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Body Lift Verse Suspension Lift
MICHAEL HAYES EXPLAINS THE FACTS! WHAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU AND YOUR RIG?
When it comes to going off-road, lift kits are by far the best way to get the most out of our 4WDs, but what sort of lift would best suit you?
There are two different types of lift kit available - the body lift and suspension lift - and knowing exactly what you're trying to achieve and what suits your vehicle will end up saving you a lot of money and will get you the result you need. So if you're thinking about adding a lift kit, here is a quick guide to help you get it right the first time around. Deciding whether you are just chasing a lift for the aesthetics and the advantages of bigger tyres, or if you are keen on turning your rig into an off-roader warrior is the hardest decision you'll have to make.
Suspension Lifts
By design, a suspension lift provides more vehicle clearance by spacing down your vehicle's factory suspension, replacing the suspension with new components designed to lift the chassis up a specified amount.
Suspension kits are generally available for most vehicles in lift heights from 1in to 6in, and the typical components in a suspension lift kit may include longer coil springs and shock absorbers, coil spring spacers, torsion bar or taller leaf springs, drop-boxes or strut spacers, extended shackles, lift blocks, lifted radius arms, control arms, suspension links and all the associated hardware and bracketry to extend or relocate all the connecting parts.
A higher centre of gravity will cause a more noticeable swaying through corners and a greater likelihood of a roll-over if the kit is not combined with adequate sway bars to compliment the vehicle. Longer, stiffer or higher rated springs will also provide an increase in load carrying ability and often those from a reputable manufacturer may improve the handling and in-cab comfort.
If the suspension lift is taken too far however
steering geometry may be affected, causing alignment issues and instability in solid axle rigs or excessive tyre wear in IFS rigs. A quality comprehensive suspension kit will address all geometry and alignment issues and will provide good gains in articulation and wheel travel without sacrificing road handling or safety.
Body Lifts
Body lifts are usually quite cheap, and a quality body lift kit will only set you back a few hundred dollars for a 1in to 3in lift. A body lift will help you gain an increase in both approach and departure angle, however you won't gain any ramp-over angle due to the chassis rails staying at the same height. A body lift is simply polyurethane or aluminium blocks fitted inbetween the body mounts and the body.
The advantages of a body lift over a similar height suspension lift is that it only lifts a small amount of the vehicle's total mass, as most of the heavy drive-train and chassis stay at the original height. The lower centre of gravity, better approach & departure angles and the ability to fit bigger tyres can all sound too good to be true, and while it's easy to throw some lift blocks under your 4WD, there are some basic issues that you should always pay attention too.
- The radiator fan shrouds may move up with the body or the radiator could foul on the fan itself which is still at the old height.
- Brake lines may be over extended or not have enough available length which can lead them to possibly stretching or breaking.
- Steering columns may rub on the firewall.
- Bumpers and bullbars that are attached to the chassis rails will not be aligned and leave a gap.
- Fuel-fillers and associated lines might need to be extended.
- The gear stick will be down a few inches according to the lift height.
While not all these problems
may affect your 4WD, it is not always as simple and straightforward as a suspension lift. Be aware that if you're lifting the body from the chassis, you are essentially increasing the leverage on the bolts and mounting points, potentially causing bolt or mounting point fatigue. Be sure to use at a minimum grade 8.8 high-tensile bolts, and make sure the blocks are at least the same diameter as the original factory body mount or they may actually punch through the body when excessively loaded or during heavy off-roading.
It really does depend on what you're intending to do with your 4WD that will help determine which you choose. In most cases a moderate 2 to 3in quality suspension lift will allow you to fit those bigger tyres that you've always wanted, provide great handling and give you that extra bit of clearance from rocks when you're next off-road.
