Learn to Lift Your Ride

AN OVERVIEW ON TRUCK LIFT KITS Truck lift kits are aftermarket truck accessories that increase a vehicle’s height. Their primary purpose is to raise the body of a truck to allow more room for larger wheels and tires. Lift kits are most common for trucks and off-road vehicles that want to improve performance in rugged situations. It’s important to note that the installation of a lift kit increases the vehicle’s center of gravity, which can change the truck’s driving behavior. If you are considering buying a lift kit for your vehicle, consider the type of kit to best fit your needs, as well as a few safety precautions we’ve outlined below.

Lift kits may be classified into two main categories: body lifts and suspension lifts. In order to buy the right kit for your vehicle, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of both types, as well as how they differ in terms of installation.

Body Lift Kit

A body lift kit uses blocks or spacers to raise the body of the truck from its frame. These kits provide a one- to three-inch lift of the body from the chassis. From a cost perspective, this type of lift is less expensive than a suspension lift. If you’re looking to install larger tires on your truck, this is the type of lift for you. Body lifts raise the wheel well of your vehicle, however they won’t increase ground clearance. Generally, a body lift kit will come with body spacers and front and rear bumper brackets. They also typically include a ground strap bracket.

Air Ride Suspension

Air suspension is a type of vehicle suspension powered by an electric or engine-driven air pump or compressor. This compressor pumps the air into a flexible bellows, usually made from textile-reinforced rubber. The air pressure inflates the bellows, and raises the chassis from the axle. Sensors on each corner of the vehicle are connected to the frame with fixed sensor links. These sensors tell the air ride computer what the suspension is doing in real-time. Changing the factory fixed sensor links with adjustable sensor links allow you to raise or lower the vehicles normal ride height. Since each corner is controlled seperately the modification can be used to level, lift, lower or compensate for any lean.

Lift Build Examples

Suspension Lift Kit

Suspension truck lift kits produce more ground clearance and handling than a body lift kit. They replace the front and rear leaf springs of a truck to typically give drivers between four and six inches of lift on their vehicle. Some suspension lift kits can increase lift by upwards of 15 inches. By increasing the height of the wheel well, truck owners are able to accommodates taller tires. Suspension lift kits can also improve the handling of the truck compared to body lift kits. Suspension kits are more complex to install than body kits as they require more parts and typically include brake line brackets, differential drop brackets, sway-bar drop brackets, CV spacers, upper strut spacers and lifted knuckles. They generally also cost more than body lift kits.