Body Lift vs. Suspension Lift

I'm sure this subject has been discussed ad nauseum, but I looked around the forums and didn't find anything specifically comparing the two, so I'm asking for input.

My son just purchased a new left over 2012 TRD sport DCSB. He's now wanting to do a lift and has asked the pro's and con's of one over the other. I say a suspension lift using either spacers and blocks, or different springs is the way to go. We are only talking 3 or so inches here.

Thoughts?

 

Body lifts are hideous, and I dont know much about lifting trucks, you can see daylight thru the wheel wheels between frame and bed...

 

Suspension is the way to go...dont do blocks and spacers...

 

for just looks, if the truck will never go offroad, you could get by with the spacers/body lift. its easy on your wallet too. If your son plans to do any offroading ir trail riding at all, go ahead and do a suspension lift. body lifts are frowned upon on TW simply because they put stress on vital bolts from frame to body. over time , if you did offroad with a body lift, you would eventually run the risk of shearing off bolts. also, there is no ride comfort or suspension gain with a body lift, and no ground clearance from ground to frame.
but like i said, it depends on what the truck will do. its a matter of getting what you pay for.
around 300 for a body lift is fine if all the truck sees is a highway.
if you are gonna hit the trails, then i would justify $1000 + for a proper 3" suspension lift.

 

A suspension lift raises the entire frame of the truck where the body lift only raises the body of the truck and the frame is the same height. The suspension lift is the best way to go. As you mentioned spacers and blocks, it appears it'll be lifted on a budget. Look into Bilstein 5100 shocks for the front and an Add-A-Leaf for the rear.

Body lifts should really only be used when necessary and in the smallest increment necessary with all Grade 8 hardware. Their purpose is only to run a bigger tire.

 

I'd go with a nice suspension lift. Even if he won't be doing much off reading. Sure spacers and blocks are the cheapest but you can get a better ride with some new shocks in there. My truck rides better than it did stock since putting my lift on.

Really depends on budget but I look at it as if you're getting a brand new truck why put the cheapest possible parts on it.

I'd never do a body lift myself.

 

Thanks Guys. I appreciate the input.

 

Suspension all the way

 

^^ Haha, I'm not sure that counts as a body lift. There's two frames!

 

Some one post up the photo of the cab that was ripped off the frame on a body lifted toyota.

Yes don't do that.

 

I would have asked the reasoning behind that... I'm so curious to know why