SFA 50mm body lift

[Tarquin]

I apologize for being half way through the body lift when i started this thread:
Step 1: for a double cab you need 14 spacers to do the body and load bin. 14x 50mm round bar alu by
50 mm long with a 10mm hole in the middle. i only have 6 in the pic, because 8 of them are
already under my body

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Step 2: 8x 10mm-120mm Plated HT bolts. i used 2 SS nuts locked against each other, you can also use a
nyloc if you prefer so 28 SS nuts or 14 nyloc's. i used the original washers

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Step 3: disconnect your steering rod to the steering box, 4x4 and reverse switch on gearbox, remove the
3 bolts holding the filler cap and if you have the origional front bumper, remove the bolt on each
side holding it to the body.

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Step 4: i cut a tiny slither off each of the metal bush inside the body mounts so that it would tighten
up nicely, because i'm re-using my old body mountings

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Step 5: Remove all the mounting bolts so that your body is completely loose. i jacked my body up with
my high lift jack on my rock slider's and levered my front up on the bull bar.
Step 6: i also put grease inside the body mount to stop further rusting of the metal bush(oiled the HT
bolt as well)
Step 7: fiddle the body mounts into position and bolt it down(put all the bolts into position before you
tighten any of them)

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[Tarquin]

Step 8: re-fit your steering rod, i put in 3 washers to give it some extra length.

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you'll have to bend the body slightly to get it to fit

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now i will continue the post as i continue with the job

[Velo son]

Looks quite simple, but like a big job.
Very tempted, did not realise its this easy.
Well done!

[Tarquin]

quiet strait forward you just need a weekend and maybe a bit more

[Thunder02]

Nice step for step report
Thanks

For those with an IFS,remember you aftermarket bumpers,front and back have to be raised separately with brackets,as the are not attached to the body but the chassie.

Did you have to put in a longer filler pipe to the tank?
Or am i jumping the gun here

[Tarquin]

you correct the bumper and tow bar also has to be raised on the SFA if you want it to look standard.
will post that when i come to that, am thinking of putting a second fill cap in the wheel arch for the extra tank to stop flow between the 2 tanks, will post when i get to it

[Thunder02]

Cool

[MOFASA]

I have the spacers and bolts but just have not gotten round to it yet...
Thinking it will be easier to do it when it is getting resprayed.....

[Tarquin]

I've started with the load body:
some of the bolts were loose so it's the perfect time

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removed my tow bar

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removed all the bolts, the 4 in the back are T bolts so if the start turning in the load body jack the load body a bit to tighten them up

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i've been thinking of lifting the loadbody by 75 mm (have new spacers made) because there's a nice space to put a flat water tank above my extra tank now.
should i cut round disks of conveyor belt to use as rubber, or should i bolt the load body strait on with no rubbers? i've seen the vigo load bodies are bolted strait on.

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what do you guys think? will the extra height give much extra drag on the canopy, it doesn't seem much higher.

[cyborg]

This really does seem a lot simpler than I envisaged.
Did you get the spacers made up, or can one buy them somewhere?

I also thought the steering would have been more of a problem. Did you put spacers on the one side only right? Or is it required on both sides?

I’m assuming you’ve done the suspension lift as well?

I look forward to seeing the end result.

[Tarquin]

i think you can but 50mm spacers from 4x4 direct but i'm not sure, maybe someone can confirm?
i'm not sure what you mean by only one side, but you must put a spacer at every body mount.
if you refering to the steering i only put on one side, but it wont hurt to put it on both sides
i haven't done a suspension lift, original shackles only OME spring front now.

[ThysdJ]

Your not going to gain anything by lifting the loadbin by 25mm more. Except a pain in the back from having to lift everything 25mm higher to load it in and out, and added drag, and the bodylines are not going to line up and look weird..

The biggest gain on a body lift is with the front wheels, when you fit bigger tyres to prevent tyres from catching on the body panels .. the rears will never catch on the body at all. So of anything, I would raise the front 75mm and the rear 50mm.. But it would still look weird as the lines dont match up on the body and load bin..

[cyborg]

I meant when putting the stearing rod/shaft? back, as you did with the 3 washers. did you do it only on two bolts or all four?
Isn't there also a splind join somewhere which one can loosen and gain a bit of length from as well?

[cyborg]

......... So of anything, I would raise the front 75mm and the rear 50mm.. But it would still look weird as the lines dont match up on the body and load bin..

Interesting point this. I've long since struggled with this aspect.
If the springs are just a bit pap in the back this off centre body line makes it look so much worse. Before doing the leaf springs on my previous van it bothered me so much. I wanted to put the extended shackle at the back to try compensate. But the guy at the spring works said, "nee, moenie dit doen nie. dit gaan &%# lyk. . . as of jy die heel tyd aftraande loop".
So i didn't. but not because I wanted to. i just didn't want to disapoint him...
Now i'm sitting with the 4 Runner (SFA model) with exactly the same scenario... but I'll just get the leafs done and take it from there. sal maar nog sien...

[Tarquin]

I meant when putting the stearing rod/shaft? back, as you did with the 3 washers. did you do it only on two bolts or all four?
Isn't there also a splind join somewhere which one can loosen and gain a bit of length from as well?

only on 2 of the bolts, there is a slide on the firewall side which i loosened and got enough length from

[Tarquin]

Your not going to gain anything by lifting the loadbin by 25mm more. Except a pain in the back from having to lift everything 25mm higher to load it in and out, and added drag, and the bodylines are not going to line up and look weird..

The biggest gain on a body lift is with the front wheels, when you fit bigger tyres to prevent tyres from catching on the body panels .. the rears will never catch on the body at all. So of anything, I would raise the front 75mm and the rear 50mm.. But it would still look weird as the lines dont match up on the body and load bin..

you've got a good point, was just thinking of putting a water tank between the load bin and chassis.

[ThysdJ]

My good friend Hoppy always says.... A Hilux running with it's nose slightly in the air does not roll over...

The sagging springs will not have an influence on the lines of the body. Most likely it is the rubber supports and loadbin mounts that collapsed. It happens over time.