how many of you???

[smalltoys]

im geting a 1999 x-cab 4cyl 2wd truck on sat. my question is would this be a truck that one would body lift and do a suspension lift on? i like the offroad look its really tuff compared to the stock look. i really need this to be funtional also as im in the go to home depot alot biz and i need to be able to load it w/out dumping it to the floor(hoping it could carry at leat 21 sheets of sheetrock).

if all this is possible i want a 3"lift and a body lift, what bolt on kit is recomended and tires(dd, mild off road w kick ass looks) ?

last but not least how much more gas is used when doing something like this, say it gets 22miles a gallon now??tia.

[hillbilyfire14]

Ok, first off, stay away from body lifts . Sure, they lift your truck for cheap, but all they really do is raise the center of gravity without improving suspension, and leave an ugly gap in the fender wells. I would go with a heavy duty Old Man Emu suspension lift (www.rocky-road.com/4runner.html). It will give you a little suspension lift 2-3", and most importantly, it will provide the support you need to carry 21 sheets of sheetrock without sagging too much. I think that with a 3" lift and a few other items (bumpers, sliders, tires, racks) you will be able to carry off the "Kick ass looks" very well. The old man emu lift will make your truck more than capable for the mild offroading.

A truck with a high quality 3" suspension lift is much more kick ass than a truck with a 3" suspension lift and a 3" body lift.

One more thing, if you put 6" of lift on your truck, you really will be jumping in and out to load lumber and building supplies. To make you truck a practical work truck/mild offroader with kick ass looks, go no more than 3".

[smalltoys]

thanks but i couldnt find rhe stuff on the link

[hillbilyfire14]

You mean OME, and what do you mean you couldn't find it? That whole page is Old Man Emu stuff. If you still don't see is, search google for Old Man Emu. There are a bunch of retailers.

[94cnytoy]

Are you a fr........

21 sheets of drywall???

Lets just assume a measily #50 per sheet (1/2'' 4' x 8')
That over #1000 (Lbs USA buddy)

Is there some girl there working for minimum wage you need to impress???
Maybe you can 'get' her with an awesome lifted 2wd truck and 21 sheets of sheetrock.

Seriously....
The stock truck will carry the weight for a shrot, slow, major bump free distance.
Any conventional lift will fail as most lifts do not accomodate additonal load capacity.
Overload leafs will help, but you will hate the ride unloaded.
Mild body lifts are OK (2'' max) but in your case, be sure to add all the bed floor supports(weld in place).
As for as milage, consider it downhill from here....


Stew

[smalltoys]

just want to know and thanks for the humor but i have an 06 FX4 with all there is to offer to impress the chicas.... but i want something i can dog out on home depot runs, btw i know the toyota will out last the ford.

[hillbilyfire14]

94cnytoy, you were close. Each sheet of sheetrock weighs ~70lb, give or take a couple pounds. That means 21 sheets would be pushing 1500lb! Thats insane!

[94cnytoy]

"Each sheet of sheetrock weighs ~70lb, give or take a couple pounds"

I was being very generous, because chain stores keep carrying lower and lower quality building materials to have the lowest price.
Kinda like 3ply, instead of 5-ply 5/8'' plywood (which only measures 17/32'')

Stew

[fourwd1]

hillbilyfire14 said:

Ok, first off, stay away from body lifts . Sure, they lift your truck for cheap, but all they really do is raise the center of gravity without improving suspension, and leave an ugly gap in the fender wells.

I wouldn't unequivocally say that. There are plenty of good reasons for a BL. If someone justed wanted to fit bigger tires for that "offroad look" a BL would work fine. Or if there's a shortage of time, $, or need for a suspension lift, a BL is quick, cheap, and easy. If it's just for looks and/or mild offroading, COG isn't a big issue. If someone was swapping in a V8 or even a V6 a BL makes it a lot easier at least. If if you wanted to do a drive train and/or gas tank lift a BL is needed.

[hillbilyfire14]

ok ok, I do agree with fourwd1. Now that I think about it, there are some purposes to body lifts. Funny, I actually put a 3" body lift on my 82 because the headers were heating up the floor boards too much. Small toys, do what ever you want. I know in the end what we say probaly won't stop you from doing what you really want to do. Just have fun with it and send us pictures!

[Hoodlum]

fourwd1 said:

hillbilyfire14 said:

Ok, first off, stay away from body lifts . Sure, they lift your truck for cheap, but all they really do is raise the center of gravity without improving suspension, and leave an ugly gap in the fender wells.

I wouldn't unequivocally say that. There are plenty of good reasons for a BL. If someone justed wanted to fit bigger tires for that "offroad look" a BL would work fine. Or if there's a shortage of time, $, or need for a suspension lift, a BL is quick, cheap, and easy. If it's just for looks and/or mild offroading, COG isn't a big issue. If someone was swapping in a V8 or even a V6 a BL makes it a lot easier at least. [glow=red,2,300]If if you wanted to do a drive train and/or gas tank lift a BL is needed.[/glow]

This is the main reason for my installation of the 2" BL on my rig. I want to be able to do a bellypan t-case clocker and mount from Budbuilt and a drivetrain lift from 4Crawler.

[norcalyota]

If you just want to carry sheetrock maybe put more heavy duty springs in the rear, maybe T100 springs....or springs off a 4wd. You can get overload springs to handle the weight. Or here's an idea, maybe take 2 trips?

[smalltoys]

well i passed on the 4x2 and got a 97 4x4 taco, its in the shop getting a 4" sl , wheels and tires.

[bowshtr]

Took that at lowes..I wonder how it made out over the speed bumps in the parking lot.