'99 Body Lift

[BonesDT]

does anyone know where a write up for installing a PA-883 on a '99 is? What differences do i have to be aware of? i know the front and rear bumper brackets dont work, but i think there is something about shorter bolts. anyone have details?

 

[GR899V8]

The front bumper brackets worked on my '99 but I had to make the rear ones. Be careful of the emergency brake cable being too short. The radiator supports are tuff, I had to leave the driver's side off. I think most people buy the correct length metric bolts, but I didn't have that opportunity. I took the bolts that were too long and drilled out the threads on the piece that they screw into, and added washers and nuts.

I raised the rear bumper only 2" because it looks really dorky with the bumper up high and my hitch way down low.

There are lots of threads on this subject, and probably one with step-by-step instructions. However, the instructions with the kit were pretty close except don't need 4 of the spacers and don't use the spacers for the pickup bed. I forgot to pre-bend my brake lines by the ABS valve, but they bent themselves when I raised it up, no problem.

It took a long weekend to do it by myself, and I wasted several hours trying to remove the cooling fan that I didn't need to remove.

Good luck!!

 

[BonesDT]

oh, so the kit comes with SE threaded bolts and we need metric? is that what the whole drilling out the threads thing is about? can anyone find a writeup?

 

[section525]

No, you have and need metric. The kit comes with too many 180mm bolts and not enough 150mm and 160mm. The bolts only have so much thread on them so he's saying he just drilled the threads out so the bolt would slip all the way through the body mount and then just capped it with a nut. Its easier to just get two 150mm bolts before you start the lift. (Which I did not do either). Just take one of the bolts your lift comes with into a hardware store or fastener place. They'll hook you up.

 

[BonesDT]

oh i see, so your saying that the bolts arnt fully threaded, so you cant just chop them shorter. thanks for the tip. ill get new bolts

 

[GR899V8]

No, I think ALL of the bolts are metric, anyway they are all the same size thread, old ones and new ones. Problem comes when we add 3" of lift. There must be different length stock bolts for the truck compared to the X, since the new ones don't all match length perfectly. All I know is I didn't have to buy any, I made it work. I've seen a thread here that explained it well, maybe try "body lift bolt length" in search, I found lots of "horror stories"!

 

[BonesDT]

horror stories???? what are you talking about? do you mean fan belts tearing through the hoses?

 

[section525]

Yes, but that what guinea pigs are for. As long as you take your time doing the lift, have at least one other person with you while doing it (so they can check all the lines, cables etc, while you're lifting, and before you start the engine after you're done, check everywhere around the fan, belts, etc. You'll be set. I didn't have any problems with mine at all. But I checked everywhere just to be certain. The body lift was suprisingly easy. Don't get psyched out. Just read as much as you can about it and be prepared as possible. My only recommendations are: you get the shorter bolts before you do the lift (that way you dont tamper with the body mounts (incase you want to take the lift out one day), you should warm up the front mounts with a torch for easier loosening. Have a dremel to grind out your steering extension (and do not grind on your steering shaft for the same reason for not altering your body mounts). Make sure you loctite everything and I think thats about it.

 

[BonesDT]

damn, ive been researching this all summer and im still learning things. i just found out that i got to grind out the extension. can you undo loctite?

 

[section525]

Yes, theres Red and Blue loctite. One is more permanant than the other but I forgot which is which. But the kit will come with loctite (the red stuff).

 

[SplashMan]

This write up works for a '99. It is the one we followed (the guy who wrote it helped with the B/L).

 

[BonesDT]

anyone know where i can get the PA-883? i called desert rat a few weeks ago and some guy told me $125 including shipping and it can get here in 3-4 days. I just called today to order it and now its $140 without shipping and it takes a week to ship plus they dont have it in stock for 1-2 weeks.

 

[section525]

I think someone figured it was cheaper to get the 853 kit and buy the brackets from the 883 (if you wanted to). If you get the 883 you'll have to buy the steering extension, which is about $60 I believe. Anyone want to back this up?

PS Try http://www.4wheelparts.com

 

[SplashMan]

I got mine from www.jcwhitney.com

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by section525
I think someone figured it was cheaper to get the 853 kit and buy the brackets from the 883 (if you wanted to). If you get the 883 you'll have to buy the steering extension, which is about $60 I believe. Anyone want to back this up?

PS Try http://www.4wheelparts.com

That is only for '95 - '97 Explorers. The '98 and up need the extension and front bumper brackets from kit # 883. The '95 - '97 Explorers need the steering extension from kit # 853 and the front bumper brackets from kit # 883. The bumper brackets are cheaper than the steering extension. Since the kits are priced the same it is cheaper to get kit # 853 and order the brackets from kit # 883 when you have a '95 - '97. On a '98 and up it is cheaper to get kit # 883.

I ordered mine from Off-road Warehouse in California for about $125 about 15 months ago.

 

[section525]

Gotcha! Thanks Robert. Now I'm educated!

 

[BonesDT]

aight cool. 4wheelparts said $210! i just got it from JCWhitney for $155 with the shipping. ill get it by next week.

i just had some things fixed at the dealership. i asked the guy and he said that a body lift alone (with stock tires) would void my entire extended warrantyt. his doesnt sound right. how does a body lift affect things like a transmission or transfer case?? is this true?

gr899, you said earlier to be careful of a short parking break. what do i do if its too short?

 

[GR899V8]

Look under the driver's door and you'll see the body mount bracket that also holds the e-brake cable. When the body is lifted 3", the e-brake cable goes up with the body but the bracket stays with the frame. I had to use a piece of steel about 3" long and used it to "move" the mounting hole for the cable about 3" higher than before. Others have said they just removed the e-brake cable fastner from the firewall and there's enough slack to move it, but mine appears to go straight through the floor, not the firewall.

If you do have to make a bracket like I did, make sure it's very strong because there's alot of pressure on that cable when the brake is applied.

 

[section525]

As far as the warranty goes I think it's a dealer thing. My buddy bought a new F150, put 4" suspension lift, 3" body lift, 38" tires, new gears, shift kit, blah blah blah... and he still had everything fixed under warranty. If you have a cool dealer who likes what you're doing, it's all good. PS this was down in SoCal (Thousand OaKS)