So,it seems that the longer bolts on a body lift like 3" would have a lot more shear stress than the shorter stock bolts. For example, the mfg directions say not to use a truck for "jumping" after a body lift (not that I plan to). Has anyone done anything to provide extra lateral bracing after a body lift, or determined that it is clearly a potential weak point or not? Looking at my stock mounts, it seems that a one inch lift would be no problem but a 3" alteration would be significant variation.
Eh?

 

If you dont like the bolts that come with it go to a fastener store and get a harder strength steel

 

Whatever the ratings are for a 12mm grade 8.8 is what the strength will be. Grade 8.8 12mm bolts are what come in the kits...basically equivilent to Grade 5 std sizes. You can upgrade to Grade 10.9, which is the equivilent to standard Grade 8.



Alot of folks beat the **** out of their BL'd trucks and don't have any issues. I think you're other thinking some for what you use your truck for.

 

Agreed, that I am overthinking this detail but heck, thats why I read ranger-forums.com! I do carry heavy loads at or over capacity.
Thanks!

 

If and when you do a bodylift, I suggest upgrading the support block things between the bed that are included in the kit. They're just 2x3 rectangle tubing that go between the bed crossmembers and the frame. I don't know how much they'll handle or anything, but it never hurts to use beefier material than what they include.

oh...and for what it's worth, I've had a little over half a ton of scrap steel in my bed a couple times without those bed support blocks and there was no bed bendage/bowage at all.

 

jumped my truck once at an intersection and it didnt fall apart! just sayin :)

 

They don't want you to jump your truck because of the increased leverage the body has from the 3inch tall blocks. Lots more torque going on with all the weight up 3inches on small little spacers.

 

I wouldnt be too concerned about it....

I mean mines been through a ton of different abuses...



it hit so hard that it tore the DOM tube holding the coilover. No ill effects to the body mounts or body itself.

 

ya that was a nasty landing lol

 

I looked into Grade 8.8 M12 hex head cap screws, cause I can't get a good description of what the kit comes with...

As for shear strenght, I couldn't find a rating for the ones we sell, but the tensile strength of Grade 8.8 is 116,000psi...and the rockwell hardness is C22-C32. I doubt you would have problems with shearing the bolts off

 

Properly torqued if you do something strong enough to shear them you have some major problems and they will probably be the least of your worries. A member here with BL/RCD rolled hard totaling the truck and the BL bolts were fine.

 

Zach do you have a full size version of that picture..or higher quality? It would make a SWEET background haha.

I have also never heard of any problems with the bolts.

 

no that picture is cropped from a video. the better video camera ran out of memory right before the jump. go figure.

 

The thing you have to remember though is that when your bolt strength goes up...the tendency for that bolt to flex or bend normally goes down. So if you go with a stronger bolt, you could increase the chance for the bolt to break simply because the metal is so strong that it will not bend or give.

Same as like a tungsten carbide wedding band as opposed to a gold one. Tungsten carbide is one of the hardest metals, possibly *the* hardest metal, I can't quite remember...but it's so strong and has so little give that it will break long before the gold...which is why steel is used in construction instead of a harder metal.

 

You could hit a brick wall doing 70 mph and not shear those bolts, you gotta remember that at impact your not stressing 1 your stressing them all. Wouldn't worry about those bolts ever...

 

if it wasnt complaint with safety codes they would be sued off there *** and be bankrupt so being the fact i have only heard of one truck ever breaking the cab off the frame i dont think there is a problem