All Suspension Lift or part body lift

[sumpunker]

This is my first frame up restore and i wanna lift it 5.5 should i go with a 5.5 suspension lift or a 3.5 supension lift + 2" body lift and what extra part do I need ???( Ive never lifted anything myself) I would like to keep the cost down to a min but that dosent always workout i guess so im stuck and i donno what to do please help me

 

[76Broncofromhell]

I would say 5.5 inch lift because it gives you more room at the frame. Keep in mind there's a lot more to change when you go with a bigger lift. 3.5" will work too. I mean it's really up to you. I voted for suspension just because it's my preference.

 

[Dusty]

I like the 3.5/2 combo lift. You'd be amazed how handy that extra 2" between the body and the frame/drivetrain will be. And the lower center of gravity is nice.

Then again, the additional belly clearance of going all-suspension lift is nice too.

I guess it will just come down to personal preference. I doubt you'd be unhappy with either setup. I run a combo and I love it.

Dusty

 

[Bigbird]

Depends...Are you running dual shock hoops? If so your going to need a body lift. The extra room fron a body lift can make it easier to work on some jobs, like pulling a tranny. Those extra 2 inches can make a world of differance for room to stuff your hands. If you do the body lift, it gives you a good excuse to change out the gas filler hoses.

 

[TJK74]

3.5/2" body

I second Dusty on this one. The extra 2" is sure a handy thing. Of coarse there are some extra little mods that need to be done for the body lift but when all said and done it makes things easier. My reason was for clearance for front and rear shock hoops and to get the headers a bit farther away from the floor boards. I can now also go back to my stock hood with the 351W.

 

[77TexasBronc]

I too am with Dusty. It all boils down to what mods you plan on doing. "PLAN AHEAD", have a game plan in your mind "even better on paper" of how you want your end results to be.

Stage 2 shocks mounts require a BL
Large 24 gal gas tank, BL is great to be able to get more ground clearance
What about tranny, A BL is sure nice if your going to stuff a big ZF under there.
Power plant, BL is sure sweet if you are planning on stuffing a 351 under the hood or even modifying the 302 with a performance intake and 4B carb. Sure you can buy a scoop or even another hood but the extra room is sure nice.
Washing the mud of your rig, BL is priceless, allows to get to the top side of your running gear really well.
BL also helps with your center of gravity, this helps with body roll as well.

The frame on these Broncos are stuffed way up under the rig and even with a body lift its hard to tell from the side view. The front and rear are most noticeable and can be fixed by filling the gap in with some angle iron or square tubing or installing aftermarket bumpers built to accommodate the BL.

Either way will work so it still all boils down to what you are planning to do to your project. good luck. ;D

 

[Awnrie69]

My bronco has a 5.5 in suspension lift and I am really happy with the way that it looks. I had a 72 shortbox ford that had a body list. I just don't like the way that it looks. I would go with suspension.

 

[67halfcab]

I'm for the 3.5/2 combo lift.

Unless you'll be doing serious off-roading where the extra 2" lift of the frame from the 5.5" sus lift may be handy in some situations. But for an on/off road truck the lower center of gravity with the 3.5/2 I'd say is better choice.

Which is the lift setup I put in my 68'.

 

[4byford]

I like the 3.5/2 combo lift. You'd be amazed how handy that extra 2" between the body and the frame/drivetrain will be. And the lower center of gravity is nice.

Then again, the additional belly clearance of going all-suspension lift is nice too.


Agree with Dusty- the 2" is critical to most tranny swaps and T-C clocking. The clearance at the body is the same, so you can still get clearance by running a taller tire; in fact cut some metal and run even bigger. This clearance is at the axle pumpkins as well as the frame, and it will maintain a better (lower) center of gravity, as Dusty mentioned.

I think Body lifts look stupid on every other vehicle BUT the Bronco though.

 

[sumpunker]

Thanks eveyone for your helpbut now i reall dont know what to do you all make very good points but i think its im gonna go with the suspension/body lift because i do want to modify everthing so that the way im leaning right now..............


Thanks Everyone

 

[Dusty]

I forgot to add that body lifts help with cooling too as they allow more hot air to escape the engine compartment. Depending on your engine setup and where you live, this could be an important side benefit.

Dusty

 

[74ranger]

i would go with the 3.5 and the 2in body simply because it allows for equal axle clearance(same size tires as the 5.5) and it keeps your center of gravity lower.

 

[Bart]

I have a 5.5" lift and a friend has a 3.5" lift. Last time we were out he got hung up on a rock at mid point on his frame. I do have a 1" body lift and that is because the Windsor engine is 1" taller and everything lines up again.

 

[sumpunker]

Im going to go with the suspension + body lift it makes more sence for me i think thank you everyone for your help!!!!

 

[LostInTheSouth]

You guys make me think twice about to a 5.5 suspension lift. Now i am thinking of doing the combo two all the things about the extra two inches would be helpful in the future and way down the road if you want even more you could upgrade to a 5.5 suspension if you really want big tires or lots of travel.