Sorry, I wasn't able to take pics while I was installing the body lift. But, there are two links at the bottom of this post that show some of the same things.
The body lift I got from lowrange (~ $120) and installing it wasn't hard, just a little tedious and worrisome as there were some things I wasn't sure about.
LOW RANGE OFFROAD
The kit did come with instructions, and from memory the process went something like this:
1. Remove grill and then headlights.
2. Then remove the bumpers, rear has a cover piece to take off first.
3. Remove the little metal clips that hold the front brake lines to the struts.
4. In the engine bay, lower the purge canister from its mount.
5. Remove center console and shifter mechanisms.
6. Release the rubber hose that connects the air cleaner box.
7. Remove the three nuts on the passenger side body mounts, and remove the one bolt
from under the passenger headlight.
8. Loosen the nuts and bolt from the driver side -but don not remove yet.
9. Lift passenger side body off of frame using a 2ft long 2x6 to distribute the stress and
prevent warping of the body.
NOTE: Be careful to watch for any wires hoses or other obstructions.
10. Lift body up ~4 inches and install spacers - there are four through the body mounts
and one that gets glued in place between the two center ones.
11. Lower the body keeping the spacers centered around body mount bolts and install
special nuts (these are countersunk into body spacers).
12. Glue the 5th spacer into place under body cushion.
13. Snug down the nuts / bolts and repeat process for drivers side.
14. Check the fuel filler hose to see that it does not get stretched - you may need to add
a short extension section, or move the ends up a half inch on the tank and the filler neck
15. Reconnect and then double check all the hoses and air box intake, purge canister,
and brake line clips.
16. Tighten all nuts and bolts for body mounts.
17. Replace headlights and front grill.
18. Using a torch, heat and bend shifters to fit - had to bend mine forward about two inches.
19. Re-install shifters and center console -double check operation and clearance there.
20 Take for test drive and admire your tuff little truck.
Challenges I had to deal with were:
1. The fuel filler hose. I just loosened both ends and slid them down about 1/2 inch on each end. This provided enough extra length to keep it connected. It's easy to access the hose behind a small metal shield panel up inside the right rear fender well.
2. The shifter (manual 5spd). It's easy to remove. Then just heat it with a torch and bend it. I took the original and traced it out on a piece of cardboard for the before pattern. Then heated it to dull orange with a small mapp torch I got from home depot, and bent it about 1.5 inches to the rear. Took 2 passes to get it almost perfect.I could compare the after to the before pic and see how far I had to go to get the 1.5 -2 inch of bend. The rubber vibration insulator got burned out in the process and so I just welded that solid. The 4x shifter was done the same way, and I got it right on the first pass. Just take your time and realize the value of that old saying, measure twice, cut once.
3. The bumpers. You can mount the rear without the plastic valence cover - looks tuff and should work fine. I spent a couple hours fabbing relocation brackets to move it up for a more finished look (may not be worth the effort). I just remounted the front bumper with the gap caused by the body lift. I plan to replace the oem bumpers with metal tube bumpers -some day.
4. Too tall for the jack. I had already installed taller tires and a 2 inch spring spacer suspension lift. So getting the floor jack to lift the body up another 4-5 inches was a pain. I think at then end I had about a spacer of about five 2x6 planks screwed together in order get the necessary lift with my jack.
Here are two links to some else's installation that does include pics...
Budget 4 Door Lift
Tracker Body Lift
I am glad I went this route on mine. I've heard of problems with the steering linkage when using the calmini 3 inch body lift - I've had no problems with the 2 inch lift. Instructions with the kit were ok, but the service from lowrange was great. I'd shop with them again.
With aggressive tires, and 4 inches overall lift, this thing is nearly unstoppable in the snow and mud -even with open diffs. It's pretty good as a trail rig too - keeps up with anything thats running open diffs. Cannot compete with a CJ running ARBs and 37s - but then I still get 20-23 mpg and have less money in my rig then they do for tires and wheels.
Lifting 1991 Geo Tracker ...
Linear Mode
