How to Mount a Squarebody Console Lift Right

If you're figuring out how to mount a Squarebody console lift in a truck that still gets driven, worked, or wheeled, the good news is it's a lot simpler than most interior jobs — as long as you've got the right part. The biggest mistake is treating it like a generic universal console add-on that needs drilling and fabrication. A Squarebody floor, seat layout, and cab space all have their own quirks, and the right lift is built around them instead of fighting them.

A good console lift install should feel factory in the ways that matter and better than factory where these trucks usually fall short — solid attachment, clean alignment, usable cup holders and storage, and enough clearance that the console actually works with your truck. Whether you're in a pickup, K5, Jimmy, or Suburban, the goal is the same: mount it once, mount it straight, and mount it so it stays put. This guide walks the install. If you're still deciding whether a lift is the right move, start with the best Squarebody center console upgrades that fit.

The Best Part About This Install: No Drilling

Here's the thing that separates a purpose-built lift from a universal one. The Blazin' Biddles Offroad 5" Console Lift is a direct bolt-in. It reuses your factory console bolts and leaves your factory floor brackets right where they are. You're not drilling the floor, you're not fabricating brackets, and you're not hunting for brake lines and fuel lines under the cab before you commit to a hole. That's the whole point — a lot of "console mounting" advice out there is written around universal kits that make you cut into the truck. This one doesn't, and it fits 1981–1991 K5 Blazers, GMC Jimmys, and Suburbans.

Because there's no drilling, a clean install here comes down to placement, alignment, and tightening in the right order — not fabrication skill. Take your time on the setup and this is a driveway job, not a shop project.

Before You Start

Look at the whole interior, not just the spot where the lift lands. Bench seat trucks, bucket seat trucks, aftermarket seats, seat swaps, and carpet thickness all affect how the job goes. It helps to plan on possibly pulling one or both front seats — you don't always have to, but it makes the whole install easier and gives you room to work.

Check your seat travel before anything else. Slide both seats through their full range and pay attention to where the console sits front to back. On trucks with swapped seats or custom brackets, what looks centered with the seat in one position can change once the seat moves back. It's a two-minute check that saves headaches later.

What's in the Kit

The lift bracket comes as four pieces: two end pieces (both the same) and two side pieces (both the same). You'll also get the hardware to bolt the bracket together and to bolt your console down to the bracket. The one thing you need to hang onto is your factory bolts — the ones holding your console to the floor now. Those get reused to mount the new bracket to the factory floor brackets, so don't lose them when you pull the console.

Step-by-Step Install

1. Remove your center console. Take the console out of the truck, but leave the factory floor brackets in place. Do not remove those — the lift bolts to them.

2. Save your factory bolts. Keep the bolts that held the console to the floor. You'll reuse these to attach the new lift bracket to the floor brackets. Set them somewhere you won't lose them.

3. Lay out the bracket pieces. Get your four pieces on a bench or table — two matching end pieces, two matching side pieces.

4. Set up the end pieces. Face the two end pieces toward each other, like they're looking at each other. Flip one upside down so one end piece's tabs are on the bottom and the other's tabs are on top. That orientation is what lets the bracket assemble correctly.

5. Attach the side pieces. Use the two side pieces to connect the end pieces together. Bolt them loosely with the provided hardware — don't tighten anything yet. Leaving everything loose lets the assembly settle square when it's all in place.

6. Bolt the bracket to the floor. Use your saved factory bolts to attach the assembled bracket to the factory floor brackets. Keep these loose for now too.

7. Attach your console to the bracket. Use the provided hardware to bolt your center console onto the lift bracket. Leave these loose as well.

8. Choose your position. You've got two options: 1 inch back (the default position) or 1 inch forward (bracket rotated 180 degrees). We recommend the 1-inch-back position for more shifter clearance, but pick what feels right for your truck and driving position. This is worth sitting in the truck for — reach for the console, run the shifter through its pattern if it's manual or column-shift, and make sure your knee and elbow room make sense.

9. Tighten everything. Once it's all lined up and positioned the way you want, tighten all the bolts securely — the bracket assembly, the floor bolts, and the console-to-bracket bolts. Snug it down evenly rather than cranking one corner fully before the others, so nothing pulls off center.

10. Finish up. Put your seats back in if you pulled them, and you're done.

Dial In the Position Before You Commit

The position choice is the part worth slowing down for, because it's the difference between a console that works and one that annoys you. The 1-inch-back setting gives you more shifter clearance, which is why it's the default recommendation — especially on manual trucks or column-shift automatics where you want the shifter path clear. If you'd rather have the console a touch closer for reach, the 1-inch-forward setting (bracket rotated 180 degrees) gets you there.

Either way, sit in the truck with everything loose and test it like you actually drive. Run the shifter through its full pattern under real hand movement, not just in neutral. Cycle both seats to full travel and make sure nothing interferes. A console can be technically bolted in and still be in a spot that crowds you — catching that while the hardware's loose takes two minutes. Fixing it after everything's tight is a re-do.

After the Install

Once it's tightened and the seats are back in, open every lid, tray, and cup holder function and cycle the seats one more time. This is where small issues show up — maybe the passenger seat just touches at full-forward travel, or a lid catches a seat belt buckle. Better to catch it now.

If your truck sees trail use, rough farm roads, or daily-driver abuse, recheck the hardware after the first few drives. New installs can settle slightly, especially over carpet that compresses once you're using the truck again. A quick snug-up after a week and you won't think about it again.

Pairing the Lift With Cup Holders

A lot of owners doing this install also swap the factory cup holders at the same time, since the console's already out. The Console Combo pairs the 5" lift with the adjustable cup holders so you handle both in one job. Worth knowing the cup holders do require trimming the console opening to fit the larger holders — that's covered in how to add cup holders to a Squarebody — but since the console's already on the bench during the lift install, it's the natural time to do it.

Why a Bolt-In Design Matters

This is where platform-specific parts earn their keep. A lift built for the Squarebody floor reuses what's already there — factory brackets, factory bolt locations — so you get a solid, repeatable mount without drilling, backing plates, or guesswork. That's the whole reason to run a part made for the truck instead of forcing a universal console to fit a job it was never built for. Get the setup right, take your time on the position, and the whole cab feels more sorted every time you climb in.

Frequently Asked Questions