Got my 3" bodylift today and it's going in tomorrow. Before anyone rags on me about how bad a 3" bodylift looks, I know and it's only temporary till I can afford to do my spring over. I got a brand new 3" Trailmaster bodylift for $40 Canadian. This lift doesn't come with anything to extend the steering shaft. The kit says on the box that it's not needed but I know some other brands of kits do come with it. Is it necessary to extend the steering shaft and what will happen if I don't? I'm also wondering if anyone has come up with anything for hiding the gap between the body and frame. Any pics would be great. I'm thinking about getting a long piece of sheetmetal and running it across the back from one body mount to the other.
Question about 3" bodylift.
- Thread starter Craig
- Start date
jeepguy46176
New member
body lift
i just got some sheet metal and cut it into strips then welded them together and painted it black then used u bolts to hold it around the body mounts it looks alot better than the gap and it only cost me a bout 8 bucks for the metal
i just got some sheet metal and cut it into strips then welded them together and painted it black then used u bolts to hold it around the body mounts it looks alot better than the gap and it only cost me a bout 8 bucks for the metal
88Wrangles
New member
I don't think that it is usually neccesary to do anything to the steering shaft. I know that i did not on mine. As far as the gap, for trucks they make plastic pieces that run along the frame and cover the gap. You could probably do the same sort of thing. Sheet metal would look much better, and be stronger. I would say go for it, for I have though about doing the same to mine. I also think I remember seeing someone's Jeep on here that did that in the rear and it looked good.
what mods to steering,clutch, etc ....
I posted afew pics of my cj on my site at:
http://www.geocities.com/limp_n2001/MuddersDay.html
I posted afew pics of my cj on my site at:
http://www.geocities.com/limp_n2001/MuddersDay.html
Just got done with mine and I had to buy a new steering shaft siply because mine was rusted and would not extend. You WILL need to extend your's Craig. It wil not be safe without extending it. No tools are needed. Make sure you spray the middle part of the steering shaft with PB blaster first.
Dude, just leave the body lift on. So what if people think it looks stupid. Form your own opinion. I think it will look sweet with the body lift and SOA. The higher the better.
I hate it how people rip on the body lifts so often. Honestly, what is wrong with them. It really isnt bad for the body mounts unless you are constantly wheeling at 45 drgree angles. Hopefully you leave it on. I want pics when you are done. If you have any wuestions ask me. I just got done with mine last month. PS I still never extended my gas filler lines.
Dude, just leave the body lift on. So what if people think it looks stupid. Form your own opinion. I think it will look sweet with the body lift and SOA. The higher the better.
I hate it how people rip on the body lifts so often. Honestly, what is wrong with them. It really isnt bad for the body mounts unless you are constantly wheeling at 45 drgree angles. Hopefully you leave it on. I want pics when you are done. If you have any wuestions ask me. I just got done with mine last month. PS I still never extended my gas filler lines.
I think I'm gonna try it without the extended steering shaft. In my opinion, if a reputable company such as Trailmaster sells them without the shaft extension and states right on the box that it isn't needed then it probably isn't....at least it better not be. I just called my local off road shop who's installed lots of these and they say it isn't needed. If I end up needing the the shaft extension, it won't be hard to pull out the body lift and put it back in after I get the extension.
Performance accessories or really any of them. Oh there is no such thing as a steeering extension. The shaft simply extends itself. Trust me. You will need to pull some of it out. Slide the rubber grommet down in the middle of the shaft and have two people pull on each side till the small spring clip comes out and that will be just enough of an extension. That is what my dierections were on Perf. Acc. kits.
JeepMonkey
New member
TJ A/C - Heater Problems
Be careful what advice you get from Trailmaster. I bought my original 4" susp. lift from them for my TJ. There were a few components of that kit that their website/magazine ads said that it came with that of course weren't in the box when I finally got it. Once I did finally get in touch with them they said that sometimes their advertising dept. get's ahead of the production dept. and that those particular pieces weren't available and wouldn't be for some time. I told them I wanted to return it and that mess took almost 3 months! be careful be careful be careful.
Be careful what advice you get from Trailmaster. I bought my original 4" susp. lift from them for my TJ. There were a few components of that kit that their website/magazine ads said that it came with that of course weren't in the box when I finally got it. Once I did finally get in touch with them they said that sometimes their advertising dept. get's ahead of the production dept. and that those particular pieces weren't available and wouldn't be for some time. I told them I wanted to return it and that mess took almost 3 months! be careful be careful be careful.
How many people here with body lifts have ever had the body come flying off the frame? I could see it if the frame mounts or floorboard were rusted out, but I just can't see it happening if everything is in proper shape. Maybe so....but I don't think I've missed anything on my "ways to abuse a Jeep" checklist, and I've never had any problems. They not only add tire clearance, they add drivetrain and underbody component clearance, they get the body up a little farther away from that rock your driving over, and they have no adverse affects on how the Jeep drives other than maybe a slight increase in roll around turns.
88Wrangles
New member
Junkpile said:
I agree 142%. My Jeep has seen all types of angles and wierd possitions, and the body has never even come close to coming off the body, bending anything, etc. The only way I could see anything bad happen is if a plane was flying too low, and it crashed into the top of the Jeep and knocked it right off the body :roll: . But, I think that the body would even come off of a not-BL'ed Jeep in that circumstance
. Not trying to upset anyone, but the only negative thing about a body lift (roughly 3" or less) is the looks. But hey, most jeeps are so beat-up that it really doesn't matter.
Junkpile,
Im in Sumter SC
Mudders Day was the 6th annual mud run weve had
Really a friend of mine got in a accident ,ended up in wheel chair with a good settlement, well, good in a way. The chair has got to suck.
He took his cash a bought a huge peice of property, built a house , bought a doozer to clear land, then he decided to make a 4x4 park.
Its not fancy, no cash or trophys, not even an entry fee !
Classes are kind of a gentlemans agreement, 3 classes, up to 33's, 33's to 36's, 36's and up. Win your class and you have option to advance to next class, well really anyone can try bigger runs, but after the class runs
He built another run, like an offroad road corse w/ some sweet holes.
Its called the all day pit. We start pumping water in at like 10 am, runs start at 1:00, the bigger trucks/JEEPZ stay out till later, everyone just takes turns try-n to make it .
As the day goes on, everything gets deeper and wetter. I actually made it at the end of the day, well, sorta.
My CJ's electrical got soaked , she wouldnt turn aver about 1000 rpm, just sputtering, and Im right in the middle of the biggest hole, errr!
2 trucks had allready backed up to pull me. I just babyied the gas, slipped the clutch, and she move like six inches,then try to stall.
I keep at it and "ole sweet baby" WALKED right out.
Notice the pics on my site, in one she's covered in mud. Look at the one of her on the trailer. Hood/fenders look hosed off. Nope !! Thats how deep the hole was.
Man ! I still am excited !
Any way, I have year round access there, if yall ever wanna take a trip.
Ohh yea, theres also a killer track he made behind his house. Not much mud, more like trail ride, nasty hills ,slopes, log cross, etc ...
Humm ,maybe Ill post this to mudders day topic ???
Im in Sumter SC
Mudders Day was the 6th annual mud run weve had
Really a friend of mine got in a accident ,ended up in wheel chair with a good settlement, well, good in a way. The chair has got to suck.
He took his cash a bought a huge peice of property, built a house , bought a doozer to clear land, then he decided to make a 4x4 park.
Its not fancy, no cash or trophys, not even an entry fee !
Classes are kind of a gentlemans agreement, 3 classes, up to 33's, 33's to 36's, 36's and up. Win your class and you have option to advance to next class, well really anyone can try bigger runs, but after the class runs
He built another run, like an offroad road corse w/ some sweet holes.
Its called the all day pit. We start pumping water in at like 10 am, runs start at 1:00, the bigger trucks/JEEPZ stay out till later, everyone just takes turns try-n to make it .
As the day goes on, everything gets deeper and wetter. I actually made it at the end of the day, well, sorta.
My CJ's electrical got soaked , she wouldnt turn aver about 1000 rpm, just sputtering, and Im right in the middle of the biggest hole, errr!
2 trucks had allready backed up to pull me. I just babyied the gas, slipped the clutch, and she move like six inches,then try to stall.
I keep at it and "ole sweet baby" WALKED right out.
Notice the pics on my site, in one she's covered in mud. Look at the one of her on the trailer. Hood/fenders look hosed off. Nope !! Thats how deep the hole was.
Man ! I still am excited !
Any way, I have year round access there, if yall ever wanna take a trip.
Ohh yea, theres also a killer track he made behind his house. Not much mud, more like trail ride, nasty hills ,slopes, log cross, etc ...
Humm ,maybe Ill post this to mudders day topic ???
I have a 3 in body lift on my Jeep. Never had any problems with it at all. I even took the sway bars off the front and rear, I have 33's with a 1 1/4 shackle lift. I built bumpers front and rear to cover most of the gaps and it looks good. I cut and re-welded the nerf bars to cover the gap on the sides. But im building new nerf bars out of 2x4 tubing to match the bumpers so the gap will be less noticable. I have had it offroad and not noticed any bad in it. Go for it and remember its your Jeep so do with it what you like.
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