unccpathfinder Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 So I got my 3" body lift last week (thanks SteeevO and ruggedrocksoffroad.com) and now it's time to install it...I've gone through and read all the posts but one common thing is "multiple people are needed" There lies the problem and was curious if there were any others that have done this on their own? I think I can do it...I mean i've done like 3 or 4 engine swaps alone and changed 2 clutches alone so it can't be that much more difficult. my plan of attack is to get 6 cinder blocks and stack 2 in 2 places on each side then take 2 OEM bottle jacks and jack up oneside using a 4' 2x4 so i dont bend up the body too bad then place jackstands under it and take the bottle jacks to the otehr side and jack it up...I think I will have to do each side about 1" at a time then set the blocks in and get the body close to them and see if I can't get all the bolts to line up since that seems to be a problem and for safety a 4x4 will be between the frame and body in case there are any wind gusts and we have an issue..i'd rather bend up the body than loose a hand... I'm hoping I can get it done in under 3 or 4 hours but at least i didnt break any body bolts removing them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzy Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I believe Precise1 is doing his BL solo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted April 3, 2009 Author Share Posted April 3, 2009 (edited) I wish I still had this guy (my lift and the scout)... Edited April 3, 2009 by unccpathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I did mine myself as well, it "would" be easier with another pair of hands, but it's not required You can do one side at a time, just remember to loosen the bolts on the other before lifting Attacking it that way will also prevent the change of ant shifting forward to back, since one side will still be attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I'm hoping I can get it done in under 3 or 4 hours but at least i didnt break any body bolts removing them... I suggest you dedicate a full weekend, "just in case" you run into any big problems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted April 3, 2009 Author Share Posted April 3, 2009 thanks...yea i was supposed to start this morning but i got called into work and iw as supposed to leave at 11 and i'm still here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Did mine primarly by myself, wife held the wrench for a couple of nuts while I tightened bolts from the top(the 2 under the back seat were where it came in handy, my arms arn't that long). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I did mine solo, just used my regular 3 ton floor jack with a piece of 4x4 on it to lift the body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 (edited) HOW THE EFF do you get the friggin fuel tank filler extension tube to go down the filler neck...i'm thinking i'm gonna need to buy a new one b/c i've spent more time trying to get that to work than it took me to lift the damn body and get it buttoned up... alright got that...that was a PITA....old cold rubber does not like to stretch...i quit for the night so i can get up in the morning and hopefully try to get the transmission into place all I have left is to fix the lower radiator hose figure out how to fix the steering shaft b/c i dont think there is enough adjustment in it right now and definitely don't want that coming loose on the road and put the clamps on the fuel tank but it was getting cold and dark so i put the hoses on but not the clamps b/c i was having some alignment issues and rolled her back in the garage...didnt want o leave the hoses off and let the gas fumes build up in the garage...the water heater is in there and that would just suck... some images... Gangsta lean: almost there: My lifting rig...worked like a champ (i was unsure of hte 2x4 in that position but it didnt even think about moving...couldnt find the damn T bar either b/c i was going to cut it off and put it in my 18V drill so i ended up using a phillips head through the holes to turn it...worked out nicely): much better compared to earlier (no tbars): earlier: I've read a couple of installs and the TM BL seems to have an extension for the steering shaft but the PA kit doesnt and right now my shaft doesnt look like it will give me comfortable engagement...what did most other folks do to ensure they had enough spline engagement on both sides? Edited April 4, 2009 by unccpathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffie Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 looks like its comeing along nicely when i did the bl on my 92 the splines on the steering shaft slid right out i have had no issues with it and its been just under a year. i ran into a issue with the rad. i had the drop down brackett but it didnt work right so i just left it where it was but my hoses were all crimped up so i just got some flex hose from advanced and it solved all the problems. thought i would put it out their incase ya have the same issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 yea i'm gonna fab my own drop down but it looks like I need to trim the original "lower restraints" off so the radiator isnt closer to the fan...I want to do an efan mod so I may leave it in the stock location for now and do that later and then it won't matter thanks for the input...I may have to take hte steering shaft off of my 95 b/c I was reading where the 87-89 has a different type shaft that may make it too short Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 If you have the cash and time head to the wrecking yard and look for a 4wd HB, snag the steering shaft and the TC Shifter. Both are a little longer and not having to mess with it makes it worth the money. At least in my case it was worth it, but if they want to much for them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 (edited) shiit....the local wrecking yard is like an hour away...i live in BFE...but i'll keep that in mind as a thing to get and ensure I have good engagement b/c that is 1 thing you dont want to fail... well i figured out its a slip yolk and can only get about .5" more inches out of it...its gonna be close but i'll see what I can do...i've got a backup plan for a temporary "spacer" Edited April 4, 2009 by unccpathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Yeah I held off on the lift until I had both those items, juat made life easier Alternatives for the TC is to cut and weld an extention in. Also I think the angle is wrong without a HB shifter, might have to cut the body away a little iirc. Others have extended and/or changed the angle so it does not lay down as far in 4L (look for Aarons writeup of Rami's lift.) But even with the HB shifter mine does go down farther in 4L than it used to. This is because I installed a 3" lift where as HB's only sit about 2in higher off the frame than Pathfinders do. The transmission shifter (stock) does a little of the same too, both cause some problems with the cup holders I have isntalled right behind them. It was never an issue before the lift, but it's one I can live with until I feel like making the changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 well i figured out its a slip yolk and can only get about .5" more inches out of it...its gonna be close but i'll see what I can do...i've got a backup plan for a temporary "spacer" Seems like some one (MWS maybe?) tack welded it in place after he had it set, just because of the fact that it was so close to the end. Don't recall any problems with doing that. Since the body and frame do not move independent of each other, it should never move once installed, so a weld should not be an issue either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 Looks like you have it handled, man! I did mine in the driveway with one jack, some 2x4 and two jackstands. It took a while but it was worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magregor Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I did mine by myself...well, Adamzan helped me drop it on the frame...literally :-). Had some issues lining up rear bolts, but the body was 3' off frame for 4 months while I rebuilt frame, etc. No issues with steering...I just loosened both top nd bottom splines and split the difference between the 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted April 4, 2009 Author Share Posted April 4, 2009 i had no bolt alignment issues...i left the steering shaft alone for now just want to get hte damn tranny in...the 3" lift makes access to the bolts NICE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nytrosfinder Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 wish i could have done this.... Mine was easy to do... all i did was i got a pathfinder with a body lift already... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Had some issues lining up rear bolts, Yep, same here even though I cut out both of my rear most ones. The entire body shifted forward (1/2 inch?) to where I used a come-along off of the tire carrier to my neighbors Exploder front axle (see, they make great anchors...) to move it back. The problem was when I went to relocate the front bumper (all chassis bolts tightened) it wasn't even side to side so I had to undo the front 4 bolts and pull the nose over a bit; it didn't take much, but it all took time... I'm writing up some info in the pinned Body Lift thread, some geared specifically to 2" lifts, most of it general. Make sure to add what you learned... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msavides Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 (edited) HOW THE EFF do you get the friggin fuel tank filler extension tube to go down the filler neck...i'm thinking i'm gonna need to buy a new one b/c i've spent more time trying to get that to work than it took me to lift the damn body and get it buttoned up... alright got that...that was a PITA....old cold rubber does not like to stretch...i quit for the night so i can get up in the morning and hopefully try to get the transmission into place all I have left is to fix the lower radiator hose figure out how to fix the steering shaft b/c i dont think there is enough adjustment in it right now and definitely don't want that coming loose on the road and put the clamps on the fuel tank but it was getting cold and dark so i put the hoses on but not the clamps b/c i was having some alignment issues and rolled her back in the garage...didnt want o leave the hoses off and let the gas fumes build up in the garage...the water heater is in there and that would just suck... My lifting rig...worked like a champ (i was unsure of hte 2x4 in that position but it didnt even think about moving...couldnt find the damn T bar either b/c i was going to cut it off and put it in my 18V drill so i ended up using a phillips head through the holes to turn it...worked out nicely): I've read a couple of installs and the TM BL seems to have an extension for the steering shaft but the PA kit doesnt and right now my shaft doesnt look like it will give me comfortable engagement...what did most other folks do to ensure they had enough spline engagement on both sides? The kit I got you had to cut the fuel filler hose in half and put the metal piece in between the 2 pieces of cut hose and clamp it with the provided clamps. Most trucks have enough room in the steering shaft to extend for the body lift. However you have to get the shaft to move a little from each side (split the difference) to be safe. Edited April 7, 2009 by msavides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 he kit I got you had to cut the fuel filler hose in half and put the metal piece in between the 2 pieces of cut hose and clamp it with the provided clamps. Yea I was having major problems in getting the old cold rubber to expand and let the the extension tube to be installed...i got it but i had to warm the filler neck up a good bit to make it more malleable yea my steering shaft is still short and I have beat the slip yoke as far as I could feeling safe and it still makes the splines kinda short on the top side so I'm gonna probably get it where I want it and weld it to be safe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Pickles Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Oh, this brings back memories. I also did mine alone, and took a slow long weekend with online help from 88' and others. I had some minor issues, mostly a frozen mount bolt That slip steering shaft is sketchy feeling, but its been on mine stretched out and wheeled for probably 5 years now. I put it half in a vice per 88, clamped down some vice grips on the shaft below, and beat the living !@#$%&* out of it for some extension. Nice job on the blocks and jacks, I was chilling in a parking lot with a 2 1/2 floor jack, the stock bottle, some jack stands, and the HOA president breathing down my neck. Ditto on the fuel filler and the in-line extension, that took some elbow grease. All in all, the whole thing is ok though. BTW, if you're still screwing with your lower radiator hose, I took mine and flipped it, trimmed just a little, and its fine to this day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 I put it half in a vice per 88, clamped down some vice grips on the shaft below, and beat the living !@#$%&* out of it for some extension. Heh...i soaked it in PB for about a half hour and pulled the rubber sleeve off...put some vice grips on it...set those across the opening in one of them there cyinder blocks and took a flat punch (an old 6" extension" and beat the @!*% out of it...I've still got about 1/4" more to go so it'll be in a happy place but I left it for then to work on other things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadm4x4 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 (edited) JUST A QUESTION FOR ALL. WHAT TYPE OF BLOCKS ARE YOU GUYS USUNG. ALLY BILLOT OR OTHER. GOING TO DO MINE THIS WEEKEND. HOPEFULLY Ta Edited May 7, 2009 by jadm4x4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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