I was reading in my off-road magazine that perfrmace accessories was coming out with a body lift for the duramax. So I called them and they said it should be out in about 6 weeks. Do you think this would be a good investment, since it is so much cheaper than a suspension lift? Also they say you are not supposed to pull any bumper pull trailers with a body lift, how true is that?

Very true. When you body lift a truck you have to move the stock location of the bumper up and it will only be held by some small metal sometimes aluminum brackets. I would never pull a trailer with anything but the class 5 hitch. Never use a bumper to pull a trailer. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Ermm.gif

Can you tell me why anybody would use their bumper to pull anything anyway nowadays? If you were reading Offroad Adventures I read the same thing. I can't wait till I get my Dmax because that's what I'll put on it, 3 in body lifthttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif. I have a 4" susp. lift on my Z71 now and it's too much stress on parts and alot more expensive than a body lift. On my style truck when you lift the body the bumper and nerf bars space out farther but on the new HD's they don't.

. On my style truck when you lift the body the bumper and nerf bars space out farther but on the new HD's they don't.


Umm...3 inches is 3 incheshttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif


8.1http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cool.gif

Body lifts are attractive as the cost is a bunch lower than a lift kit however our truck bodies sit high on the frames as it is. I would like GM to just make larger wheel openings - much like the Fords and Dodges. That way we could install larger wheels and tires without having to lift the trucks.

No Chit 8.1 gasser. I know 3" is 3" but what I am saying is the new HD's don't have the super spacing like my style trucks have when you put body lifts on there. I know somebody who has a 97 1500 Z71 with a 3" body lift and I don't know if you can get brackets but his nerf bars and back bumper are alot more spaced apart than I think they should be. The new style isn't like that, There is an crew cab HD with 3" body lift and torsion bars cranked up 1 1/2 and he has 305's on it.

body lift will show just about all of the frame, not to mention you will be moving drivetrain parts like the intercooler tubing (READ: warranty refusal at a later date ?) 305s will fit easily without a body lift on wheels with the right bs.

Every thing I have ever read said that body lifts are a bad idea. To much trouble with linkages, wiring, bumber and body mounts etc...

Hey ski1. I read that 305 will fit without a lift but are they 12.5 inch wide 305's. I know all about what you have to change on the body lifts and it is still cheaper and less stressful on drivetrain parts than susp. lifts are. I would change the spacing in the nerf bars though. This is a truck over in the next town that has a 3" body lift and torsion bars are cranked up a little. He has 305's on it, He said 35's wouldn't fit.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/Next_truck_2.jpg

i run 35s with no problem. I am up about 2 " with the green keys (almost level front to rear) and only have slight rubbing while in reverse at full crank. wont stand up to hardcore wheeling, but I only do this a few times a year to hunt. 305s fit easily with bs more than 4.75"

Grizzly, that truck you posted has the room...the only thing holding him back from 35's is the rims...need 5-5.5" of backspacing to make it work...got the same set-up 3"b/l, keys, and 2.5" block...fit 35's no problem...37's are next.

That's exactly what I'm going to do when I get my Duramax. It's a nice truck, I think I'd put stainless nerf bars on it and no brushguard. More shiny stuff. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

Body lifts are an alternative to suspension lifts but IMO there are too many negatives about them. A suspension lift is pretty straight forward, everything remains in place and everything is lifted. Problem with body lifts espically on HDs which many people use for towing is you have to relocate the bumpers, exhaust and rear hitch if you don't want a huge gap, it exposes the already tall HD frame and for anyone considering a fifth wheel...well reconsider. Buyers beware that while the body lifts include the necessary hardware there are many hidden costs such as lift lips, relocating the exhaust and hitch as I mentioned above it you want it to look right plus many people will go buy nerf bars to hide the frame etc. Add all these costs up and you could have purchaesd a suspension kit. Last but not least while body lifts are not difficult to install they are very time consuming so do your research and beware.

I've installed two bodylifts on GM trucks... C/K styles.

Like y2kboti said they seem easier to install than it ends up being, mostly because the kit manufacturers instructions aren't too good. With the TrailMaster kits on the older C/K's they gave you these huge washers for the front body mounts that do not fit into the access holes next to the radiator. Both kits I installed.... one in 1992 the other in 1999 had the same issue. After calling them about it the answer given was "these kits are typically installed by professsionals ans we don't get calls from them" http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Confused.gif The GM body bolts had integral washers that you couldn't get off. We are talking 3/16 thick x 1 -1/2 dia washers. Not something you typically have laying around. What I ended up doing is cutting the OEM bolts to get the washers off and drilling the hole out larger so it would fit the kit supplied bolts. Pain in the butt!

Anyway... they also make a blanket statement "Some electrical and other components may need to be lengthened or relocated". Botton line was nothing on the C/K's needed lengthening but a few brackets and wire harness clamps needed to be removed. And you find out after unbolting the body mounts and start jacking the body up. Best way is to use two people, one spotter looking for stuff getting pulled on and the other SLOWLY jacking the body.

You also need to use a 4x4 piece of lumber (or thicker) about 2 ft long to place above the jack so you spread the loads and have it hanging down enough so you don't hit the rocker panel weld lip.

Fan shroud is an issue. Fan shroud is attached to the body, fan is attached to the engine. Raise the body and the bottom of the shroud hits the fan. They called for cutting the bottom of the shroud. Seemed to work out ok both times.

Had to pull the whole steering column (easy to do on C/K) because the bodylift causes geometry change. You had to open up the hole going throught the floor and relocate the mounting bracket. Out under the hood you added a steering shaft extension.

Floor shift 4x4 required minor linkage adjustment.

The supplied brackets to relocate the front bumper but not the rear. Relocating the front bumper can be time consuming. Again you should be doing it with two people. Getting bolt holes to line up and then getting the bumper to sit perfect can be a aggrivating experience.

They provide spacers to install under the rear bed to support loads. Before the box bolted directly to the frame.

I noticed on the Dmax there are cooling system lines running under the fan and cliped to the bottom of the shroud. Looks like an cooling hose extension is needed.

Nobody I know messes with the rear bumper or hitch. I know some people have but most leave it.


Edited by: hoot

The Performance accessories body lift will come with extension mounts for the fan shroud so no need to cut it will just move up, the cooling lines will move with it, no extension needed. As far as steering, the extension is all you need, not necessary to remove the assembly for any reason, just install the extension piece for the steering and be done with it. The geometry is not changed enough to warrant doing this. The strain will be minimal. Also the rear bumper is always an issue. If you do not do it then you have a rear bumper hanging down and personally everytime I see one like that I have to laugh. What they could not spend the extra 30 bucks for brackets to move the bumper. Right....


Hoot has provided some great info, but seeing as I use to install these daily I will have to disagree with some of these statements. But over good job on the description Hoot..http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Thumbs Up.gif

You guys that want to install big meats need to stop being *****s and do some fender triming. A little snip here and a slash there, a little whacking a 35k$ truck's sheet metal with a mallet. 40's can go on a Chevy SFA 6" flexy suspention lift and do some hard wheeling with no scrubbing if you have enough sawsall blades/balls. Just razzing you guyshttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Hug.gif


Seriously though I have seen fender triming that actualy looks good. It may be alot of work but it and different bumpers are viable way to get clearance IMO


Edit: you arnt going to get a ton though probably due to how close the floor board is if I remember corectly, and dealing with that can be a major PITAEdited by: ratlover

I already know all of the information on what you have to do for a body lift. I also think when you cheap out and don't raise the bumper it looks bad. I still don't know if I would do one or not I'm just thinking about leaving it normal and cranking the torsion bars up a little and maybe putting (this might be the biggest I'll go) 285's on it. I don't care for the low stance of a stock one and am getting old of the stressful susp. lift.

GMC2500HD,

The only trouble is the experts often find shortcuts that benefit their pocket and not the owners. I do respect the experience of someone who installed for a living.

You mention moving the shroud "up"... you mean down don't you? Because the body lift raises the shroud, not the engine w/fan.

I also thought the Performance Accessories was less complete of a kit.

I agree the back bumper should go up but moving the hitch up adds to the labor and messes with tow height. But I would have to agree it's worth it. The few GM HD's I've seen with body lifts don't do them justice. Way too much frame showing.

Hoot, Are you talking about the new style like that picture above? The frame isn't showing to much there, If anybody doesn't want the frame showing either lower the truck or put a more expensive,stressful susp. lift on it. What would I have to do when I get my Dmax to have it higher than a Dodge 2500?

Hoot, yes down. Sorry was thinking backwards again..http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Ermm.gif


As far as the hitch, I was just talking about the bumper, must have misread the post. Ya shortcuts are cool but not when they cause problems for the owner. lol...

My Rancho 4" lift is incredibly stout, and because front track is increased 3" (1.5" per side) with this kit, my truck is more stable than it was stock.


I am not so sure a body lift is a good choice for a hard working tow/haul rig. I always thought body lifts were more for looks.


An inexpensive way to clear larger tires is with something like Bushwacker cut out flares. They claim you can run 35s with their flares alone, but my dime says you'll still need to crank the t-bars to keep from rubbing, especially if you go with wider wheels. To me, ANY rubbing is unacceptable, and I want enough wheel well clearance to run chains on the front.