Well as the title states I've read it a few places then searched it a lot after going thru about 10 pages of threads I got tired of looking so I figured Id just ask straight out. Will I loose my towing capabilitys with a body lift? Not that it matters much but 95 GMC Jimmy with factory tow package. Thanks guys

 

Seeing as you are lifting the body from the frame, and the tow bar is located on the frame I doubt it. Hopefully somebody with more experience will chime in for you.

 

if you are talking about a hitch reciever, than no effect.

if you are talking about the tow bumper, than yes, your tow capacity will go down to nothing (shouldn't tow) but you could probably get away with alight load (i.e. a cart with 2 trash cans from the house down the driveway to the street).

some have towed on lifted bumper (light loads) and had no problems, but I wouldn't tempt fate...

 

No I have a factory Installed reciever that's beefier looking than anything aftermarket I've ever seen.

 

From my understanding, the factory receiver is somehow incorporated into the bumper brackets. When installing a body lift and using the kit brackets you can no longer use the factory receiver.

However, you can use an aftermarket receiver as it bolts to the frame. I have a Class III receiver on mine with a body lift. The same receiver I had on there before the lift. It does sit in the same position as before the lift but doesn't look like it hangs to low and it works just the same as before. Better to have a recovery point on the rear of the vehicle than not.

 

Guess Ill be doing some investigating at some point. It'll be awhile before I lift my truck but if that's the case I might just see if someone will either weld it to the frame somehow or weld new brackets on the reciever itself and Ill bolt it to the frame.

 

my body lift didn't change the bumper brackets. maybe it's just 2nd gen blazers.

what *did* change the bumper brackets was a combination of me backing into a light post in a parking lot, and towing my roommate's VW beetle without a hitch, wrapping the tow strap around the bumper. Bumper's still not quite entirely straight, but we got a hitch shortly after that. I exposed myself to a dopeslap for that.

 

On my lift it came with new bumper brackets to raise the bumper up with the body. The hitch receiver should be mounted on the outside of your bumper brackets. The bolts go through the bumper brackets and through the frame then bolt tight. So since its through the frame you have nothing to worry about. But if you dont have a trailer hitch and you just have the ball mount on the bumper like everyone's stated before don't trust it. Now I did one time and pulled about 1500 pounds and everything was ok. But I was very nervous and was crossing my fingers.

 

As mentioned, it really depends on the hitch. And if you have a 2nd gen.

2nd Gen body lifts use bumper lift brackets to move the bumper up to match the body. Then, certain hitches have integrated bumper brackets (mine did, pic below).


Shown here...Class 3, Valley Hitch. The hitch has bumper brackets as part of the hitch itself.



The body lift bracket is like the hitch sides...but...without the whole hitch thing. Just a diaganol piece of metal with a big [ on the end for mounting the bumper.


So, the best course of action to retain hitch integrity is to simply:

1) cut the horizontal mounting flanges off the hitch
2) bolt the body lift kit bumper bracket on the outside of the hitch (the holes line up nicely)
3) attach bumper.


You may have to drill out the threading on the holes of the body lift bracket...I remember drilling threading out just cant remember which part I drilled haha....Also you may have to slightly notch the bumper. You have to notch it for the body lift anyway, but you may need slightly more clearance for the double brackets (Im pretty sure I just made a diagonal upwards cut to taper the hitch instead of the notching the bumper more).

 

or better yet, just stick with towing using a hitch and don't trust your bumper ball for anything other than you standing on it to reach the cargo rack. better yet, remove it completely.