Sometimes driving across the country you notice that some of the vehicles (mostly trucks) look quite different from their original post-manufacturing condition and that difference is likely a higher clearance or a much bigger wheels. Those customized autos most likely have their suspension lifted, that’s why they look odd. Most of the truck owners install suspension lift kits to increase trucks clearance hence improving its abilities to drive through extreme outdoor road conditions like mud, sand, snow and so on. Some of the truck owners lift their suspension just so they can put in a bigger set of wheels and add a visual effect to their car.
There are usually two ways to achieve that.
First is the body lift. The idea there is quite simple – most of the components of suspension and the body of the truck are attached to its frame. And to lift the body all that is needed is the installation of higher deprecation pillows between the frame and the body, and then filling the resulting empty space with a special filling material. There are different types of body lift kits out there, and their cost usually varies based on the store that’s selling it and its brand. Suspension lift on the other hand is slightly more complicated process. There are lots of ways this is done – you can do this either on only front wheels, or only rear wheels, or both. You can replace only a single element of your suspension (just an arm for example), or a few at the same time.
Before going ahead with the suspension lift, you should consider a couple of things. Changing your vehicle’s manufacturing standards can often come with a price. It can obviously void any official warranty that you have remaining, it can change suspension properties to the point where it will be impossible to drive your car, you also need to make sure that with the lift all the elements of all major systems in your vehicle can still function properly. If you do decide to get a suspension lift kits, please consult with your local auto technician.
Suspension Lift Kits – Where to Start
2-Wheel Drive:
Fabtech is the industry leader in 2WD Lift Kits due to thier line of Front Lift Spindles. If you want to lift your 2WD Truck or SUV, Fabtech is your best choice.
Bigger Lifts(Over 6″):
If you want to “Jack” your Truck or SUV to the “Sky”, Skyjacker is the way to go. Skyjacker offer more 6″-12″ Lift Systems than any other company.
Smaller Lifts(2″-6″):
Nobody sells more lift kits than Pro Comp. Due to quality, simplicity and affordability, Pro Comp gets you reasonable lift kits for reasonable price.
Easy Installation:
Superlift introduced there Frame Integrated Technology(F.I.T) in 2005, and has changed the industry as we know it. No longer do you have to remove a big chunk of your truck’s frame to install a lift kit. Superlift has set the standard for “Bolt-On” Suspension.
Extreme Off-Road Articulation:
Having over 50 years of Off-Road experience, Rancho offers more complete suspension systems to allow for easier rock crawling and better protection to vehicle components.
On and Off-Road Performance:
Bilstein and RCD join together to create supreme “Road Worthy” suspensions for lift and ride quality. RCD brings you the quality and strength for serious off-roading while maintaining the comfort and rideablity for the highway and street!
Black Diamond:
SuspensionLift-Kits-Direct and Black Diamond have teamed up to bring you the premier suspension lift kit for your Jeep! Black Diamond has roots that run deep, located in West Monroe, Louisiana – arguably the Mecca of the offroad suspension world – we are dedicated to bringing you offroad accessories and suspension products that set the mark in fit and function.
In my experience, Rancho lift kits are the best as they suits anyone needs and requires no specialize tool to install. Supports different make & models.
Thanks for the share.
My husband just got a new truck that he wants to get upgrades for, and I’m considering buying him a suspension kit as a surprise. I know very little about cars, so your explanation of what they do and what kinds there are has really helped me figure out what I should be looking for. I don’t think my husband wants to go as high as over 6″, so a smaller lift is probably the best way to go.
I wanted to thank you for helping me learn more about suspension lifts. It’s good to know that you should make sure the major systems of the vehicle can still function with the lift. I’m interested to learn if there’s a way you can test a lift to see if it would be a good fit for a vehicle.
I like that you suggest consulting with a local auto tech before getting a suspension lift. My brothers and I want to get out dad’s truck lifted for his birthday this year, and we are looking into what we need to know and what parts we need before we get that done. I will keep this in mind, and look for an auto shop that can get that done for us.