I'm planning to do my body lift soon(it's a 3" box tube budget lift), the only thing that's making me not want to is the steering shaft extension issue.
I've been getting mixed info - some people say you don't need to extend it, but most manufacturers include an extension as far as i know.
It's a SWB convertible, do I need to extend it? If so, how much, and what's the best way to do it?

Have a look at this link to a picture, my shaft is like the one in the middle, Model 2
http://www.masterkit1.com/Images/Steering%20bar%20models.htm

Dave

Model 1 and 3 have a plastic pin
setup that is the "absorber" that
they don't seem to know about, I'm
not saying this is the best solution,
but if you break the pins the shaft will
slip inside it's self, and adjust to the lift.

Your #2 shaft doesn't do that, so it's
extend it, or replace it with one that does

Wild

Bummer, I just checked mine and it has the #2 shaft as well .  Mine's a '93 4dr.  What's yours?  Maybe we can figure out what years this shaft was done and save some members a few headaches!  I've been through this before and in BC the Motor Vehicle Inspection Manual (silver binder from ICBC) says NO WELDING of steering components!  Of course I just used pipe with grade 8 bolts, but someone else might like to know that before they get a roadside inspection notice (at least in the Lower Mainland they pretty much pull over anything that is lifted!) 

Mine is the large absorber or #2 also.Cant you just take out the puck( picture to right) and put in a larger puck ? It looks like a 1" puck Can you unbolt it cut a piece of round stock 1" long  drill it and then rebolt it along with the other puck ? Will something like that work? Or what exactly do you do?

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say probably not on the bigger puck idea.  It's not exactly a rag joint but I am going to guess that there is some sort of nylon/rubber material encased in there as it is a flex joint of some kind.  I'm sure I can get another shaft easy enough but I am not likely to spend any more money than a piece of thick wall pipe and some grade 8 bolts cost (unless of course I can get the entire shaft for the same price!) 

I know the short piece looks a little too short to slip pipe over after it's cut, but that's probably the part that extends more than 2" when you do a lift that it can handle. 

Sorry I can't tell you more but I haven't even gone to the scrap yard to hunt for 3x3 yet. 

Sorry, doesn't seem to want to let me edit.  What year is your truck?

I didn't need to extend my steering shaft. If you have to then you need to make up a spacer (or spacers) to go between the puck and the lower part of the steering shaft, then use longer grade 8 bolts.

Rhinoman is that on a tracker or sami? Doing it that way would look a bit more finished if you ask me.And you wouldn't have to worry about welded parts in the steering system.That being said please explain how you guys are doing it with pipe and grade eight bolts!!

Rhinoman is that on a tracker or sami? Doing it that way would look a bit more finished if you ask me.And you wouldn't have to worry about welded parts in the steering system.That being said please explain how you guys are doing it with pipe and grade eight bolts!!

This is the best pic I could find, the tracker joint looks similar as most do. You need to put a spacer in here if it is necessary with longer bolts. I've done 3 BL's now with no need for a spacer, but if you do need one, I can't see it being any more than .5". I've even heard of some people using a couple washers on each end(between the steering shaft flange and the white sleeves) Just a suggestion, but you should unhook the steering shaft before you jack up the body, so it doesn't pull forward.
I don't know what the purpose of the joint is, but it looks to be like something to keep vibrations out of the steering wheel.

I don't know what the purpose of the joint is...

An extra $69.95 from your wallet to the parts counter!

I did the body lift on a Track/Kick. I'm not sure why I didn't need a spacer, I double checked everything and the splines into the steering box were hardly any further out than stock. There is no noticeable pull on the rubber isolator either. I know of others that didn't need any spacer and of other people that did.

These are the spacers that Dave Jones sells:
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Suzuki-Vitara-25mm-Steering-Spacer-for-after-Body-Lift_W0QQitemZ140214530910QQihZ004QQcategoryZ10426QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

I'm sure that you could use spacers and longer bolts instead.