Visitor # 481593 since 13.AUG.2001
So, why in the world did 4Crawler Offroad decide to make body lift kits? There were a few reasons:
When it came time to upgrade my home-made 1" body lift, 4Crawler Offroad researched available materials and first decided to make a billet aluminum body lift block, similar in shape and size to the more common cast aluminum (at least that's what they claim they are made of) blocks, but out of stronger, solid material. The aluminum blocks were fine for a 1" lift, but a set of 3" tall blocks were made and installed, it just didn't look right. The 2" dia aluminum rod used was just not wide enough to offer support at 3" tall. While a larger diameter aluminum rod could have been used, it starts to get much more expensive and is harder to work.
After searching for a better material, Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) polyethylene rod was selected and is available in a variety of sizes perfect body lift blocks. It has all the desirable properties one would want in a body lift block. Since this rod comes in long lengths, it can be cut any length desired from 1/2" up to 3" and anything in between. It takes a fairly significant investment in machinery and tooling to work this material. Also, since the parts are built to order, adapting them to other vehicles is not a large issue. After all, lifting a Toyota 4Runner 1" is fundamentally no different than lifting a Landcruiser or other vehicle 1". If it's got a body on frame construction and some way to get a spacer between the two, you've got a body lift.
At this point, you may be wondering what the heck a body lift is and why would you even want one...
So why a body lift and what other lift options are there? In general there are three basic techniques available to lift a vehicle:
Usually, installing larger tires (#1) require that either #2 or #3 be done to provide adequate clearance for the tires within the wheel wells. Suspension lifts (#2) can be simple or complex, depending on what is modified and how it is done. Similarly, body lifts (#3) can be simple or complex, but are generally simpler and less complex and expensive than suspension modifications. Since the body lift only raises the body, it has less adverse impact on the vehicles center of gravity than other lift techniques, since the frame, engine and drive train remain at the original location.
If you assume a typical vehicle with perhaps 25% of it's mass in the body and perhaps 10% in the axles/wheels/tires, then look at the various types of lifts:
By raising the body up off the frame, you can gain needed room for larger tires and/or added ground clearance to protect the body from trail damage. However, a body lift will do nothing to change the operation of your suspension by itself. However, by combining a mild body lift, with a mild suspension lift may allow fitting a taller tire and result in a combined system that functions better than the individual components.
"Lift as much as needed, but as little as possible"
Each type of lift has its advantage and disadvantages. After all if there were just one perfect way to lift a vehicle, everyone would use that technique and you would have no other choices.
See the following section for a list of frequently asked body lift related questions...
Have a question not listed above, send an e-mail and we'll try to answer it.
Body mounts are what connect your trucks frame to the cab and/or bed. For strength, pickup beds are typically bolted directly to the frame, while the cab is mounted with compliant bushings (usually rubber or polyurethane) to isolate the cab from road noise and vibration. Starting at the front, there are two mounts behind the bumper, two more are located at the front foot well, two more behind the front seats. Then, in the 4Runner, there are two more in the rear passenger seat well, and two more at the rear of the cargo area. The pickup has 8 mounts on the bed (4 on each side), two near the front of the bed and two near the rear. You should try to locate each mounting point, and be sure you can gain access to both the top and bottom of each mounting bolt before undertaking a body lift.
The body/bed are connected to the frame by the mounts, as described above, to brackets (or horns) attached to the frame. In a body lift, spacers are installed between the body and the mounting brackets or bushings to lift the body above the frame.
From the factory, you'll find rubber body mount bushings. Over time, the rubber cracks and weakens with age. This can lead to what is called "shudder", which is a sort of side-to-side shaking felt when hitting bumps on the road. I tried everything to correct this problem on both my Toyota Landcruiser ('74 FJ-55) and later on my '85 4Runner, but nothing seemed to help until I installed polyurethane body mount bushings. It seems counter intuitive, that putting on a stiffer, less compressible bushing material would actually reduce this vibration, but that's what seems to happen. I think the vibration is actually caused by the relative motion allowed by the softer rubber. In technical terms, the resonant frequency is proportional to the stiffness of the compliant member. The rubber is soft and very compliant, leading transmission of the low frequency shudder, that is within the frequency range of bumps transmitted up from the road. The stiffer polyurethane, shifts the resonant frequency up to a higher value, which is effectively absorbed by the suspension of the vehicle.
All this leads to the point that if you are going to the trouble of installing a body lift, why not also put in some new polyurethane bushings, too. They should run somewhere in the $50-100 range and will make a dramatic improvement in the ride quality of your vehicle. If done with the lift, there is minimal extra work required. If you don't change out the stock bushings, the added leverage of the lift blocks may contribute to a worsened ride quality. A couple of polyurethane bushing manufacturers are:
4Crawler Offroad carries both of these brands for various applications. Typically, body mount bushing kits often include no instructions and even if they do, make no mention of body lift blocks. See the schematic diagram, below, for a simplified cross section of a properly installed body lift and bushing together. Note that not all vehicles will have all the parts below, for example, washers may or may not be present, bushings may be two-piece (as pictured) or one-piece:
XX New longer bolt
---- Factory Washer, either tabbed or round
~===========~ Floor of the cab or bed
+----+
| | Body Lift Block
| |
+----+
-------- New washer (if supplied w/ poly bushing kit)
+------+
| | Large poly bushing (Body or cab only)
+------+
========== Bracket off of the frame
+----+
| | Small poly bushing (Body or cab only)
\--/
---- Factory Washer
XX New lock nut
If re-using the stock body mount bushings, the picture is a little different:
XX New longer bolt
---- Factory Washer, either tabbed or round
~===========~ Floor of the cab or bed
+----+
| | Body Lift Block
| |
+----+
-------- Factory top washer (bonded to body mount bushing, not separate)
+------+
| | Large factory rubber bushing (Body or cab only)
+------+
========== Bracket off of the frame
+----+
| | Small factory rubber bushing (Body or cab only)
\--/
-------- Small factory washer
XX New lock nut
There is a metal bushing that goes inside the poly bushings, it gets sandwiched between the two washers outside the poly bushings and keeps them from getting compressed too much. When you tighten down the bolts, you bottom out this internal bushing. Note that not all vehicles will have all the parts below, for example, washers may or may not be present, bushings may be two-piece (as pictured below) or one-piece. The following image is an excellent rendering of a typical body mount, courtesy of John Evaskovich:
One concern with body lift blocks is possible electrolytic corrosion due to dissimilar metals touching. This can be a problem with aluminum blocks and the steel of the body. so a graphite paint coating is used on the aluminum blocks, so they should be fine against the body. If you want, you could cut out some plastic washers from an old plastic bottle and use that to separate the aluminum and steel if desired to prevent possible electrolytic action. The big advantage of the UHMW polyethylene body lift blocks is that they eliminate this possible problem, as polyethylene is inert and self-lubricating, so you won't even have problems with the paint wearing off the steel and causing rust as is common with extruded fiberglass blocks.
What exactly is in a body lift kit?
Landcruiser (click here
for models, pricing and options):
Below are some examples about what kind of options are available:
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| Aluminum Lift Blocks | UHMW-PE Lift Blocks |
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| Toyota 4Runner Kit | Toyota Pickup Kit |
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| Toyota FJ/BJ/HJ-60/62 Landcruiser | Kia Sportage |
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| Pickup/Tacoma Bed Spacers | Steering Shaft Extension |
One thing about many of the commercially available body lift kits is that they are an all-in-one package, one size fits all:
So, 4Crawler Offroad has chosen to supply a body lift in an "ala carte" form, e.g. you want blocks, you order the blocks; you want bolts, you order the bolts, etc. Here is a list of some common combinations of parts that are typically ordered.
While not required, on 1st generation Toyota trucks ('79-'88 pickups and '84-'89 4Runners), it is a good idea to check the condition of the stock rubber body mount bushings and if cracked or worn out, change them to polyurethane (PU). PU will withstand the added strain of the taller body lift, and it actually transmits less noise and vibration from the frame to the body than rubber. Unfortunately, due to the recent high oil prices, the cost of polyurethane has skyrocketed, so the cost of the bushing kits has gone up as well.
If planning to install a body lift kit on your vehicle, it is a good idea to inspect your original body mount bushings to see what condion then are in. Look for any deep cracking or tears in the rubber bushings. And with the one piece bushings, look for separation of the rubber from the surrounding steel bracket or places where the bushings have collapsed and are allowing the body to rest directly on the frame bracket (usually you'll hear squeaking or rattling noises if this happens). If you have any doubt about the condition of the original rubber body mount bushings, there is no better time than when installing a body lift to swap out those bushings, since you can easily swap out the bushings prior to putting in the body lift blocks.
Polyurethane body mount kits are offered in the following configurations (and can be used as-is or with a body lift ):
Note: Bushing kit prices discounted $5.00 -10.00 with body lift kit purchase.
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| 1. Stock rubber vs. Poly Urethane | 2. Pickup('84-'88) 4Runner('84-'89) Bushings Current bushing set is all black |
3. FJ/BJ/HJ-60/2 Body Mounts Current bushing set is all black |
4. Montero LWB Body Mounts |
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| 5. Pickup '89-'95 & Tacoma '95.5-'00 Mounts |
6. '90-'95 4Runner Mounts Current bushing set is all black |
7. '96-'00 4Runner Mounts Current bushing set is all black |
8. '01-'02 4Runner Mounts |
| . | . | . | . |
| Your body mounts here... | Your body mounts here... | Your body mounts here... | Your body mounts here... |
Pictured above:
Notes:
Certain vehicles, namely the 1996 Toyota 4Runner, are missing the B-pillar body mount brackets from the factory. For some reason, the brackets weren't attached to the frame, although the mounting plates and holes are present in the floor of the body. Because of the added stress of a body lift, its important to have all the body mount locations available for the most support. Below is a picture of a bolt on body mount bracket kit for the 1996 Toyota 4Runner:
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| Body Mount Bracket Kit |
Pictured at the bolt-on black brackets, self-tapping bolts to fasten them to the frame, red polyurethane body mount bushings and bolts to fasten the body to the mount. Also pictured are a pair of 1" body lift blocks, in which case the bolts supplied are 1" longer to accommodate the lift.
Note: This kit can be used without a body lift for added support on a stock '96 4Runner. Cost for the basic kit is $70.00 plus shipping. Add a pair of 1" body lift blocks for another $10.
Most (if not all) commercial body lift kits I've looked at use a "one size fits all" approach. You get one diameter of lift block (usually 2" OD) and that is to be used in all body mount locations. If you are a bit confused about the difference between the Standard and Ultimate body lift blocks, below are various combinations (of lift blocks - white UHMW or aluminum) installed on actual Toyota body mount bushings (the black rubber things) so you can see the differences:
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| A. 2-piece body mounts | B. Ultimate Lift Blocks |
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| C. Aluminum vs. UHMW | D. Aluminum Lift Blocks |
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| E. 1-piece body mount '89+ pickup/Tacoma w/ the various lift blocks |
F. 2" aluminum block |
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| G. 2" UHMW block | H. 2-1/2" UHMW block |
While a few 1/8's of an inch doesn't sound like a big deal, the difference in area is dramatic, the 2" UHMW block has nearly 27% more surface area than an actual 2" block and the 2-1/2" UHMW block has nearly 80% more surface area. Surface area equates directly to pressure on the floor of the cab/body of the vehicle. Many aftermarket body lift kits only supply 2" dia. blocks which are probably sufficient for on-road and mild off-road use, but for extreme off-road service, you need all the surface area you can get, or something like this can happen (image I below):
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| I: Problem with too-small lift block | J: Larger Diameter Block |
So if larger blocks are better, why stop at 2.5"? A few reasons not to use larger blocks:
Bottom Line: The Ultimate blocks simply match the size of the existing body mount bushings, while the standard blocks are all the same (smaller) size.
The UHMW material comes in a natural white color, as shown in the section above. As a material, it is somewhat similar to Teflon in that it is very stain-resistant and most dyes and paints will not stick. 4Crawler Offroad has developed a process by which a colored coating is applied to the visible parts of the block, for those wishing a color other than white. This process is available at an additional cost of $1.00/block and is currently available in flat black. Click here to see an image of a colored 1" tall block . This is specified by ordering the CLR kit option. If the block coloring is slightly scratched during shipment or installation, it is easy to touch up with a flat color spray paint. The coloring process also affords UV light protection for blocks that may be exposed to direct sunlight.
If you want a color other than black or white, the cost is $2.00/block, so add 2 CLR kit options and specify the color desired in the order.
Of course, the 1" tall aluminum blocks are natural aluminum color. You may paint, powder coat or anodize them to your color preference.
Mounting hardware is offered in both a standard and heavy duty size and also in standard and heavy duty grade (see bottom of this section for more information on the standard size, heavy duty grade hardware).
And of course, you can also supply your own hardware, if you want all metric or something even larger or heavy duty stainless steel, it is your choice. Just let us know what diameter bolts you plan on using so the blocks can be pre-drilled to fit.
And finally, why are the above hardware options "mutually exclusive"? That is why can't I order Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Metric hardware? Well, several reasons. If you look at the "universe" of bolts available, you can get most anything as long as you don't care what you are getting. But as you start narrowing down the bolt specifications, you'll find that "universe" rapidly collapses. Body lifts inherently need long bolts. Why? Well vehicle mfgs. are using body mount bolts upwards of 6"/150mm long in stock form and by the nature of a body lift, the bolts have to be longer than stock, so up to 8"-9" long in some cases. Length is one factor that limits bolt availability as does size, since body mount bolts tend to be in the 3/8"-1/2" size. Then start tacking on things like Grade 5 or Grade 8 and the selection of bolts falls off, but ask for stainless steel or (at least in the US) metric, and your choices are very limited. And this is just using one choice or grade/size, but start combining them and you can just about write off any chance of finding an off-the-shelf bolt. And in fact you'll find that soem some lift kit applications, certain options are only available up to a certain lift height or on certain vehiocles. This is typically due to length issues, above a certain bolt length, that combination of bolt specifications is not economically available, so will be marked "n/a" (or Not Available).
Sure, you can get something custom made or from a specialty supplier, but the cost in small quantities is very high. For example, look at an engine head stud kit, they use high strength alloys (190,000 psi is common) but you are looking at $15-$20 per stud and nut for that hardware. Multply that by 10-14 bolts needed for a body lift and you get the idea.
And while in certain cases, some combination of hardware options might be available, there is the cost of sourcing and stocking that rarely ordered hardware option in all the lengths and diameters needed, not to mention the space used to store that hardware is prohibitive for something that might only be ordered once every year or two. For example, we only ship a few kits a year w/ the stainless steel hardware and even less with metric hardware.
Manual transmissions and transfer cases have shift levers that are attached to the transmission (or transfer case) and extend up into the passenger compartment for access. Since the transmission or transfer case is attached to the frame, when the body is lifted, the shift lever "sinks" into the floor of the vehicle. With a 1" lift, this would probably not even be noticed. On a 2" - 3" lift, it probably is noticeable. The shifter(s) will still work like normal, given you address any clearance issues with the floor penetration/shifter boot(s). Most people have no issue with the lowered shift levers, you usually adjust to the change in a few days of driving. However, some folks find this situation bothersome. They are used to reaching out for the shifter and don't find it where it used to be, or they find they are missing shifts, etc. So, if you fall into the latter group, by all means, extend the shifter(s).
Several options exist to correct this problem.
When deciding to extend the sifter(s), you can decide if you want to du just the transmission or the transfer case shifter(s) as well. All can typically be extended, but realize you will be using the transmission shifter many, many times each time you drive the truck, so extending this shifter gives the best "bang for the buck". The transfer case shifter(s) are typically not used that much, unless you take your truck off-road every day. And even if you do, how often do you find you are shifting the transfer case gears. So there is much less benefit to extending those shifter(s), but you can if you want to.
So bottom line is if having lowered shifters, due to a body lift, will bother you, by all means extend them. If it does not bother you, by all means leave them as-is. After all, there are no "shifter police" that will be pulling you over on the road to check the height of the shifters :)
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| 3" Extension (top) 2" Extension (bottom) |
Shifter Extension Installed |
| Order a 2" Shift Lever Extension: $20.00 + shipping |
Order a 3" Shift Lever Extension: $25.00 + shipping |
US Delivery: $7.00 postage |
US Delivery: $7.00 postage |
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International Delivery: $13.00 postage |
International Delivery: $13.00 postage |
One extension will be needed for each shift lever that you want to lengthen. The extension length is measured along the smooth section, with an extra inch being threaded to accept the shifter knob. A shipping charge is added automatically with the ordering buttons above for Priority Mail delivery, please be sure to provide a VALID mailing address and international orders, provide a local telephone number for customs paperwork.
One issue that shift levers can cause with body lifts is that as the shifter "sinks" into the floor, the distance from the lever's pivot point to the floor penetration is increased. This means that the shift lever sweeps out a wider arc in the various gear selection positions. Enlarging the hole in the floor is one option or bending the base of the shift lever is another option. A simple extension, while it makes the shift lever longer, will not help alleviate the clearance issues at the shifter boot. A better option to both extend the shifter and to shorten its throw is a short shift kit. Here is a short throw kit that bolts onto the Toyota transfer case shifters.
Most Toyota 4WD body lift kits would not work on vehicles with automatic transmissions. The A/T shift linkage on most Toyota 4WD pickups and 4Runner (up through 1995) consists of two main parts, the transmission shift lever and the transfer case shift lever. The transmission lever is adjustable and can handle up to a 3" body lift with simple adjustments. There are two types of 4WD, or transfer case, shifters. The most common type is an external linkage, on the other hand will only work up to about a 1" body lift without modifications. Above 1", a bracket is required that lifts the transfer case shift lever up so that body lifts in the 2" to 3" range can now be done on A/T equipped Toyota 4WD vehicles. A less common type of transfer case shifter goes directly into the transfer case, just like a manual transmission setup (see above section) and this bracket setup is not needed. You should examine your transmission/transfer case linkage to verify which type you have before ordering and installing a body lift lit.
The table below lists some typical vehicle applications for which body lift kits are available and whether that application will require brackets for the automatic transmission linkage. Note that "Y" indicates a bracket kit is required to install the body lift and "N" means that one is not needed, although some linkage adjustments will typically be required:
| Application | 1" Lift | 2" Lift | 3" Lift |
| '79-'88 Toyota Pickup | N | Y | Y |
| '84-'89 Toyota 4Runner | N | Y | Y |
| '89-'95 Toyota Pickup | N | Y | Y |
| '90-'95 Toyota 4Runner | N | Y | Y |
| '95-'04 Toyota Tacoma | N | N | N |
| ''96-'02 Toyota 4Runner | N | N | N |
| '02-'06 Toyota 4Runner | N | N | N |
| Toyota FJ/BJ/HJ-60/62 Landcruiser | N | N | N |
| Mitsubishi Montero | N | N | N |
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| 2" A/T Shift Lever Bracket | Bracket Install Location | 3" Bracket Kit, Installed |
The bracket is priced at $45 (for 2") or $55 (for 3") as-is (for use on existing body lifts), That is if you have another brand body lift that does not include the A/T linkage brackets, this is the kit for you. A 2" or 3" lift is a 2" or 3" lift no matter what brand lift kit is used. A shipping charge is added automatically with the ordering buttons below for Priority Mail delivery, please be sure to provide a VALID mailing address and international orders, provide a local telephone number for customs paperwork.. Consult the installation instructions for more details. The bracket is fabricated from 3/16" thick steel and includes new mounting bolts to attach the lower bracket to it, the existing hardware is then used to attach the bracket to the stock location (circled in red in the above-right image). The 3" spacer includes a bolt on extension for the upper shift linkage (circled in green in the above-right image) to prevent binding in the 2H position. Before ordering this bracket, see the important notes below:
| Order a 2" A/T bracket: US$45.00 + shipping | Order a 3" A/T bracket set: US$55.00 + shipping |
US Delivery: $7.00 shipping |
US Delivery: $7.00 shipping |
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International Delivery: $13.00 postage |
International Delivery: $13.00 postage |
Notes:
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| A: Steering shaft disassembled | B: Steering shaft extended | C: Recirc.Ball vs. Rack&Pinion |
Toyota vehicles with rack and pinion steering typically use a nearly vertical steering shaft that runs from the steering column penetration of the firewall to the steering rack mounted on the frame. Since the shaft is vertical, it is directly affected by a body lift. There is some amount of adjustment at the lower clamp, sometimes and inch or more of excess shaft is inside the clamp. However, it is difficult to ascertain the amount of spline remaining inside the clamp without removing the steering shaft. At the base of the steering shaft is the "rag joint", that allows for slight misalignment and also helps to absorb jolts from the road. It is possible to slightly extend the length of the shaft with washers on top of the rag joint. Beyond about 1/2" and the stop bolts on the rag joint will slip past the slots on the steering shaft and this would leave the rag joint unsupported and subject to damage. Therefore, an extension of some is required. In the above images, you can see the rag joint disassembled and the extension that slips over the stop bolts and is then bolted in between the rag joint and steering shaft. Due to the angle of the steering shaft, the spacer can be a bit less than the amount of body lift, for example, for a 3" lift, the spacer is 2.5" tall.
The table below lists some typical vehicle applications for which body lift kits are available and whether that application will require extensions for the steering shaft. Note that "Y" indicates an extension is likely required to install the body lift and "N" means that one is likely not needed, although some adjustment of the steering shaft may be required (click here for details):
| Application | 1" Lift | 2" Lift | 3" Lift |
| '79-'88 Toyota Pickup | N | N | N |
| '84-'89 Toyota 4Runner | N | N | N |
| '89-'95 Toyota Pickup | N | N | Y |
| '90-'95 Toyota 4Runner | N | N | Y |
| '95-'04 Toyota Tacoma | Y/1" | Y/2" | Y/3" |
| '96-'02 Toyota 4Runner | Y/1" | Y/2" | Y/3" |
| '03-'08 Toyota 4Runner | Y/1.25" | n/a | n/a |
| FJ Cruiser | Y/1.25" | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota FJ/BJ/HJ-60/62 Landcruiser | N | N | N |
| Mitsubishi Montero | N | N | N |
The 1" lift rack&pinion extension (pictured right in image "C" above) is priced at $30.00 for use with existing body lifts. Extensions for 1.5", 2" and 3" lifts are available for use on existing body lifts as well. On Tacoma 4WD pickups with 4" ProComp lifts, steering extension beyond 5/8" tall may not clear the steering rack drop bracket.
Use the convenient on-line ordering buttons below to order stand-alone steering shaft extensions for use with your existing body lift: (if ordering with a 4Crawler body lift kit, do not order below, contact 4Crawler Offroad for a kit discount). A shipping charge is added automatically with the ordering buttons below for Priority Mail delivery, please be sure to provide a VALID mailing address and international orders, provide a local telephone number for customs paperwork. Order the steering extension designed for the type of steering:
Order a 1" Lift |
Order a 1.5" Lift Rack&Pinion Steering Extension: US$40.00 + shipping: |
Order a 2" Lift |
Order a 3" Lift Rack&Pinion Steering Extension: US$50.00 + shipping: |
US Delivery: $7.00 |
US Priority Mail Delivery: $7.00 |
US Priority Mail Delivery: $7.00 |
US Priority Mail Delivery: $7.00 |
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International Delivery: $13.00 |
International Delivery: $13.00 |
International Delivery: $13.00 |
International Delivery: $13.00 |
Extensions over ~2.5" tall will not fit un-lifted rack&pinion vehicles due to rag joint / frame interference, but this is tall enough for a 3" body lift, due to the angle of the steering shaft. Spacers up to 4" tall are available for dropped suspension type lifts, if needed. This extension can also be combined with upper spline extensions used in other lift kits, such as what PA supplies, or it can be used to replace the problematic and breakage-prone spline extensions. Also note that on Tacoma Pickups with Edelbrock headers, you may be restricted to about a 1" tall spacer, due to header/rag joint clearance issues.
For recirculating ball steering (pictured left in image "C" above), generally the steering shaft is extendable (and collapsible for crash safety). But if you can't extend the shaft, a similar bolt-in rag joint spacer is available. Since the steering shaft is at an angle, you usually only need extensions over 2" of lift and then only at 1/2 the amount of lift. For example a 1" spacer (3/4" actual height) should be enough for a 2"-3"lift or when moving the steering box forward, as with a Solid Axle Swap (SAS). Due to the extra machining for this type of rag joint, the 1" spacer runs $40.00 for use on existing body lifts, or $35.00 when purchased as part of a 4Crawler body lift kit. This type of spacer can be used on 2"-3" lifted Toyota 4x4 pickups and 4Runners from 1995 and earlier and T-100 pickups. Note that it is not required as it is usually easy to extend the stock steering shaft. Also, be sure to specify whether you need the rag joint clearance slot (see picture "C") in line with the large or the small holes (slots in line with the large holes is typical). The large holes fit over the studs in the rag joint, the small holes are for the bolts that hold it together. The slots provide clearance for the tabs the encase the rag joint rubber and allow the spacer to sit flush to the rag joint. The 2" spacer (1-3/4" actual height) can be used for applications where the stock steering box has been relocated farther forward on the frame or where the existing steering shaft is not long enough with the 1" spacer.
Order a 1" Recirculating Ball |
Order a 2" Recirculating Ball Steering Extension for special applications: US$50.00 + shipping: |
US Delivery: $7.00 |
US Delivery: $7.00 |
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International Delivery: $13.00 postage |
A steering shaft extension is now available for the 4th generation Toyota 4Runner, FJ Cruiser and some 2005+ Tacoma models. On the later model Tacoma pickups (2005 and later), some steering rag joints are bolts and some are riveted or have pressed in studs. If you have a riveted rag joint, you'll need to be able to remove that steering shaft in order to drill or press out the rivets/studs before you can install the steering shaft spacer. SO be sure you ascertain what setup you have prior to ordering.
Extension bolts on to the rubber rag joint in the driver's side foot well. It features a drilled out center hole to fit over the steering shaft and through holes to allow the existing bolts to fit inside. The spacer is designed to fit those model body lifts from 1" to 1.5" and costs $US40.00 + shipping:
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A shipping charge is added automatically with the ordering buttons above for Priority Mail delivery, please be sure to provide a VALID mailing address and international orders, provide a local telephone number for customs paperwork. Both type of extensions come with mounting hardware to install on your steering shaft. They are machined from 6061-T6 aluminum alloy for strength. Contact 4Crawler Offroad if interested in purchasing a separate steering extension for your body lift kit, or order above. See the installation instructions for more information.
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| Typical Front Bumper Brackets |
Body lifts often require bumper brackets to raise the bumpers to match the height that the body was lifted. Pictured above are some typical front bumper bracket kits, showing 3", 2" and 1" brackets for a typical vehicle. The table below lists available front bumper brackets:
| Application | 1"-3" Lift |
| '84-'88 Toyota Pickup | Yes |
| '84-'89 Toyota 4Runner | Yes |
| '89-'95 Toyota Pickup | Yes |
| '90-'95 Toyota 4Runner | Yes |
| '95-'04 Toyota Tacoma | Yes |
| '96-'00 Toyota 4Runner | Yes |
| '01-'02 Toyota 4Runner | See instructions |
| '03-'06 Toyota 4Runner | N/A |
| Toyota FJ/BJ/HJ-60/62 Landcruiser | N/A |
| Mitsubishi Montero | N/A |
If your vehicle is one of the types listed above marked "Yes", then you can order a bumper bracket below. State the year and type of vehicle and the lift height desired in the "Note" field of the order form:
Order a pair of front bumper brackets for your
body-lifted Toyota: |
US Delivery: $7.00 |
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A shipping charge is added automatically with the ordering buttons above for Priority Mail, please be sure to provide a VALID mailing address and international orders, provide a local telephone number for customs paperwork. If you do not see your bumper application listed above, feel free to contact 4Crawler Offroad to see about availability. For a new bracket to be designed, you'll be required to furnish pertinent dimensions of your existing brackets, such as bolt hole size and spacing. And feel free to consult the installation instructions to see how the brackets are installed and also see the section on modifying aftermarket bumper brackets for use with body lifts.
The radiator may need to be relocated with a body lift. This is often the case since the radiator mounts to the body and the engine (and cooling fan) are attached to the frame. Lifting the body offsets the two leading to possible fan/shroud interference or reduced cooling efficiency if the fan moves outside the shroud. The drop brackets pictured below may be used on most vehicles that use 4 screws to hold the radiator in place on the front core support. The upper set of brackets feature a 5/16" threaded stud and 3/8" holes spaced at 1" intervals to allow the radiator to be lowered to match the body lift height. The lower set of brackets are used for certain applications where screws go through the core support into threaded holes in the radiator flange, such as on the Toyota Tacoma and 3rd/4th gen 4Runners. They are identical to the upper brackets, but the kit includes 4 - M8x1.25 allen head screws to use to attach the brackets to the radiator and then the studs on the brackets go through the holes in the core support for mounting.
| 1" Drop Brackets | 2" Drop Brackets | 3" Drop Brackets | For US Delivery | For International Delivery |
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Standard radiator Order a set of radiator brackets for $20 + $7.00 shipping:
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Standard radiator Order a set of radiator brackets for $20 + $13 shipping:
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Deluxe radiator Order a set of 4 radiator brackets for $25 + shipping:
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Deluxe radiator Order a set of 4 radiator brackets for $25 + $13 shipping:
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A shipping charge is added automatically with the ordering buttons above for Priority Mail (within the US) or Priority Mail International (outside the US), please be sure to provide a VALID mailing address and international orders, provide a local telephone number for customs paperwork.
Most everyone knows about aluminum, but Ultra-High Molecular Weight PolyEthylene (UHMW-PE) may be something unfamiliar. Polyethylene itself may be a familiar material, commonly used in milk jugs and other plastic packaging. This is typically a low molecular weight material. UHMW on the other hand is a polymer material with the toughness of a metal: composed of long polymer chains with a molecular weight of between 3 and 6 million. UHMW-PE combines the traditional abrasion resistance of metal alloys with the impact and corrosion resistance of synthetic materials.
The resistance to abrasion, impact and corrosion of UHMW-PE exceeds that of many conventional structural materials. It has a number of other valuable characteristics in applications requiring superior wear resistance and sound deadening. Its self-lubricating properties eliminate the need for oil and greases, making it suitable for use in the food industry where contamination from lubricants would pose problems. High abrasion resistance makes it ideal for liners, enabling light aluminum trucks and trailers to carry sharp or abrasive loads. In the manufacture of separators for lead-acid batteries, UHMW-PE meets this demanding application due to its excellent corrosion resistance.
UHMW-PE has a melting point around 150°C (300°F), a tensile strength nearly twenty times greater than steel, this stuff is often used in bullet-proof vests and in the new synthetic winch cables. For example, consider the free breaking length (FBL), that is the length of a filament of material that could be suspended before it breaks:
| Material | FBL (km) |
| Steel | 25 |
| Glass Fiber | 125 |
| Carbon Fiber | 195 |
| Aramid Fiber (Kevlar) | 235 |
| UHMW_PE fiber | 330 |
This is tough stuff, drop one of the blocks and you'd swear it was metal. It is a bear to cut, it took 4Crawler Offroad quite a bit of research and development to find a way to cut the bulk rod into useable blocks. It does cost a bit more than the aluminum material, but I'm offering UHMW for the same price as aluminum in order to not influence your decision.
One last factor that makes UHMW-PE an ideal material for body lift blocks is that it is self-lubricating, i.e. it won't SQUEAK. With metal spacers or even the extruded fiberglass-type blocks, the constant rubbing action of the floor of the body and the blocks can lead to squeaking and on the fiberglass blocks, the friction can start to wear away the material. UHMW-PE is commonly used for bearing material in industrial applications. UHMW-PE has a wide temperature range as well, from below -100°F to +180°F and a melting point of over 280°F. Here is a link to more extensive physical properties of this material.
One minor drawback to UHMW is that if it is left exposed to sunlight it can get some surface crazing due to the UV exposure. This typically takes a few years of exposure to show up and since most body mounts are hidden under the truck, this is normally not an issue (reflected light off the ground is no issue). A simple coat of paint or undercoating spray will block any UV that may hit the block if it is somhow exposed to direct sunlight through a gab in the body or bed. The crazing is only surface deep and will not affect the strength of the block. We have a test block that has been in direct sunlight for almost 10 years now and it has crazing over the surface but only a few 0.01" down, the material is unaffected. The UHMW material is slightly translucent and upon exposure to UV, it turns an opaque white color and that limits the depth of penetration of the UV light to the very surface layer to it will not penetrate to the center of the block under normal conditions. You can also order the blocks pre-colored to avoid this issue as well...
If you would like a sample block, that can be sent to you one to evaluate for $2.00 to cover the cost of postage. Just include your name, address, and vehicle application, and you'll receive a sample by US mail shortly:
This kit will function for its intended use, that is it will lift the body of the vehicle off the frame by the specified amount, the bolts will fit in the blocks and the nuts will screw onto the threads of the bolts. Anything beyond that is totally out of my control. You must realize that this will raise your vehicle's center of gravity, making it less stable in turns and in off-camber situations. It can also increase leverage on body mounts, especially in cases of high speed impacts. This is simple physics and geometry.
Although this kit is made from the highest quality materials possible, it is not a substitute for safe and careful driving. In other words; good, safe on-road and off-road common sense. Know the terrain, vehicle and speed limitations, and obstacles that lay ahead. Please remember to preserve our right to enjoy public lands through the proper use of your off-road vehicle, Tread Lightly by all means.
After researching materials, equipment, and fabrication techniques, 4Crawler Offroad was formed to provide these products at a reasonable cost in order to be able to offer this solution to others who lacked the time, equipment, or expertise to do this themselves.
NOTES:
Its funny how the subject of a body lift can polarize a discussion into folks who absolutely hate them and folks who like them. I'll admit I've seen some rather bad examples of body lifted trucks as well as bad examples of suspension lifts including blocks, cut and welded steering components, foot long shackles, and other nightmares of questionable engineering. Some vehicle bodies sit very high on the frame (Nissan pickups come to mind) others, like Toyota, seem to sit very low on the frame. In fact, at stock height, my 4Runner's frame was barely visible under the body:
Stock <<<<<<< >>>>>>> 3" Body Lift
In the above photos, you can see my truck when it sat on the stock body mount bushings and 3 years later with a 3" body lift. I think there was more "stuff" hanging down below the body before than after. FYI: Both shots are taken with the same 33x9.50 tires. I do have nerf bars installed in the after shot that were not there in the before picture. I replaced the stock wheel well liners with Lift Lips designed to cover the gap for a 3" body lift.
With the 3" lift:
Point is that a body lift can be done in a tasteful manner and can be a starting point for a whole lot of other vehicle improvements. A body lift is not a cure-all, either. But as part of a well integrated system it can be a very useful component. Lest you think the body lift is just for show, when I stuff a 33x15.50 Swamper TSL/SX tire up in those wheel wells, I'm happy for every inch of lift that I have:
Both front and rear tires are capable of getting stuffed several inches into the wheel wells. At one time, I measured only 5" from the front fender to the top of the rim, meaning I had about 4" of tire above the lip of the fender.
Another concern many people have about body lifts is the gap between the body and frame, most visible in the wheel wells. I run a set of Lift Lips on my 4Runner. They replace the stock plastic wheel well liners with a heavy rubber material and cover up to a 3" lift. Here's how I installed them on my truck. Not only do they fill the unattractive gap but they also help keep water and mud out of the engine compartment.
You can also obtain some material from a good hardware store and make your own. Use something like sheet rubber, pond liner, rubber roll roofing, sheet vinyl, etc. Remove the old wheel well liner and use it as a template for cutting the new liners. Draw a parallel line to the top, spaced down an amount equal to your lift. Then line the old liner up with the top of the sheet and trace the upper half. Then slide it down to the line you drew and trace the bottom half. Mark and punch out any mounting holes and you now have a copy of the liner that will cover the gap created by the body lift. Reattach it with the factory hardware. On vehicles where no liners exist from the factory, usually just a simple rectangular strip of material will suffice. Mark and drill some mounting holes and attach the liner to the lower lip of the wheel well.
Since all my body lift kits are custom built to your exact needs, it is hard to make an easy order form. Feel free to contact 4Crawler Offroad with your vehicle specs (make, model, year) and your lift needs (tire size, clearance issues, etc.):
