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Off-road enthusiasts have had a reality check in the last ten or so years. At one time, there was no such thing as too much lift. Physics be damned, the motto seemed to be “How high can we go.” The resulting trucks had great ground clearance in the dirt and the driver had an awesome view ahead in rush-hour traffic. But handling? Not so hot. Plus, try getting a full-sized pick-up with an extra foot or more in height into your garage or a parking structure. These days you can raise your rig to accommodate oversized tires without messing with the handling, the ride or the vehicle’s warranty. One of the only companies that had this figured out a long time ago was Performance Accessories near Prescott, Arizona. “There are a couple of reasons why a body lift can be a better choice than a full suspension lift,” explains Yates Hudson of Performance Accessories. “Foremost is safety.” The body of a truck is lighter than the frame. With a body lift, only the truck body is lifted, allowing more clearance for over-sized tires; the tires, in turn, increase the vehicle’s ground clearance. The frame stays put. Center of gravity is a function of weight rather than just height. Since there is less weight above the centerline of the vehicle in a body lift, the result is a center of gravity fairly close to the original configuration. The closer to stock configuration you stay, the more of the built-in factory ride you can enjoy. But it’s more than just comfort on the asphalt-the steering and suspension behave the way the manufacturer intended. When you take a sharp turn there are no ugly surprises. Another good reason to opt for a body lift is simple economics. Body lifts are significantly less expensive, both at time of purchase and for installation. Performance Accessories works closely with area dealerships on its body-lift kits to ensure that everything that’s needed, both by professional and skilled amateur mechanics, is included. And why the need for heavy-duty urethane gap guards? In part to mask the components exposed by the body lift. But besides aesthetics, the guards keep mud, slush and road salt off the engine and suspension components. Performance Accessories has been in the body-lift business for nearly 30 years. Initially, a lot of the component production was outsourced to other manufacturers. Today, every lift kit is prototyped in-house (in the U.S.A.) for a seamless custom fit. The highest quality materials are sourced, from the high-grade reinforced nylon used in the injection-molding department to the steel in the custom-machined steering shaft extensions. Performance Accessories also produces a range of leveling kits, OR-Fab Jeep accessories, urethane bushings, spring U-bolt skid plates, shock mounts and more. They also offer complete packages, such as Master Lift Systems (body lift components and gap guards) and Premium Lift Systems including vehicle-specific body lifts, gap guards and leveling kits. Speaking of leveling, Performance Accessories’ Leveling kits eliminate the O.E. factory rake. The Border Patrol figured out the benefit of leveling a 4x4 in the Arizona desert. A higher nose, level with the unloaded rear end of a light truck, gives officers a better approach angle. With a factory stance, the Patrol Officers could easily end up banging their front bumpers into steep grades instead of roaring up them. So there you have it — a company that started with an idea that has expanded their quality product line to include on- and off-road truck and Jeep suspensions and accessories that are proudly made in the U.S.A.
