body lift tech help

[brodie hynd]

alright it has finally arrived. i got the three inch body kit(part#883) from performance asc. now i want to install it. If you any of you experinced guys that have done this to a 99 xlt 4x4 could please give me some tech tips and help me with info. I know that i need to drill some hole bigger to fit the new bolt. If you guys could tell me which one that would be great. And if there is ne other things like this that i should know please let me know.
Thanks a lot men. Happy trails :redexp:

 

[section525]

Get your two 150mm bolts before you start the lift.

You'll need to drill the very front two mounts out to 1/2". Theres a sleeve, you'll see what I mean.

Other than that.. it should be a smoooooth lift. Just take your time and watch while jacking the truck up for things getting caught up or stretched.

You don't have a V8, right?

 

[GR899V8]

section525, just curious...

I did a body lift on my V8, I'm wondering why you asked if he had a V8. Is it more difficult to do one or the other?

Thanks....

 

[section525]

Well, if you don't know youre supposed to hack off that piece of the radiator... like it didnt... then you'd think the lift was impossible! Know what I mean?

 

[brodie hynd]

so section525 are you sayng that i need to buy 2 150mm bolts. what for.

 

[brodie hynd]

come on guys i really need this help. Give me all you got. I owe you guys.

 

[SplashMan]

I never had to buy any more bolts for my body lift, we used the ones from the kit and reused some of the stock bolts. You are going to have to drill out the two core bushings located in the front, but a good 1/2" bit will do that in no time.

Here is the best writeup out there on this...

 

[section525]

On mine, I had to buy two new bolts baecause I was four bolts short, however, I used the two very rear stock bolts right behind the rear seats (because they were the longest).

 

[Sherwood]

I used the same link as Splashman but one thing I didnt do as stated in that great writeup is I didnt cut the carpet as it states to gain access to the body bolts in the cab. I unbolted the seats just enough to raise them a bit and roll the carpet back to gain access to the bolts. A little more work but I saved my carpet. I printed these instructions out and used them to install the very same kit you bought on my Ex.

 

[section525]

On my 4dr, I didn't have to cut carpet or unbolt seats. Must be a body style thing...

 

[taxx]

In my sport it was tight but I didn't have to unbolt the seats or cut the carpet....

You can use the bolts included if you drill out the necessary mounts and also use the nuts included. A lot easier than trying to find good long metric bolts

 

[Sherwood]

I also pulled the studs through on the front bumper brackets that came with the kit. I didnt like how weak they were so I just pulled them through and used grade 5 or 8 bolts instead. Had to do a lot of cutting and trimming on the front bumper to get it back to stock look and used black paint to help prevent rusting in those cut areas. The back bumber I just used 1/4" plate steel and made my own brackets and it worked better and is a lot stronger than the ones that came with the kit. And most importantly, when lifting the truck, lift an inch or two and do a walk around the truck to make sure nothing is binding up anywhere especially in the engine compartment. I hung up my air conditioner hose around my pulley and could have done some major damage had I not noticed it before I started her up for the first time. The parking brake cable needs to be watched to along with the transmission cable. Take your time and keep your eyes open and it is rather easy.The front bumper was my worst problem. But I'm just a perfectionist and like everything to look and be the same as it was when I pulled it off.

 

[taxx]

front bumper is the biggest pain. I only lifted my body 2" so I was able to redrill my factory brackets and make it work. If you search around there are some templates on here that can help you make new brackets for the front.