Ranger-Forums - The Ultimate Ford Ranger Resource - Body lifted... Problems and Solutions and stuff

Some of you may have read Ben's posts about this weekend. For those of you who haven't, we installed a body lift on my truck this weekend. Let me start off by saying that I've played around with alot of stereo systems and a few other things on vehicles, so I know my way around tools a bit. Nothing has ever given me this much trouble as this body kit this weekend.

Here's my first mistake... I bought a used body kit off of somebody earlier in the month and it didn't have all the parts I needed. I trust him and know he wasn't trying to screw me over, but fact is, Ben's new body kit he had laying around had about 2 times the amount of parts that my used one had.
Solution: Frequent trips to Sears and one to Home Depot... and a borrowed part or two from Ben's kit.

Problem:
Trying to get the bolts out of their bushings from inside the cab. Any time you would rotate the bolt, the bushings would rotate as well, and so nothing happened.
Solution:
Sears trip - use vice grips to try and hold bushing... failed
Sears trip - use big freakin channel locks to hold bushing... failed Heat up bolt with blow torch then jack up body with 2x4 directly under the bushing... success! ...for 3 out of the 4 anyhow.

Problem:
The broken bolt inside the bushing through floor of cab.
Solution:
Sears trip - Tapout set ( self drilling/threading, pulls out bolt after it hits a certain point)... failed
Bang out fracture surface... success...

Problem:
Broken bolt inside of bushing.
Solution:
Twisting with vice and vice grips... failed
Sears trip - pick up tapping bit with handle, drill out old bolt and rethread bushing... success, woohoo!!

Problem:
Front bushings incredibly rusted together
Solution:
Vice grips on the bushing... failed
Channel locks on bushing... failed
Ben sitting on fender, while I torqued out the bolt... failed
Me sitting on the fender while Ben torqued out the bolt... failed
Cut off bolt head and take apart the bushing in the vice... limited success, cut off bolt head, but couldn't separate the bushing and threads.

Problem:
Bolt stuck inside of front bushing
Solution:
Cut off 5/8" of threads on bushing and pull out bolt (gets drilled out anyway, so why not?)... failed
Beat the bejesus out of the treads with a hammer and knock them through... success!!

Problem:
No washers for bolts in cab
Solution:
Home Depot trip - picked up Zinc coated washers... success (by only 20 minutes)

Problem:
No bolt for steering extension
Solution:
Borrow one from Ben's kit... Success (thanks Ben)

Problem:
No bolts/nuts for bumper extension
Solution:
Drive around with a 3 inch gap between the bumper and tailgate until I can get home and install my own bolts and washers.

Problem:
Hose between cooling fan and serpentine belt is being eaten by pully
Solution:
None yet, probably take it to an auto shop, get hose replaced and relocated...?

All in all, this was a very hard install, and apparently from what some have said, it should've been cake. I appreciate all the help from the members on here while Ben was posting for us this weekend. As for Ben and Candi, I am extremely thankful for thier hospitality and tolerance. They let me stay overnight, get their bathroom filthy, work till all hours of the night, and put up with my bad attitude when **** hit the fan. If I had the chance to do it all again... I might, but I'd need more Advil. :banghead:

Sorry no pics, too much crap had to be done to take photos.