Most of the time, we're busy showing you how to install new parts on your truck. This time, we're removing a poorly installed body lift to the mutual benefit of the truck and its owner.
In our first installment (OR Jan. '05 issue), we performed low-tech fender trimming to prepare for the body's 3-inch drop back to stock height. With the fenders trimmed to clear the larger-than-stock 31-inch tires, we're now ready to break out the jack and get the sheetmetal back where it belongs.
 Here's one of several 3-inch...  Here's one of several 3-inch hockey pucks that space the body away from the frame. Just in front of the lift spacer is a textbook example of a poor body-lift installation. The front bumper has been spaced upward to match the lines of the lifted body, but the relocated bumper brackets are not structurally sound and render the bumper useless. |  Looks are often deceiving....  Looks are often deceiving. The lifted body and relocated bumper line up cleanly. A glance at the truck's hindquarters tells the real story, as a 3-inch gap yawns between the rear bumper and tailgate. |  Step One was to unbolt the...  Step One was to unbolt the front bumper to access the bumper brackets. This also gave us a chance to observe the general condition of the truck. The framehorns were straight and only tainted by a little surface rust. |
 The bumper brackets had been...  The bumper brackets had been tack-welded into their lifted position. The weld beads are just about as porous as that yellow sponge guy on TV. We hope that whoever attempted those welds has improved his or her skills since then. If your welds look like these, please don't try to fabricate suspension parts or a rollcage. Practice, practice, practice. |  We wrenched a cut-off wheel...  We wrenched a cut-off wheel into our grinder and quickly sliced the spongy welds off of the frame. |  Flap discs are one of the...  Flap discs are one of the best new designs in grinding wheels. They remove material quickly, run cool, and flexibly conform to the surface they're grinding... |
 ...After a few touch-ups to...  ...After a few touch-ups to the frame and bumper bracket, the welds and surface rust were cleaned away. |  We fogged on some flat black...  We fogged on some flat black paint for weatherproofing. |  Although this truck is largely...  Although this truck is largely rust-free, the stock rubber body mounts are basically toast. Normally, this would be a perfect opportunity to replace the stock body mounts with new OEM items or polyurethane pucks from the aftermarket. Since we've got different plans for this truck (see the sidebar), we'll leave the cracked OEM rubber alone for the time being. |