What are the Pros and Cons of lifting?

[Dan E.]

I'm planning on lifting my explorer 2.5". I want to know what the pros and cons are.

 

[97bignslow]

the cons are...

after your done with the lift, you'll put on new tires, then shocks, then springs, then exhaust, then air box, then wires, then plugs, then headers....

 

[Goober]

pro: increased fun, con: increased cost
pro: increase wheel articulation, con: increase cost
pro: attention getter, con: attention getter
pro: becoming a wolf instead of being one of the sheep
pro: meeting others like you, except you did it first, con: your constantly getting asked for help
pro/con: perhaps a babe magnet(I'm married so I don't know)
pro: getting an education in Explorer modifications, con: losing a pound of skin for almost all mods.
pro: you'll love the results, con: you'll never finish


In a seriousness, once you start you will never finish. After one thing is done, it's on to the next. You will love the results you get, just make sure to plan ahead and if you are wanting to do a certain thing, stick with your plan. Don't go cheap because in the end it will cost more. As far as driving , etc.. I have a 4" and have had no problems to date. Just follow the instructions, don't rush, make sure ALL the parts are there before you start and ask if your not sure. Good luck.

[Edited by Goober on 11-03-2000 at 10:40 AM]

 

[Dan E.]

My friend says that if you lift it, you wear out the tires and engine faster. Is that true?

 

[Goober]

You can wear out the tires if you don't get it aligned like your supposed to. If you only do a body lift your not messing with the suspension at all, so it wouldn't matter anyway. If you go with a suspension, you will have to go the extra cost for caster bushings to get it aligned right. Just because of the nature of what your doing, sometimes it can never get back where it was, but it can be close. Mine has pulled left and had the shakes at 65 since I bought it, so I am used to it. Now with the larger tires, it can just be annoying sometimes, so I am trying different things to stop/help it. I have not noticed much wear even with my problems, the BFG KO's wear great.
As far as it wearing out the motor faster. Not really. The larger tires may wear on the driveline a little because of the difference in wheel/gear ratios, but if you drive it normal, you should have the same or close to the same motor life as it would be without doing anything. Just keep in mind this isn't a sports car, its is a truck and it weighs mucho powered by a little V-6.

 

[Martinez]

I was interested in lifting my truck at least 2". I was planning on a suspension lift in order to clear larger rocks on the way. Would a 2" lift make my truck unstable to the point of it becoming dangerous?

Gee I have pretty close to 8" of lift including the tires from stock height. Two inches is not gonna make it unstable.
Ray

It will make it harder to wash. I bet all you guys are tall and have no problem, but I have a hard time washing the top!!
I don't know many tall Mexicans, but that's what ladders are for, at least that's what we short Mexicans use.
Ray

[Edited by Ray Lobato on 11-03-2000 at 05:06 PM]

 

[Gary Steeber]

It will make it harder to wash. I bet all you guys are tall and have no problem, but I have a hard time washing the top!! [/B][/QUOTE]

I'm over 6 feet tall and I need a step stool to wash the top on my Exploder. My wife can't hardly get in anymore but Oh well I have to do trails without her. HeHeHe

 

[Lamah]

i'm looking to get a lift for my explorer too. And now that i read this thread, i'm wondering what the difference between a suspention lift and just a body lift. The body lift sounds easier, but what does it acctually do for the truck ?

also, another con to the lift is that when you get a lift, you usually get larger tires, which throws off your speedometer, but now-a-days no one pays much attention to those anyways


Thanks,
Jeff A.K.A. Lamah

 

[Goober]

Lamah, your speedo works?...Cool!



Nah, mine works too, it's just off a bit. I just hang with the traffic and all has been fine. The body lift is a little easier and cheaper. The body lift uses large bushings to seperate the body from the frame. It doesn't affect the suspension at all(well steering, maybe). You'll then be able to put on larger tires. This really doesn't do a whole lot for clearing large obsticles, but it does help. A suspension lift moves the axles down via drop brackets. This gives you the ability to install larger tires and improves articulation. The downside for this is... cost. The supension lift is more costly and the initial alignment will be more(for caster bushings). It all depends on what you want to do and how much your willing to part with.

Beware::: once you start, you can stop.

 

[JayR]

You know whats funny? When you start and say your only adding a few things just a couple hundred dollars, few months later, your broke, own a business, have 2 other jobs and still want more... Does it ever stop, we all hope not, but go big, cuz you'll wish you did later. Also anyone have a 2 inch bodylift I just ordered mine from summit, should be here in 2 weeks, 33's here I come!

 

[Perry]

lift

Only 2 inches????
Have you ever said to yourself,well maybe 4" or even 5.5 would be nice later. If that is the case, go for what you think is what you would want to end up with.
If you are like all the other guys here, you do something then you see or go with someone that has something a little bigger so then YOU HAVE TO DO IT!!!
I NEVER thought I would want lockers, but after our CCR2000 run and see what they did, guess who is looking for lockers??
You do get caught up in it if you do any four wheeling.
Good luck on your choice. There is a lot of things you can do.

 

[JayR]

Perry I said the same thing. I told myself I was sticking with a 2 inch and 31's but who has a 2 inch body lift and 33's in the mail. O yea, NICE TRUCK!
O yea and im kicking myself for not going for the 5.5 lift.



[Edited by JayR on 11-04-2000 at 05:56 PM]

 

[RobbieJ]

Just a quick word of advice. The only thing you get from a 2 or 2.5" lift is the desire to lift it higher! If you are going to spend the money go for the 5.5, you'll thank your self on the end. I dished out for a 2.5 and now 2 months later I'm dishing out for a 5.5. Just my .02, It's all that I have left. RobbieJ

 

[Perry]

Thanks JayR,
You should check out the "Before and after in 3 months" of my truck under the before and after thread. You can see what it looked like when I first started. It helps when your dad has a small body shop I guess.

 

[JayR]

Perry, Yea Ive seen it, it was white with the banged up bumper i couldetn see thepurple paint. Nice, Nice... Any Go big,... cuz you want more!