You may have thought at some point about outfitting your pickup truck with a lift kit. Such an upgrade to your truck will allow you to tackle off-roading more efficiently, making the ride more comfortable and smoother. And overall truck gets a cooler and tougher look that will leave very few people indifferent. This modification has both pros and cons, which should be considered before proceeding with it.
It should be understood that the installation of such a lift kit can slightly change the handling qualities of the car, as its center of gravity is shifted. Within this material, we will try to look at the main features of this modification in as much detail as possible, as well as give you advice on which lift kit is best suited for you based on your needs.
Types of Lift Kits
All lift kits can be conventionally divided into two main categories. Their difference lies in the difference in height to which the truck body is lifted. In order to choose the most suitable kit for you, you need to have a good understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each type. You should also consider the differences in installation.
Body Lift Kits
The fundamental component of such a system are special blocks and struts that allow you to slightly raise the truck body from the frame. The result is increased ground clearance, which allows the installation of larger tires, but the height of the suspension remains the same. With this category of kits, the body can be raised by about one to three inches.
We should note right away that this type of equipment is somewhat less expensive. If you just want to install larger tires on your truck, this is a great option. The wheel arch will be raised, allowing you to fit a larger wheel. However, it should be remembered that with this modification that the ground clearance will increase only slightly. These lift kits in most cases are supplied with all necessary additional fasteners.
Suspension Lift Kits
These lift kits provide more ground clearance and better handling than body lift kits. The installation of this equipment involves the replacement of the front and rear leaf springs of the truck. As a result, the car rises an average of 4-6 inches. However, there are also special reinforced suspension options that allow you to increase the ground clearance by more than 15 inches. Obviously, such an increase also allows the installation of wheels with a larger diameter. However, just for the sake of this opportunity to install such a system is not worth it. It’s more expensive, and only needed if a person really needs to make complex changes in performance and handling.
The installation of suspension lift kits requires the use of an experienced technician as the installation process has become much more complex. It includes the replacement of a sufficiently large number of nodes and components. However, the result of such work will be more noticeable.
Safety Aspects
It should be understood that the use of such kits imposes a certain responsibility on the driver, since as a result of modernization, a rather significant change in the performance of the car occurs. The center of gravity of the vehicle changes, which automatically affects stability during sharp turns. Therefore, due to the lifting of the vehicle, the risk of rollover increases. Therefore, after installing new equipment, you need to carefully study the handling of the car before any sudden maneuvers.
Lifted trucks may experience more roll when cornering, which can be quite significant when driving in traffic. In the event that when installing equipment, the height increases by more than 4 inches, then it is necessary to install additional stabilizers that will secure the vehicle when cornering. It should be borne in mind that the stabilizer may not be included in the original package, so you will have to buy it in addition.
You should also take into account the fact that as a result of such a modification of the vehicle, your warranty may be taken away. Therefore, before replacing equipment, you should ask how exactly this will affect the warranty, and whether such replacements are worth losing it. To do this, you need to contact the dealership.
Consider some tips that should be followed when installing such equipment:
- Contact a Qualified Technician for Installation
The most important thing to remember when installing such equipment is that it changes the performance and behavior of the car. This means that it is very important to go to a professional who can perform such an upgrade without harming you. Otherwise, you risk getting an unmanaged vehicle. Moreover, improper installation of the kit can cause excessive stress on individual components, which will lead to their rapid wear. Most often, problems with the suspension or bodywork appear.
- Choose the Right Height
Lift kits are installed in cases where the car is used for frequent off-road driving, where every inch can play a key role. You need to carefully analyze the scenarios for using the car in order to raise it to the desired height. Depending on the chosen height, the amount of work to install additional equipment, as well as the cost of such work, will change.
The maximum lift height is usually 6 inches, but rarely does anyone need such a major change.
- Consider Usability After This Modification
Obviously, the car will be used by you every day, and not only off-road. Analyze how the changes will affect your driving experience as well as your enjoyment of the process. Please take this into consideration before making any upgrades.
Summary
So, you can always convert your own truck with a lift kit if necessary. This is a great solution to improve the patency of the car. However, before installing it, you need to make sure that you really need to lift your truck. So, for off-road enthusiasts, the advantages of this modification will outweigh the disadvantages. But if you use your truck as a family or commuter vehicle, the disadvantages in this case are probably not worth the risk.
