What’s the Right Amount of Lift for Your Truck?

By Mike Cote - November 24, 2018

Now that you’ve decided to raise your ride-height, the next step is finding out just how much lift is right for your rig. Whether you’re just looking to run larger tires or you want enough ground-clearance to crawl over any crag, it’s easy to customize your truck’s inch-count to suit your driving style. But with suspension upgrades that range from average to extreme and affordable to expensive, finding the right lift can be overwhelming. You don’t want to go too big or too small — so find one that’s just right with a little help from AT.

Leveling Kit vs. Suspension Lift Kit

A leveling kit can deliver up to 2.5” of additional space you need to clear up to 33” all-terrains. Leveling kits are far less expensive than an entire suspension lift and, therefore, much easier to install. If you want to go higher than a few inches, though, you’ll need more suspension components to keep your vehicle in proper alignment.

Below, we’ll give you a sampling of the different kinds of leveling kits on our site, and an example for you to investigate.

• Airbag kits, exemplified by the Air Lift Air Bag Suspension Kit
• Coil spacer kits, exemplified by ReadyLIFT Leveling Kits
• Coilovers, exemplified by Rancho QuickLIFT Loaded Leveling Struts
• Lifting coil springs, exemplified by Eibach Lift Kits
• OEM replacements, exemplified by Bilstein B8 5100 Truck, Jeep & SUV Shocks
• Rear block kits, exemplified by ReadyLIFT Rear Block Kits
• Torsion key kits, exemplified by ProRYDE Duck Head Torsion Keys

If the goal for lifting your ride is greater ground-clearance and off-road capabilities, a suspension lift kit is the way to go. This pricier solution delivers an overall boost of anywhere from 4” to 6”, but, if you’re looking to roll with 35” tires or larger, you’ll probably need to go north of 4 inches.

While this may be the more labor-intensive and costlier option, a quality lift kit will guarantee every component is raised right. That way, you can count on years of rugged rock-crawling.

• Body lift kits, exemplified by the Pro Comp Lift Kit
• Coil spacer kits, exemplified by Daystar Comfort Ride Lift Kits
• Lifting coil springs, exemplified by Tuff Country Lift Kits
• Lifting leaf springs, exemplified by the ReadyLIFT Off Road Lift Kit
• Rear block kits, exemplified by TruXP Performance Block Kits

Let’s do the math

Rather than ask yourself, “How high can I lift my truck?”, the question should be, “How high should I lift my truck?” Without the right equipment to steady your suspension, jacking your truck up too high can cause premature damage — even if you stick to paved roads. But, if you’re looking to rule the rougher trails, the maximum of 6” offered by a suspension lift kit can get you where you need to go. Either way, you can find your brand name suspension upgrade at AT.