Which Lift Kit is Right for Me?
The idea of a “best” anything is subjective, meaning there’s no tried and true way to find the absolute best solution. What you can do is choose a lift kit that will get you as close to your end goal as possible. There’s a variety of factors that come into choosing a lift kit, such as your make and model, the height you want to achieve, and, last but not least, your lift kit budget. So how do you come to a decision?
Part of it depends on what type of kit you want. While we use the blanket term “lift kit” for most of our products, there are actually two types of lift kits: Suspension lift and body lift. The overall idea is the same, but the end result is different between the two.
Body Lift Kit
A body lift kit does exactly like its name suggests. Adding a body lift will only affect the height of the truck’s body, increasing the space between the frame and the truck bed and cab, which keeps the suspension and axles at the same original distance from the ground. The increase in distance between the body and the suspension system will allow for larger wheels. One of the downsides to these kits is that other than the additional inches added by your tires, the actual ground clearance won’t be increased, so if you take your vehicle off road you won’t get extra protection for the undercarriage. An upside to this type of lift is the cost of the parts and labor for the install can be relatively inexpensive.
Suspension Lift Kit
In contrast, suspension lift kits will do a lot more to your vehicle. These kits will not only lift the body of your truck but the entire suspension system as well, which is why they’re the favorite of off road enthusiasts or anyone who frequently goes off the beaten path. These kits will replace much more than the body lift kits, from your shocks or struts to leaf springs and even your driveshaft, which means that these kits are more of a time and money investment, but provide better undercarriage clearance. With any lift kit, there will be some change in driving stability and weight distribution, however, a suspension lift kit provides a smoother and better articulated ride than a body lift kit due to its design and better integration with your vehicle.
Truck Spring has licensed and trained suspension experts who have been installing lift kits for years. We’re happy to help you with your choices, so give us a call at 800-358-4751.