Body & Suspension Lift Combo

[compass crusher]

I'm curious if anyone has tried this combo. The 1.5-2.0 spacer lift kits and added an additional 1.2 lifted coil springs for all four.

I love the look of the body lift but would like the functionality & performance of the suspension lift.

This article is outlandish because it's based on a Tundra but seems like the suspension & body lift combo can be applied to most 4x4 vehicles.


Thoughts?

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[Flash3x]

I’m not seeing a link to an article, however…

A body lift is for vehicles that have body on frame construction. The Bronco Sport is unibody construction, the body is the frame, nowhere to put spacers.

Your only option with the BS is suspension lifts.

 

[Flash3x]

To add to that, if you are talking about the coil spring spacers plus longer coils, I believe you are going to run out of travel in the factory a-arms/links. More travel and bigger lifts will require a complete kit that replaces all of the suspension components.

 

[compass crusher]

To add to that, if you are talking about the coil spring spacers plus longer coils, I believe you are going to run out of travel in the factory a-arms/links. More travel and bigger lifts will require a complete kit that replaces all of the suspension components.

Thank you for the info. Yes, I was referring to coil springs from H&R. I already have a 1.5 spacer lift kit. Was looking into springs to create more clearance.

Good to know. So it's one or the other. Apples? or Oranges?. Springs for performance or spacers for the look? Certainly bigger tires for all-around more clearance.

 

[Flash3x]

Good to know. So it's one or the other. Apples? or Oranges?. Springs for performance or spacers for the look? Certainly bigger tires for all-around more clearance.

I’m afraid so. Once upon a time you could take the vehicle of your choice (because they all had straight axles and frames) and slap any combo of body and suspension lift you wanted and jack that sucker up to the moon. Then sometime in the 80’s people starting saying they want a “comfortable ride”.

Ford went with their somewhat legendary Twin Traction Beam IFS in an attempt to gain a smoother ride. The TTB was a great compromise between the straight axle and IFS. Just about every other manufacturer went with a form of A Arm suspension with halfshafts. Eventually Ford did too.

A Arm style suspensions are great for ride quality and can be made to work wonderfully off road but typically not both at the same time. Given the complexity of geometry in an a arm suspension (mainly limited travel arc due to short radius) it’s hard to get much lift out of a system like that. You can jack it up until you are out of rebound but it will ride terrible. For big lift you are looking at a custom built suspension that replaces everything.

A little long winded but hope it explains why you are only seeing 2 inch lifts right now for the BS. If a company sees opportunity in building a custom big lift suspension for the BS, then you will start seeing 4 and 6 inch lift kits. Of course, you can’t drop the engine and transmission down so the half shaft angles are still going to limit “big” lifts. We shall see what happens…..

 

[Osco]

Talk about destroying a BS, a 4” lift should just about do it ya think ?
I bet it won’t be long before you see one inching around a curve trying it’s best not to tip over.

 

[Benanza]

I'm curious if anyone has tried this combo. The 1.5-2.0 spacer lift kits and added an additional 1.2 lifted coil springs for all four.

Thoughts?

The reason they show a 2" lift/level with a 3" body vs 4" suspension, once you go over 2" the suspension starts to get maxed out and will need a corresponding move. Adding the springs would max out the suspension in your case

 

[compass crusher]

I’m afraid so. Once upon a time you could take the vehicle of your choice (because they all had straight axles and frames) and slap any combo of body and suspension lift you wanted and jack that sucker up to the moon. Then sometime in the 80’s people starting saying they want a “comfortable ride”.

Ford went with their somewhat legendary Twin Traction Beam IFS in an attempt to gain a smoother ride. The TTB was a great compromise between the straight axle and IFS. Just about every other manufacturer went with a form of A Arm suspension with halfshafts. Eventually Ford did too.

A Arm style suspensions are great for ride quality and can be made to work wonderfully off road but typically not both at the same time. Given the complexity of geometry in an a arm suspension (mainly limited travel arc due to short radius) it’s hard to get much lift out of a system like that. You can jack it up until you are out of rebound but it will ride terrible. For big lift you are looking at a custom built suspension that replaces everything.

A little long winded but hope it explains why you are only seeing 2 inch lifts right now for the BS. If a company sees opportunity in building a custom big lift suspension for the BS, then you will start seeing 4 and 6 inch lift kits. Of course, you can’t drop the engine and transmission down so the half shaft angles are still going to limit “big” lifts. We shall see what happens…..

Amazing info buddy. You answered all my questions

For comfort purposes I'll keep the spacers and veto the spring vision.

 

[Mwittke5857]

I’m afraid so. Once upon a time you could take the vehicle of your choice (because they all had straight axles and frames) and slap any combo of body and suspension lift you wanted and jack that sucker up to the moon. Then sometime in the 80’s people starting saying they want a “comfortable ride”.

Ford went with their somewhat legendary Twin Traction Beam IFS in an attempt to gain a smoother ride. The TTB was a great compromise between the straight axle and IFS. Just about every other manufacturer went with a form of A Arm suspension with halfshafts. Eventually Ford did too.

A Arm style suspensions are great for ride quality and can be made to work wonderfully off road but typically not both at the same time. Given the complexity of geometry in an a arm suspension (mainly limited travel arc due to short radius) it’s hard to get much lift out of a system like that. You can jack it up until you are out of rebound but it will ride terrible. For big lift you are looking at a custom built suspension that replaces everything.

A little long winded but hope it explains why you are only seeing 2 inch lifts right now for the BS. If a company sees opportunity in building a custom big lift suspension for the BS, then you will start seeing 4 and 6 inch lift kits. Of course, you can’t drop the engine and transmission down so the half shaft angles are still going to limit “big” lifts. We shall see what happens…..

HRG has a 2.5 inch kit that includes spacers & hardware to drop the engine & rear axial cradles 1 inch. If I'm not mistaken, it is offered as a "stand-alone" as well for $499

 

[RSH]

Body lifts that Iam familiar with are spacer kits the that go between the body's mounting points to the frame of the vehicle, which lifts the vehicles body relative to the frame.
The Sport does not have a traditional separate step ladder type frame as typically found on trucks and some SUV's, the Sport has unibody construction, the body is integral to its floor pan.
Typical ways to lift the Sport are:
1. Suspension spacer lift.
2. Suspension spacer lift with subframe drop spacer combo.
3. Spring lift which uses longer springs in place of the factory springs.
4. Replace the standard suspension with complete aftermarket longer struts, springs and shocks.
5. Complete air suspension system.
6. Larger diameter tires.

All depends on where you want to jump in and what your budget is. YMMV.

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