Difference between a body lift and a suspension lift?

Going to save up and do a suspension lift on my Tacoma, I’m most likely going to do Bilstein 5100’s in the back, and a 2” leveling kit upfront, because I just replaced both my front struts, springs and shock, and I don’t think it’s really necessary to get new suspension up there for now.

Just wondering what the difference between a body lift and a supension lift is? It’s kind of confusing to me, but I’d assume a body lift gives you more clearance from the ground, and a suspension lift gives you more options for tires, and just makes your body higher up above your tires.
Thanksss

 

Body lift lifts the body above the frame no ground clearance. Suspension lift, lifts the whole vehicle higher so more ground clearance.

 

Body lift- lifts the body off the frame using spacers

suspension lift- lifts the truck (body and frame together) with taller suspension components.

spacer lift- adds spacers to your current suspension to mimic what taller suspension would be doing aesthetically without the performance benefits of taller suspension.

 

So should I do bilstiens in the front and back or try to get some used bilsteins?

 

Body lift does just that, it lifts the body off the frame and does nothing for ground clearance etc... All it does is make the body of the truck taller. It does give some clearance for tires, but that's it.

A suspension lift is what is best for giving more tire clearance, better ground clearance (most notably breakover clearance).

Some people use both lift styles, where if after a suspension lift they still need a tiny bit of tire clearance they put a 1" body lift to help that. Just be aware that body lift don't help with all clearance issues, just where the tire happens to hit the fender. In my case, my tire rubbed the frame, so no amount of body lift would help that...

Also, most will tell you not to go more than 1" for a body lift. Sure, they sell 3" or higher, but it really creates more problems than it offers solutions when you go that high.

Honestly, if your front shocks/coils (they aren't struts, btw...) are still in good condition, I'd sell them and get a matched set of 5100's on all 4 corners with a set of OME 881's (or other depending on what weight you are carrying around).

 

Don't get used ones. They are cheap enough that you can just buy new. I could see buying a used set of high end coilovers that are rebuildable, but not 5100s...

 

I know that the front suspension isn’t just called struts. I have a quick-strut set up front because I didn’t feel like taking a long time on the front, due to the fact that my Tacoma if my daily driver. I don’t think I could get very much money for them. I think I’m just going to do adjustable bilsteins in the back and front, with the back bilsteins raised to their max, and the front ones raised to their max with a 1 inch spacer. Still don’t know thou haha

 

I need new rear shock absorbers either way, so I’m thinking possibly go the shackle route, with some new KYB’s or bilsteins in the back, non adjustable, then some adjustable KYB’s or Bilsteins up front possibly?

Edit: also to add, I love to take my Tacoma off-road, and I hate being bored having it on road all the time. I especially live in a place where if I didn’t take it off road, there would be no point in owning a truck. The main reason I would like to get a lift on it is because the clearance it has in the snow is horrible. I’ve gone into a ditch before, with around a foot or so of snow, and not been able to get out because my whole body was barried. I ended up getting pulled out by a ford.

 

The rear bilstiens are NOT adjustable. To lift the rear you need either an add-a-leaf or a longer shackle. Only the front 5100s are actually adjustable.

If you get the 5100s, you need to lift the rear at least an inch.

 

???? Says here in this kit that they are adjustable

 

They are "able to accommodate 1.5-3" of lift." That does not mean they are adjustable...

That "self adjusting is referring to the valving, which is not a height adjustment.

 

Ahhh, I see. So do I have to run those if I were to get an adjustable rear shackle? Or can I just run normal shocks in the rear

 

If you get a longer shackle in the rear, you can't use the stock length shocks, they're too short. so something like the 5100s or 5125's are what you'd need.

The shackles I have are 5.25" long and gave me about 1" lift with my stock (worn out) leafs.

From what I've seen, the adjustable shackles are much more expensive than just standard (but longer) shackles. I think mine were like $45 or so, the adjustable ones I've seen are nearly twice that. It has been a while since I bought mine, so maybe it's different now...

So, if you know you're getting a 1" lift in the front, just get the same lift for the rear, or figure out what lift you want to get the stance you want. Like if the rear sags 1" more than the front, and you want it level, do a 2" in the rear - no real need for the adjustable shackles.

But if you're looking at 2" lift in the rear, I would consider an add-a-leaf instead of shackles. If you get shackles that are too long, it can mess with the suspension geometry.

 

Yeah I would like to get it level. Maybe adjustable bilsteins in the front with a 2inch lift on them and a 1inch schackle in the back would be good. That would level it out

 

Yeah, you might end up where the middle clip on the front bilsteins isn't enough, and the top clip is too much. In that case, you can get like 5mm or 10mm spacers for the front (they mount between the shock tower and the shock), to help level it out.

 

The earth is donut shaped.

 

actually; only taller tires give you more ground clearance. (how you get those tires to mount & function on the truck is up to you)

 

Now you are talking different types of ground clearance I think.... A suspension lift will give you ground clearance from the under side of the vehicle let’s say the skid plate to the ground. Bigger tires will give you more ground clearance both from the skid plate to the ground and also from the axle to the ground. So yea a suspension lift “actually” does give you more ground clearance.

 

counterpoint; BL allows you to maintain IFS range of travel (to some extent, depending on tire size, cutting, etc.) and makes it possible to flat belly (which does give you more ground clearance.)

for the purposes of most folks, either way to get a larger tire will suffice.

no suspension lift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JdfJq6OoEQ

 

How is that a counterpoint? I agreed that larger tires increase ground clearance and a suspension lift will also increase ground clearance. If you use a body lift to add larger tires then yes you gain ground clearance. But the point of my original response was suspension lift alone will increase ground clearance while a body lift ALONE will not.
And that truck has no body lift. It just has custom fab work to clear those tires.
https://youtu.be/svQj9K0YEDg