Hello everyone. I have a couple of quick questions. I am installing a 2 inch body lift on some new James Duff polyurethane body mounts. I am wondering, what can I use for a new sleeve to fit inside the body mounts so the bolts are not dancing around inside? The old ones were in bad shape and not reusable. It's about 3/4 in diameter. Also, how much should I tighten the bolts for this application? The manual isn't much help, but I am assuming it's going to be 90 to 100 ft pounds. Thoughts? Has anyone installed these mounts and how do they behave with the two inch body lift? The only reason I am installing the 2 inch body lift is to clear the ATLAS T-case. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

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Most body lift kits I've seen come with all the hardware and new polyurethane parts, and you wouldn't be re-using anything.

 

True, but in this case, that is not the case. There are no sleeves and that is how the kit comes---I called James Duff and that is how the complete kit--the sleeves are up to me to find. The stock sleeves are sort of welded as one piece with the large washer and nut on one end facing the bottom of the chassis towards the floor. The other end also has a large washer, which is where the body actually sits and in between these two large washers is the bushing. I have the large washers, the bolts came with the body lift kit, and the nuts I purchased at OSH, but the problem with the sleeves remains. So, any ideas for that? I was thinking of cutting 3/4 electrical tubing that is pretty thick and fits snug within the body mounts and serves as a sleeve for the long bolts that come with the body lift. What do you think?

 

Go to Home Depot or Lowes and go down the nuts/bolts/nail isle to where they have the steel section..angle, square, all thread, and round stock. Grab a piece of the size of round stock you need for the sleeve and just cut it to the lengths you need. That's what i did.

 

> how much should I tighten the bolts for this application?

Watch for slight compression on the poly bushing, I think mine started to bed down at 30 ft pounds.

> I am assuming it's going to be 90 to 100 ft pounds.

imo, Way too much.

When I bought my poly kit from JD, the poly bushings came sleeved. Be that as it many, you may find a 1/2" or 3/4" six inch long plumbing nipple perfect for a sleeve. They are thick walled steel and threaded on both ends. Available at Home Depot.

Technique I have used for home made stuff.

1) Ream out the bushing so the nipple sleeve will almost go in. Lube up the bushing, press it in with a bench vise. Slow, steady, straight!

Cut the pipe so it is about 3/16 below the surface of the bushing on each side.

2) Use a large thick alloy washer on each side of the bushing. I suppose you could use a fender washer and hog out the hole. I use 1/4" washers.

Use grade 5 or grade 8 nuts (they will have dots on them to indicate grade) and alloy grade 8 washers (they will be yellow/gold) under the nuts. I use lock washers too. One under the ehad, one under the nut.

I usually get my hardware at Ace Hardware or NAPA. Grainger has them, though they have a minimum purchase of $25 usually.

Check the body lift mounts after a week and then a month to make sure they are still tight. They will loosen up at first.

> Has anyone installed these mounts and how do they behave with the
> two inch body lift?

I did not use the JD, I used their 2" lift with my own mounts.

Make sure the ground on the right hand side, body to exhaust is good. You might have to extend it because when flexed off road it might pull off.

 

Okay, am I reading all of this right... you're putting a 2" body lift -ON TOP- of the Duff mounting bushings? Wouldn't that be more like a 4" body lift??? Anyhow, I don't recall seeing any body lifts having sleeves, but I believe most I've seen re-use the washers or come with washers.

 

Nope, it wouldn't be a 4 inch lift because the new polyurethane body mounts replace the old rubber body mounts and the body lift is something that goes on the body mounts to separate the body from the chassis two inches. If I were to not install the body lift, then the body would simply just sit on the new body mounts from James Duff, which is what needs the sleeves. I hope this cleared it up a bit. I think REBOCARDO sort of already hit on what I was talking about. Thanks fellas for all of you input. If someone knows how to post a picture, I would be happy to show you what my build up is looking like.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

 

email me the pic ..i'll post it

Rogrbep@aol.com

 

Uh, okay... most body lifts I've ever messed with replaced everything because the polyurethane spacers that came with the kit were taller than the stock mounts....

And if I remember right, the Duff mounts come with washers and/or sleeves... ?

 

yeah, they came with washers, but no sleeves--they actually expected the orignal ones to be used, which is impossible because of their condition (in most cases)--mine were rusty and brittle. So, in the meantime, do you have any ideas for a sleeve replacement? I'm thinking of going with the 3/4 thick pipe that is generally used for electrical work and sold at OSH.

 

3/4" diameter conduit might work, however, what is the diameter of the (new?) bolts? You'd want something that would be snug around the new bolts, but not so snug that you can't coat the bolts with anti-seize, etc.

 

Excelent point, I hadn't though about that. Any ideas? Maybe a 1/2 inch pipe within the 3/4 inch. That would hug the bolt a bit, but allow enough space for it to fit. Thoughts?

 

You can always go with larger diameter bolts and nuts, the only spots to worry about is where the radiator core support bolts in, as I believe you'd have to drill those out...

 

LMC Truck still has some new replacement sleeves. The back 4 (position 4 & 5) were not available. Jeff's Bronco Graveyard has some used ones listed. The secret to removing these is to make a puller for position 2 & 3. Cut a peice of 3" or 3 1/4" exhaust pipe about 5 1/2" to 6" long and cut a window in the side so you can get a box end wrench inside. If the bolt comes out with out breaking, take the exhaust pipe and from the bottom put it up around the lower 1/2 of the sleeve. Through the window put a box wrench on the nut attached to the bottom half of the sleeve. Drill a hole in a peice of plate steel and take the stock bolt and stick it through the hole in the plate. Take the plate and bolt and thread it into the sleeve from the bottom. As you screw the bolt into the bottom sleeve and hold the wrench so the nut can't turn the bottom half will pull out. The back 4 (position 4 & 5) are threaded together with reverse threads. The front or position 1 is just a single sleeve that is threaded inside for the bolt and has a nut on top.

Now with that info you can go to a salvage yard to look for good used sleeves. Try looking for a 2wd BII. From what I have seen the 2wd's are most likely to have sleeves in good condition.

If you need more info on the tool send me an e-mail and I'll try to find mine and take some measurements and pictures.

 

Pic link has been emailed to you. Great job!!