Blog

From a little extra height to a lot more ground clearance and wheel travel, a lift kit installation is one of the first mods that off-roaders will usually tackle. It looks cool and sets the foundation for how your vehicle will perform on the trail, in the sand, or crawling over rocks. But when you’re messing around with your vehicle suspension, there are trade-offs you need to weigh, or you could experience unintended consequences.

If you’re ready to modify your truck or SUV with a lift kit, here are some do’s and don’ts from Wheel & Tire Superstore, the Texas lift kit experts, to make sure it goes as planned.

How Do Suspension Lift Kits Work?

Unlike a leveling kit or a body lift, suspension lifts change out several factory suspension components to increase the ride height and the ground clearance. It increases important angles for off-roading such as the approach, breakover, and departure angles. A suspension lift kit also allows for larger tires to fit underneath, further adding to the clearances, and improving visibility from further off the ground.

However, when you’re installing a lift kit on your vehicle, here are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:

DO Choose Your Ideal Truck Height

What do you want to achieve with your lift kit? When you choose a ride height, there are several things to consider:

• Up to 1.5” suspension lifts maintain your drivability almost like a stock ride with a slightly more aggressive stance while increasing durability.
• 2” to 2.5” are still minor adjustments to the ride height, all things considered. However, you might start having to think about adding side steps for access.
• 3.5” to 4” is beginning to look pretty tall. These kits are more complex to install with different drop brackets and such, and you’ll need a taller tire to make sure your truck doesn’t look funny.
• 6” and up is extreme compared to a factory suspension height. At this range, you’ll often need to adjust pinion angles and other items to ensure functionality, plus climbing into the cab becomes a more prevalent issue.

It all boils down to the look and performance you want to achieve, though, and that’s where you should start.

DO Consider How It Affects Other Systems

A huge lift looks awesome, but you’ll need larger, much more expensive tires to complete the package. It will also be less fuel-efficient because of the addition of heavier tires.

There’s also often more stress on steering components with a lift kit installed, so you might be replacing ball joints and tie rods more frequently if you’re not bending them on the trail already.

DON’T Forget Day-to-Day Use

A suspension lift, even among the best lift kits for Jeeps, is guaranteed to change how your vehicle drives. Taller vehicles don’t take corners as nicely, increasing the rollover risk. You can also expect a rougher ride than the comfy factory ride since it’s now designed to withstand harsher use.

Contact Us Today for Texas Lift Kits and More

If you want the leading Texas lift kits, contact the team from Wheel & Tire Superstore online or call (512) 986-7879 today.