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When taking a vehicle off-road, one of the most important things to keep in mind is ground clearance. Off-road driving involves a lot of rough terrain full of debris, and you want to reduce the chances of your vehicle bottoming out or running through damaging debris. A Texas lift kit can be just the thing to protect your vehicle while enjoying our state's backroads and wilderness.

So, let's talk about your options in lift kits and some pros and cons of this modification.

I. Types of Lift Kits

The goal of any lift kit is simple: raising the body of your car so that it's higher up off the ground. There are two basic types.

1 - Suspension Lift Kits

Suspension lift kits are the option when you are focused entirely on clearance. This involves replacing the suspension system with much taller coil springs and shocks, as well as longer control arms. In theory, a car could be raised as much as a foot higher this way, although not all cars will be able to handle that much extra weight and height.

2 - Body Lift Kits

Body lift kits raise the body of the car higher off of its chassis, by adding blocks or spacers between the two components. This will only add a few inches of clearance at most, but it does create a lot of extra room for larger tires, which will also add more clearance.

Body lift kits are also substantially less expensive to install than suspension lifts.

II. Pros and Cons of Installing a Texas Lift Kit

Pros

• Better clearance: Obviously, this is the big benefit. If you go off-roading, a lift kit will protect your undercarriage and - if it's a suspension lift - give you a better ride.
• Improved visibility: Another nice benefit to lift kits is that you get improved visibility and are typically able to see further whether you're on- or off-road.
• Enhanced towing: Lift kits can actually add towing power, mostly torque, as well as accommodate larger tires which can also help with towing larger loads.
• Aesthetics: A lifted car tends to have a much stronger and more aggressive stance, which many people prefer to stock car configurations.

Cons

• Reduced fuel economy. A lift kit will harm your car's aerodynamics and add wind resistance, which will ultimately increase your fuel use.
• Increased maintenance. Most stock cars weren't built for the larger and heavier components in a lift job. This can lead to more repairs and maintenance due to stress on the surrounding components.
• Reduced stability. Lift kits will also lift your vehicle's center of balance, which makes them inherently more prone to rollover. The higher the lift, the bigger the danger.
• Warranty issues. Always check your warranty before installing a lift kit. In some cases, they can invalidate some or all of the warranty, leaving you on the hook if there's a repair issue.

Still not sure? Wheel and Tire Superstore can help you decide if Texas lift kits are right for your vehicle. Click here to contact us!