and letting the larger tires hit...so you hit sooner, loosing uptravel...but, you essentially "Pre-Drooped" the suspension....so you have little down travel left...but, the tire does have further up to go to hit.

If I had to do ONLY one, and I wanted to keep my center of gravity low/still fit in garages, etc...I'd do a BL over a SL, its more bang for the buck over all.

I always do BOTH though, as each contributes its own advantages.

So - THAT's Why a person might do a BL over a BB for the same $....more overall gain in performance/capability, due to the true lift of the entire Jeep, diffs and all, plus the added flotation and traction of larger tires....assuming you add larger tires when you do a BL.

If NOT getting larger tires....a BL is pointless except for rare exceptions like more room under the truck to raise gas tanks or evap canisters out of the way, etc....so for most people, a BL ONLY makes sense if going LARGER than 33's.

As for center of gravity...you can't even feel the difference a BL makes, as the body is very light compared to the frame (Which has the body on it anyway...)

So, when I did my first BL (2") I didn't have to slow down for off ramps, curves, etc...it felt about the same.

When I did my first SL (3"), I noticed it big time...not enough to worry about, but, definitely noticeable.

So neither type of lift in that range of height is a big deal COG-wise...but, the BB will raise a few thousand pounds 2" higher....vs a few hundred lb for the BL.

That means it makes a real difference in COG...the BB raises a lot more weight than the BL, and, if leaning over on a hillside...you CAN tell a big difference.







Hope that helps!

Westbayou

No reason to act like a tool dude, I've been in the Jeep game longer than most on this board. I just posed a simple question. Myself, on my YJ I did both a 2.5" suspension lift and a 1" body lift. I'm pretty familiar with how they work.

If you had read my second reply to this thread, I clarified that stock for stock, I think a BB would be a better way to go than a 2" body lift just on the bang for your buck basis. On a stock JK a BB doesn't get you anywhere close to where you need to be worried about your center of gravity.

jeepnyak

i have the teraflex 2.5 bb alreay.
i have a kargo masterk congo cage that sits 4 inches above my top, really looking to decrease gap in the back. i know i'm going with one. which, is my question.

JFRITZ

I have the MORE 1" BL on top of a 2"BB. I really liked that set up. I will be putting a 3" lift on this month. Sorry I don't have any close up pics. With my BL you can see the bottom pich seams around the tub, but you get used to it.
good luck.

Westbayou

Ah, sorry about that, I assumed from your signature you hadn't done any lift yet. I used a Performance Accessories 1" body lift on my YJ and was very happy with it. From what I have seen these days, a body lift is a body lift, so any reputable company is a safe bet.

Also, sorry about the thread hijack, I was attempting to be constructive, i.e. if you hadn't done a BB you should consider one over just a body lift.