| HOCKEY PUCK BODY LIFT Subject vehicle: 1991 S-10 Blazer Tahoe 4X4, auto trany, lifted 2".
The motor, trany, rad & grill were all removed.
The procedures & methodology, as outlined below, when modified accordingly should apply to many other models & years.
Pickups will have more bed mounts & some bolts & mounts may be a different diameter.
Manual trany linkages may require specific modifications. ** CAUTION **
Before lifting your vehicle PLEASE go to http://www.autosafety.org/article.php?scid=114&did=901 & http://www.autosafety.org/videoall.php?scid=78 and review their videos on rollovers. When doing any body lift OR suspension lift, you are raising the center of gravity of your vehicle & it WILL effect the handling of your vehicle & WILL highly increase the possibility of a rollover, possibly resulting in grave injury or even death.
If you want to see if in a rollover your roof will be safe go & read the aticle at: http://www.autosafety.org/article.php'did=897&scid=114
<u>NOTE:</u> If your vehicle has been involved in an accident, this may cause the body to twist or distort when you remove the body mounting bolts.
Read through this guide first, before starting the lift, so as to familiarize yourself with all the procedures.
** SAFETY **
It is highly recommended that you do this on a hoist, (rent a bay if you must). A lift also makes it easier to raise & lower the vehicle as you are doing your work. Without a lift, it is pretty hard to chain down the frame, unless you are on a concrete surface that has tiedown rings. However, if you choose to do it otherwise, do it on flat solid ground using wooden blocks, (not hollow concrete) metal jack stands & the like. A trany jack works very well for lifting the body. You would want to have a few small chains & a come-along to pull & realign the body, should it shift sideways - as mine did & was very hard to put back on center.
You MUST use chains to hold the frame to the lift, when lifting the body off of it.
Use safety goggles when working under the vehicle.
NOTE: Prior to the use of a torch or if you plan to smoke, after the gas filler pipe & overflow/EVAP hose have been removed, SEAL OFF both to prevent the escape of flammable fumes, which may result in a fire or explosion. NOTE: What looks like mud under my vehicle, is actually sprayed on graphite grease & oil - the result of the build up of 15 years worth of annually applied anti-rust treatment.
PARTS NEEDED
QTY: 1 Hockey Puck per inch of lift times the number of body mounts on the vehicle (4 mounts on each side) therefore 16 pucks for a 2" lift. (available in many colours)
QTY: 6 X GRADE 5 bolts M12X1.75 by 5 3/8 long
QTY: 2 X GRADE 5 bolts M12X1.75 by 5 7/8 long
- the correct length is figured by adding the inches of the lift to the length of the original stock bolts. (DO NOT use normal hardware grade bolts)
QTY: 8 X ¼ inch bolts/nails - the length is exactly equal to the length of the lift (2" for a 2" lift)
QTY 1: PVC or gas resistant insert (gas filler pipe extension) ~6" long (cut to size when re-installing).
QTY 1: PVC or gas resistant insert (gas filler return pipe extension) ~6" long (cut to size when re-installing).
QTY 2: Stainless 3" hose clamps.
QTY 1: Steel ~3/16" X 3" bolt or rod (for shifter lever to trany receiver bracket extension). Cut off head.
QTY 1: *optional* - 4X4 floor shifter lever extension adapter.
QTY 1: *as required* - longer battery cable(s). (mine did not need any).
QTY 2: bracket, tube, hose etc. (see Procedure 5 below)
QTY 4: linear feet of 30" wide rubber or poly floor runner - heaviest grade available.
QTY 20: Push in plastic trim buttons to hold the runner material.
QTY 1: can of auto rust proofing oil (Krown, Honey Dew etc).
QTY 1: Loctite - medium grade. (green or blue)
QTY 1: *optional* Epoxy.
QTY 2+: Washers large & thick (see NOTE 2 in PICKUP lift section bellow).
You can see in PICTURE 1 the original body mount bolts:
QTY: 6 X 140 (3.32") long
QTY: 2 X 145 (3.35") long
The plate was boxed in at the mount just under where the foot pan is located. The bolts had factory Loctite on them. PICTURE 1 STOCK BODY MOUNT BOLTS
PRE-LIFT PROCEDURES Do to rusting, it would be wise to spray a good loose-all oil on all the bolts a day or two before removing them. Drill holes in the 2 front foot pan mount brackets to get oil in there. (Pictures 5 & 6)
It is advised to go under the vehicle (after the bolts have soaked for a day or two) & take a look at the bolts & how you can get at them, take a socket & see if you can loosen them.
For 4X4's* - remove floor shifter console & remove shifter lever. The stock length will fit after a 2" or 3" lift, but it will be closer to the floor by the amount of your lift. You might want to use a shifter extension piece.
Measure any wires/cables hoses etc & get the parts in advance.
Arrange to have the required high-grade bolts in advance (& all other parts), or make sure there is a auto parts supplier that has what you need & is open when you are doing the lift, as you must not use normal hardware store grade bolts as they are very prone to snapping & rusting out.
I would strongly advise removing the front grill, because of the ease of getting at the front body mounts, as you can see in PICTURE 8 below. NOTE: Some spare tire holders may be fastened to the frame or bumper, check & remove bolts as required.
Pressure wash the undercarriage to remove all dirt & debris - give it time to dry. Also, hit all around on the frame before starting to get rid of debris.
The steering column was long enough for my 2" lift, however your model or more than a 2" lift may require modifications - CHECK CAREFULLY.
Read below & you may be able to do some other things before the truck is raised. DRILLING THE HOCKEY PUCKS You may consider using epoxy to mate the pucks together first, for ease of handling. Mark out the centre of the pucks & the 2 side holes. Using a drill press works fine, but a vice & a hand drill is acceptable. You don't have to get the holes perfectly aligned, but try to be reasonably accurate.
When drilling the 2 side lateral stability holes, after the main holes are drilled, measure the head of the bolt & drill a shallow hole to recess the heads of the bolts, these are only drilled on the top of the top puck, (the bolts are installed head on the top side, nuts are not needed. Assemble the pucks with the two side bolts holding them before installing them on the body mounts. You could also just drill the two side holes with a drill bit just smaller than the bolt diameter, heat up the bolt & pound it in, (same if using spiral nails) you would still need drill the top bolt head recess hole. Check that the main body mount bolts slide freely through the centre holes. When installed, I sprayed & sealed the assemblies with rust proofing oil compound. NOTE: Hockey pucks are made out of a vulcanized rubber compound that is resistant to freezing & shattering. (~ $ 0.50 US or less each)
For the two pictures below, I used 1 bolt & 1 spiral nail for the demonstration. PICTURE A HOCKEY PUCK HOLES DRILLED
 PICTURE B BOLT/NAIL IMBEDDED
LIFTING PROCEDURES Obviously, this is best & easiest done when the engine, trany, front parts have been removed!
Have a box or tin handy to put in all parts you will remove.
1a) Put vehicle in neutral. b) Lift vehicle & remove tires.
c) Chain the frame to the lift in at least 2 places -1 on each side - one in front, the other on the other side in the rear.
2a) Go around the vehicle & check everywhere for anything that must be loosened/removed prior to lifting. Pay close attention to wires, O2 sensor & other wires, ground straps, battery cables, starter cables/wires, brake & fuel lines, water hoses, vacuum lines and so on. Check around the rad support area & loosen or remove as required.
2b) Go around & remove & detach any & all of the above wires, cables etc.
3) You will see at least 2 body to frame cable straps 1 on each side, that will have to be moved & refastened, they should be long enough to drill & relocate on the frame directly below where they are attached to the body.
Remove them. PICTURE 2 BODY STRAPS
4a) Remove the rubber collar clamps from the gas-filler pipe extension.
4b) Cut the gas-filler overflow/EVAP pipe extension hose exactly in half - a hacksaw works fine.
SEAL OFF both to prevent the escape of explosive vapours. PICTURE 3 GAS FILLER & EVAP HOSE EXTENSIONS
5) Detach air dam on each side from front quarter panel.
When you reattach it, use a bracket or longer bolt stuffed in a rubber hose - I just bent mine up & rebolted it back. PICTURE 4 AIR DAM
REMOVING BODY MOUNT BOLTS 6) SLOWLY remove all the body mounting bolts using a good bar/ratchet or impact. Keep spraying loose it oil on them as you go - don't strip nuts/threads in the body!
The foot pan mounts gave me trouble - also the nuts & plates needed a bar to jam them, so I cut the holes to get at them.
NOTE: The body may start to shift/twist as you loosen the bolts, don't worry, you will use the come-a-long to realign it when you add the pucks & longer bolts & re-tighten them. PICTURE 5 LEFT MOUNT CUTOUT HOLE
 PICTURE 6 RIGHT MOUNT CUTOUT HOLE
MODIFYING THE SHIFTER ROD ASSEMBLY 7) If trany is not removed, disconnect the trany shift linkage rod from the trany. This is where you will weld on the 2" to 3" bolt & will bend it downwards to hook back up to the trany when it goes back it.
You can see the welded on bolt with the threads attached in Picture 7. PICTURE 7 SHIFTER ROD ASSEMBLY
JACKING THE BODY & INSTALLING PUCKS 8) When all the body bolts are removed, start at one end of the vehicle & using the trany jack (or whatever) SLOWLY jack up the body one corner or one end at a time & re-install your new longer bolts through the holes in the body mounts & hockey pucks, which are placed just on top of the stock body mount assembly, depending on how they sit, you may remove the top metal mount piece. Putting oil on the bolts helps installation. Tighten them very little, until all are done. Work from one end to the other, doing the two mounts on each side as you move to the opposite end. Before doing a final tightening of the bolts, you may have to use the come-a-long to straighten the body over the mounts. DO NOT attempt to pry or winch the body unless the frame is secured to the lift - or you could pull the truck right off the lift!
NOTE: It is normal to hear creaking & groaning (of the truck) as you lift it.
have someone walking around checking things as you lift - to make sure you have removed or loosened off all wires, hoses etc.
When all mounts & pucks are re-installed, & all bolts have been torqued to specifications, follow the steps in this guide to complete the re-installation of the gas filler assembly, body straps etc.
INSTALLED LIFT PUCKS VARIOUS VIEWS PICTURE 8 FRONT PUCKS INSTALLED
 PICTURE 9 FRONT RIGHT PUCKS INSTALLED
 PICTURE 10 REAR RIGHT PUCKS INSTALLED
COVERING BODY LIFT GAPS
FRONT LIFT GAP SPACE The stock grill has enough of a lower lip to cover a 2" space nicely. PICTURE 11 FRONT GRILL TO BUMPER CLEARANCE CENTRE VIEW
 PICTURE 12 FRONT GRILL TO BUMPER CLEARANCE LEFT SIDE VIEW
[b]REAR BODY TO BODY BUMPER GAP SPACE [/b] 8) After the lift was done, I had a body shop fabricate, prime & paint a rear body to bumper gap filler "rollpan".
I used stainless steel self-tappers to attach it to the body lip, under the tailgate. PICTURE 13 "ROLLPAN" CENTER VIEW
 PICTURE 14 REAR BODY TO BUMBER "ROLLPAN" RIGHT SIDE
 PICTURE 15 REAR BODY TO BUMPER "ROLLPAN" LEFT SIDE
BODY TO FRAME GAP FILLER SKIRTS 9) I just made these to fit using black poly runner material. It is sold in 30" wide rolls, found in hardware stores & comes in many colours. I drilled holes in the body & frame & used black plastic auto push in buttons to hold them. PICTURE 16 REAR LEFT BODY TO FRAME SKIRT
 PICTURE 17 FRONT & REAR LEFT SKIRTS SIDE VIEW
CLEARANCES WITH THE 2" BODY LIFT WITH 28" (235 75 R15) TIRES Here are the clearances measured to the wheel well limits not the running board - which clear fine. Tires are at full inflation 36PSI.
TIRE TO WHEEL WELL MEASUREMENTS Front Wheel Well
-I have to re-crank my Tbars a little more, to get it up about 1/2"
Tire to top 6"
Tire to front 1"
Tire to back 2 5/8" Rear Wheel Well
Tire to top 6 1/2"
Tire to front 2 1/8"
Tire to back 2 1/2"
They do not hit the frame or anything else even at hard turn lock.
FINISHED LIFT PICTURE 18
PICKUP BED ADDITION BY: NOTE 1: As some pickups require a 2" diameter hockey puck in a few places, under the bed & since small pucks are hard to find now, use a 2" inside diameter hole saw & using a drill press or hand drill, cut the large pucks to a 2" size. You could also use a band saw to cut the pucks.
NOTE 2: The bolts for the Pickup bed are 10x1.5x 31.75mm long ,stock, (add 25.4mm per 1 inch of lift), you'll need fender washers too, since the stock washers are integrated with the bolt
There was also a need for big washers for the rad core, since the stock washers are integrated with the bolt. These you will have to take down to a hardware store and find the correct one. Be sure to pay close attention to the thickness of the washer.
:
SUPPORT RIB
For the support rib that didn't have the nut installed:
Weld a piece of 1/4 inch round stock (5 inches long) to one of the flat sides on the nut so it can slip back in the rib. After you start the bolt into it, you can let go of it and the piece of 1/4 inch round will wedge itself against the support rib and tighten up. If you ever need to remove your bed for any reason, just loosen the bolt like you normally would then grab the piece of stock from the rib and pull it out.
The bolts for the Pickup bed are 10x1.5x 31.75mm long ,stock, (add 25.4mm per 1 inch of lift), you'll need fender washers too, since the stock washers are integrated with the bolt
Written by: Dougofthenorth ©
Rev. MAY 4, 2005
Special thanks to:
Snoman002
rennat_2006
jmullins
sierra
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