Problems installing body lift

[Buckshot]

YUP, here ya go sber, don't ever say i never did nothing for ya

You're hilarious. It took me a few minutes to even see the tools.....guess I was distracted by the beer!

 

[Buckshot]

Ok - update on my nightly body lift saga this week.

I am now down to 3 bolts remaining.... and of course two of them are in the front, but 1 is in the back next to the hatch on the passenger side. All three are spinning the bushings. Aren't these stupid things supposed to be welded to the frame? I can't believe I broke three mounts, so I must not be doing it right.

On the two in the front, I even removed the lock nut on the top of the mount using a 20" extension inserted into the holes next to the radiator. I've used pipe wrenches, strap wrenches, and locking pliers. Nothing holds these @#$@ things. I'm ready to grind them off or drill the bolts out unless someone has a better idea?

Thoughts?

 

[dman726749]

no idea on how to help, but atleast you will have it down when its time for you to do mine

 

[Buckshot]

Sure, bring it on down - no sense in you having to repeat my mistakes. THAT would take a lifetime!

 

[dman726749]

haha

 

[TheRookie]

*NOTICE* Before doing this confirm that the local ford dealer has new mounts for a decent price.

Grind them off man. www.jamesduff.com has a whole set of body mounts for like 100 bucks if memory serves. they do get beat

 

[Buckshot]

Ok everyone - I finally have ALL bolts off and have inserted all the lift blocks - and I did it without cutting or grinding. It takes a lot of elbow grease and some 6-inch-jaw-18-inch-long-channel-locks. But of course, I can't quite finish yet - I still have to drill out the front bushing mounts so I can get that bolt in, and then its time to finish putting everything back together.

Truck looks AWESOME at that height, but the tires are now too small....

WTB - fibreglass fenders, BFG MT 35x12.5x15, and 15x8 3.75 BS rims
F/S - BFG AT 31x10.5x15 on factory teardrop 15x7's - less than 3 months old

 

[metstalker]

wait until you have to put on the bumpers..
can you customize things

 

[SVO]

wait until you have to put on the bumpers..
can you customize things

Congrats on getting the bolts out, I know it can be a witch, sure would be nice to see some pics when your done.


Mmmmmmmm customize! yeah you should have seen the cutting I did to get just the rear bumper on, an the 4" grinder jumped right out of my hands and tried to attack dejello too.


The funny thing is, a year ago we installed it and now just the other week I pulled it all back out because of being "too tall".

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125889&highlight=death+wobble





Jeff - :navajo:

 

[Buckshot]

ok, so I just realized that I was thinking that the bolts discussions in gJarrets thread (see his elite registry) were saying that the bolts would be TOO LONG, not too short like I thought. So I measured, and they are about 1/2 inch too long in most cases, I figure, hey no problem, so it'll stick out below the bushing a little, right? WRONG. The shaft of the bolts are not completely threaded, so the threads go in and then the shaft hits the top threads and the bolt goest nowhere.

READ, read, and the re-read. I just hope I didn't strip the mounts out.

If I did strip the mounts out, would you think it would still be safe by drilling them out and getting bolts that are even longer so they go all the way through the mounts and then putting locknuts on the underside of the mounts?

Does anyone have the EXACT sizes of the bolts needed AFTER the 3" lift - in particular the thread length since these bolts would have been FINE if they were threaded all the way up the shaft....

 

[ExplorerSportNu]

What in the sam hell are you doing over there sber??? This is going on a week long body lift expierence for you I don't know the lengths on the bolts but I can find out when I get off work, I still had a couple bolts left that I didn't use, that can't be good, but i'll measure them for ya and if there the shorter ones, hell I'll give em to ya. Oh yeah my kit did have all the bolts that were needed plus a couple extras.

 

[Buckshot]

Yeah - yeah -yeah. I'm an idiot. Powertools in the hands of a computer geek. Good thing I can laugh at myself!

Mine kit has plenty of bolts too, but my bolts weren't threaded all the way through, so the unthreaded shaft of the #$$#%@ bolt stops it from going all the way in....I'm tempted to just hammer them through and put a nut on the bottom.....

 

[ExplorerSportNu]

AAAAHHHHHHH, now I see what your talking about if I remember correclty we had a few like this on mine, we just got a whole bunch of washers and put as many as were needed above the block so on top near the head of the bolt is where we placed the extra washers on mine to get it to thread through and be tight fit NOW i dont know if this meets saftey standards but my cab has not separated from the frame yet - Well now that I re-read it mabey thats not what your talking about

 

[dreamr]

I had to purchase two xtra bolts at 15omm lengths. We also reused the longest stock bolts so you may want 4 150 mm's

 

[Buckshot]

Just got the fix....12mmx1.75mmthread Hex metric die.

Take the longer bolts that come with the kit, and add some more threads yourself. The Hanson set cuts 8.8 grade bolts....

Someone *please* learn from my mistakes....I never seem to.

 

[Buckshot]

Ok - I guess this really shouldn't be called "Problems with BL" anymore since it is DONE! Well, except for the pesky bumpers, but I think I'm gonna just live with the gap until I get some made.

Now, for the post-body lift issues. Anyone else have really tight steering after a 3" lift? Any suggestions on what to do about it?

 

[Premier]

Why did you change your name?

 

[Buckshot]

Trying to match up all the screen names from different websites. Too hard trying to remember 10 different screen names and passwords...plus....cammoflauged truck....buckshot fits

 

[TheRookie]

If you do a search about the body lift and bumpers you will find info on how to raise them. Following this they are actualy rather easy. You will even find a diagram someone made for new brackets.

 

[taxx]

As for the bumpers, if your struggling with them give me a shout and come over one friday or saturday and we can fab up some new brackets and make some modifications. the 2" BL you can do ti by drilling new holes in the stock brackets but we will have to be creative with yours. All you need to bring is beer.

lately working on the EB every friday and sat anyways so I am out in the garage. Just shoot me a PM if you want to try and figure something out, but do it over on rrorc cause I am not good about checking my PMs here.