I read TONS of articles on here about the 3" body lift, and I get confused by what parts are exactly necessary. I have a buddy that keeps telling me I can buy one of the $100 kits and it'll come with everything necessary to lift the body. I'm reading other things on most of the posts. It can't be that cheap, can it? And if it is, can a non mechanic with a brain do it?

A-Arms alone cost over $300 dollars.

For a real lift expect to spend $700 or more.
And it can be done by a non-mechanic as long as you know how to read directions.

Your buddy may be thinking of throwing a couple of 3" blocks under the leaf springs and cranking to torsion bars alot.

In which case you'll end up with the lifted look, but it will be hard to get a good alignment and you'll bennefit nothing from it offroad wise (in fact you may lose some offroad performance).
Plus you'll need new long travel shocks which would be $150-$350.

Kerensky97...I think he was asking about a body lift....not a suspension lift.

XtremeCowboy...I'd stick with the body lift kit from Calmini or EOE if Todd has it. That way you know you're getting everything you need.

Suspension kit is just that- everythying dealing with suspension- A-Arms, T-bars, Shackles or AALs, shocks usually, sometimes a diff-drop. Stuff like that.

Body lift kit is pretty much just rubber/poly pucks that replace the body mounts on the frame, and it raises the body only. Comes with bolts, instructions and a few other parts.

Suspension kit- $$$$
Body Kit- $$

Don't forget that if you have aftermarket bumpers or sliders you will have to have someone custom fabricate mounting hardware for them. I assume the Calmini kits and such come with what you need to move the factory bumpers though. The whole process looks like a PITA to me. Sure, it's less money for the parts, but the labor is intensive and the interior has to be nearly completely removed I guess. Atleast the Xterra I saw getting a body lift had the interior removed. To me it doesn't look like a job most people could do in their garage or drveway easily, whereas the suspension lift can be. So, you may want to consider labor costs if you have to have someone else do the work. With labor and custom brackets, if needed, the body lift could easily end up costing more than the suspension lift. And you know that frame you can see hanging from under your Xterra? Well, with the body lift you're going to see even more of it. I'd think twice before doing a body lift, and would certainly only do it secondary to the suspension lift.

For the body lift, you just have to peel some of the carpetting back so you can get at the body mounts. We did it for Mehdi at EOE- 2" lift. But I agree w/ Chuck. Once you get the Body Lift, you usually have to have things moved- radiator, sliderz, ARB. Stick with the Suspension lift. There's more benefit to it. Body lift is more for fitting big tires.

Thanks all. I'm not a mechanic, but I knew it would be way more than he was trying to tell me...that's probably why he's not working on cars anymore I will get an estimate and get more input from reputable local mechanics I know, but I think it's more trouble than it's worth to me.