No, new bodies don't flex just the same, for the reasons I already stated. And no, a Bronco doesn't flex the same when it's assembled & driving as it does when it's in pieces, and being handled & moved. And no, a 10-to-20-year-older worse-designed vehicle isn't a good example of how a Bronco or a later vehicle (designed using finite-element analysis) will flex. Nor do unibodies flex at all like the body removed from a cab-on-chassis vehicle does.
No one said lifting a Bronco body by the rockers would destroy it - only that there are SAFER ways to lift it, which is what he asked in his original post. Did you read it? %)
Straps would be MUCH riskier than even the rockers because they not only spread the forces onto surfaces that aren't designed for it; they also apply forces in DIRECTIONS that can do more damage.
Well its quite obvious you are not capable of thinking outside of the box. You read straps and you are thinking the straps are being wrapped around the body when the fact is you leave the arms locked away from the body and use the straps more as a cradle across the bottom no different than putting a piece of wood under the body to contact across more of the bottom of the body of said vehicle. The straps are easier as they can pass through thinner areas which is quite common on old vehicles with crushed worn out body bushings.
10 to 20 year older vehicles are not a worse design they are actually quite stout as they were jacked up in the front and rear by the bumper. I am pointing out that all cars flex it is what they are designed to do. You take a old car and make it more rigid and it creaks and groans.
Case in point a 78 trans am I did at work the guy used metal subframe mounts, welded in a sub frame connector and used the rally bars from the control arm to the firewall. that car was so stiff after all those mods that he did for what he claimed was a street car going down a smooth road produced creaks and groans compared to before where the car road smooth and was quiet.
Even new cars flex as nothing is rigid. Bodies are mounted in rubber, frames while rigid still have flex to them as well.
I think you believe that broncos are some unique animal that is different than every vehicle that's ever been made and that's not the case. When cars are built the bodies are hung via straps and hoists till they are set down on the body and they are not connected to any body mounts like was presented. I got numerous old factory assembly line photos especially of fords that show this. To say that lifting by the rocker panels or to lift away from the body mounts when just lifting the body will cause damage is just laughable when the factory used to move bodies hung not by their body mounts down the assembly line.
As far as not reading what was said, he is it safe, any way lifting the body when lifting straight up is safe long as you are not lifting a swiss cheese body that is rotted out.
On the unibody, I will make a wager on that because ive raised numerous unibody vehicles on 2 posts lifts and you cant open the doors due to body flex and that's lifting by the subframes.
