For my latest project, I decided I was going to need to add a BL ... So, I picked up a
MasterKit1 Body Lift off of ebay for the 4dr ... ($114 shipped)
The kit was well packed (bits wrapped in newspaper and hardware bagged). The instructions were french->english translated, but are comprehensible.
I've done a trac/kick BL before, so I did the standard stuff. (from left front around)
* jacked and set frame on stands (pulled tires)
* (I've already taken the stock bumbers and covers off too)
* loosened brake lines from the LH strut mount
* undid zip tie for the 02 wire
* loosened steering shaft at the pump end
* pulled the rubber tube from the air intake
* removed grille and headlights
* undid zip ties on the wiring harness near the battery
* unmounted charcoal canester
* unmounted fuel filler
* undid ebake rubber guides from the frame
* pulled the tcase shifter (and trans shifter since it's a manual)
(I'm sure there's other things ... just give a few walkarounds to see what will stretch when lifting the body from the frame)
I'm also doing a gas tank lift, so I'd also dropped/disconnected the tank completely.
Next was the actual "lift" ... I loosened (but not removed) all 8 body mounts (2 in front, 6 around the frame). I then removed the nuts/bolts on one side, and lifted one side up enuf to set on 2x2's, went to the other side, removed the nuts/bolts, lifted it to set on 4x4's, went back and got the other side also on 4x4's. During all this, I made sure to check for what might be stretching and taking care of it *before* it became a problem. (edit: I had forgot the tranny/tcase breathers ...)
Now it's lifted enuf to get the rubber body isolators out. The master kit says to "cut them" ... what is meant is to "split them" into 2 sperate pieces. I chucked them into a bench grinder, and while they spun, used a razor knife to split them into a top half and bottom half. The top half will go above the lift blocks and the bottom half into the frame mount.
Next it's time to put the blocks in (using the split isolators) as detailed in the instructions. I left off the under frame isolators for the moment, but did thread in the nut/bolts that go there. Using the supplied hardware, I got the nuts and bolts to each have a full thread into the nuts. I found I needed to use 3 washers for the body stud in order to keep the nut from bottoming out, YMMV. Then, jacked up and added spacers for the 4 spots where rubber pucks snap into the body (i.e. no studs at those 4 spots). Then removed the 4x4 wood blocks the body was resting on and set each side in turn down on the new lift blocks. Like most BL's keeping everything aligned properly can be a pain, but some jacking bumbing, etc gets everything into place.
Now it's a matter of getting things tightened up. I used the jack to relieve some pressure on one side, spun up the nut for the body stud good and snug. Now I went to get the underside bushing, metal cap, and bolt/nut though the lower end of the blocks (I needed to drill the metal caps a touch larger). A bottle jack helped to get the bushing crushed enuf to get the nut attached. Tightened everything up.
I am going to tack weld the unbolted spacers, extend the shifters, finish the tank lift, re zip tire stuff, move the drivers brake line down, addin the steering shaft extension, etc ... misc things to finish up, but the body is now securly mounted with its 3" liftÂÂ
A couple of notes ...
All hardware was good quality (nylalock nuts)
A very complete kit ... steering shaft extension, fuel filler extension (with hose clamps), shifter extension material, brakets for bumbers. Some people with early model PS (where the resevoir mounts to the body) might need longer PS hoses, but that's probably only on 89-91?)
I think the "bumber relocation" stuff provided with the kit looks complete (but will require some welding). I'm not using it (and I expect others might not also) ... Yves, how about making those bits an "option" to lower the base kit price?
It only came with 2 of the "unbolted spacers" (upper right of the pic above) ... but there are 4 needed (two under the rear wheel well, and 2 in the middle of the body. I used two of the 3" bumber blocks (and will get em all tacked in place). Just a minor thing.
All in all, I'm pleased with the kit ... I think it's a well setup kit (better IMO than the RRO/Sky kit), and complete (especially if you need/want bumber relocation).
