[PlasticKeys]

Hi all,

I posted recently and mentioned I’d put a 2” lift in my 2001 Jimny, and I’m now looking at putting a 2” body lift in purely just for the looks. I don’t really plan on taking my car on anything difficult terrain wise, mainly beach trips and some really basics rock-crawling.

I was just wondering what other work would need to be done aside from installing the lift itself? E.g. do brake lines need to be extended, possible changes to the guard etc.

I’ve also noticed some conversation around having an engineers report and mod plate done for the legal side of things.

After installing the lift, what are some things I should be weary of as far as general mechanics are concerned?

Any and all advice is helpful,

Thanks!

[sideways]

Transfer shifter will hit the body trying to go into low range with the body lift so you'l have to trim ect there. You'l probably want longer brake lines, to do it properly you should get some custom brake lines with all the bits in the right spots, you'l see what I mean when you get there.

You might want a steering shaft spacer.

Yeah it would need an engineers certificate. I dunno where you are but here in w.a you'd have to do a lane change test.

[Gwagensteve]

A lot of work so you can see more of the chassis and big gaps between the chassis and body.

Note also barwork/towbar etc will sit 2” below the body once installed and will need custom fabrication to sit in the right spot. You may also need to extend the fuel filler hose. Handbrake cable mounts may need some adjustment also.

Body lifts are useful for tyre clearance if you’re up against difficult to trim bodywork etc.

I don’t think a taller car is automatically a better looking car but each to their own.

[Siesta]

I find that hilarious "just for looks" Body lifts have to be the most butt ugly mod you can do to a 4x4 , mechanical filth in a snow globe .

[markmo]

The amount of work to get a 2" body lift in with your current mods isn't worth it if you ask me.

Realistically you would need to get the lift engineered and as Steve said, barwork/bullbar/towbar will need to be modified, some hosing may need to be modified, and it will need to be done properly to be engineered.

Body lifts are an okish method to fit bigger tyres. They are cheap if you're happy to do it dodgy and have invalidated insurance, but to do it properly it will probably be costly and painful, with absolutely zero benefit to the car.

If your planning on throwing on 31"+ tyres, then that's another story...

[PlasticKeys]

sideways wrote:

Transfer shifter will hit the body trying to go into low range with the body lift so you'l have to trim ect there. You'l probably want longer brake lines, to do it properly you should get some custom brake lines with all the bits in the right spots, you'l see what I mean when you get there.

You might want a steering shaft spacer.

Yeah it would need an engineers certificate. I dunno where you are but here in w.a you'd have to do a lane change test.

I'm in Queensland, it's just something I skimmed by online. Thank you for your reply!

Gwagensteve wrote:

A lot of work so you can see more of the chassis and big gaps between the chassis and body.

Note also barwork/towbar etc will sit 2” below the body once installed and will need custom fabrication to sit in the right spot. You may also need to extend the fuel filler hose. Handbrake cable mounts may need some adjustment also.

Body lifts are useful for tyre clearance if you’re up against difficult to trim bodywork etc.

I don’t think a taller car is automatically a better looking car but each to their own.

Thanks for your reply! I'm trying to get my Jimny to look pretty tough, I know it sounds silly. After reading all this information I think I've changed my mind on the body lift

Siesta wrote:

I find that hilarious "just for looks" Body lifts have to be the most butt ugly mod you can do to a 4x4 , mechanical filth in a snow globe .

It's my first car, I've grown up around some massive 4WD's and would mine one of my own! I know a Jimny isn't exactly the toughest of vehicles, but I wouldn't mind learning how to make it one.

Thank you for your reply!

markmo wrote:

The amount of work to get a 2" body lift in with your current mods isn't worth it if you ask me.

Realistically you would need to get the lift engineered and as Steve said, barwork/bullbar/towbar will need to be modified, some hosing may need to be modified, and it will need to be done properly to be engineered.

Body lifts are an okish method to fit bigger tyres. They are cheap if you're happy to do it dodgy and have invalidated insurance, but to do it properly it will probably be costly and painful, with absolutely zero benefit to the car.

If your planning on throwing on 31"+ tyres, then that's another story...

After reading all these replies, I think you might be right about it not being worth it. Most of it sounds pretty easy until you start talking engineering. I'm running 215/75r15's at the moment, and so far really enjoying them. I'm just trying to find ways to make my car bigger and wider Thank you also for your reply!

Thanks everyone for getting back to me, I really appreciate it.

Very helpful stuff.

[Gwagensteve]

“Toughness” is a term that describes functionality. A tall car is less functional than a low car. 2” of lift with 215’s is a nice package. Why mess it up?

[303zuke]

Sell the Jimny and buy a Hummer.

Drive that for a while and you'll see there's SFA benefit in "looking tough", and in fact it can be a major drawback. You'll soon be looking for a close to stock Jimny again and then want to learn how to drive it instead.

[Gwagensteve]

An actual Hummer (HMMWV/Hummer) is an incredible piece of engineering and easily the most broadly capable vehicle I’ve ever driven. That’s an example of a vehicle looking tough because it’s functional. The H2/H3’s look neither tough or functional.

[alien]

Put all the money you would have spent on bodylift and fab to fix it into airlockers front & rear and you'll outdrive a heap of things offroad =)

[vet 180]

PlasticKeys wrote:

sideways wrote:

Transfer shifter will hit the body trying to go into low range with the body lift so you'l have to trim ect there. You'l probably want longer brake lines, to do it properly you should get some custom brake lines with all the bits in the right spots, you'l see what I mean when you get there.

You might want a steering shaft spacer.

Yeah it would need an engineers certificate. I dunno where you are but here in w.a you'd have to do a lane change test.

I'm in Queensland, it's just something I skimmed by online. Thank you for your reply!

Gwagensteve wrote:

A lot of work so you can see more of the chassis and big gaps between the chassis and body.

Note also barwork/towbar etc will sit 2” below the body once installed and will need custom fabrication to sit in the right spot. You may also need to extend the fuel filler hose. Handbrake cable mounts may need some adjustment also.

Body lifts are useful for tyre clearance if you’re up against difficult to trim bodywork etc.

I don’t think a taller car is automatically a better looking car but each to their own.

Thanks for your reply! I'm trying to get my Jimny to look pretty tough, I know it sounds silly. After reading all this information I think I've changed my mind on the body lift

Siesta wrote:

I find that hilarious "just for looks" Body lifts have to be the most butt ugly mod you can do to a 4x4 , mechanical filth in a snow globe .

It's my first car, I've grown up around some massive 4WD's and would mine one of my own! I know a Jimny isn't exactly the toughest of vehicles, but I wouldn't mind learning how to make it one.

Thank you for your reply!

markmo wrote:

The amount of work to get a 2" body lift in with your current mods isn't worth it if you ask me.

Realistically you would need to get the lift engineered and as Steve said, barwork/bullbar/towbar will need to be modified, some hosing may need to be modified, and it will need to be done properly to be engineered.

Body lifts are an okish method to fit bigger tyres. They are cheap if you're happy to do it dodgy and have invalidated insurance, but to do it properly it will probably be costly and painful, with absolutely zero benefit to the car.

If your planning on throwing on 31"+ tyres, then that's another story...

After reading all these replies, I think you might be right about it not being worth it. Most of it sounds pretty easy until you start talking engineering. I'm running 215/75r15's at the moment, and so far really enjoying them. I'm just trying to find ways to make my car bigger and wider Thank you also for your reply!

Thanks everyone for getting back to me, I really appreciate it.

Very helpful stuff.

Sounds like a decent set up tbh. Forget big lifts, skids and lockers next and you you outdrive all those “tough looking” 4x4’s your mates own. The Jimny is a real fun and capable vehicle but isn’t when you try to make it something it’s not. Also imo nothing looks more pansy than a big lift and small tires. I see it all the time with full size trucks like sierra’s and F150’s and they look plain stupid.


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