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The Differences Between Lifting & Leveling - Our Guide

15th May 2020

As a truck owner, you want to know the best upgrades and the best methods to achieve optimal performance. Some of the most common upgrades you can get are either lifting and leveling upgrades. You may have heard of them before, but perhaps you’re not entirely sure about how these upgrades work. To help you better understand, here are the differences between lifting and leveling and which upgrade to get:

Lifting and Leveling

First and foremost, both of these methods are aimed towards raising the body of the truck. Doing so will enable you to fit larger tires and improve ground clearance. Both lifting and leveling kits are designed to reposition the body away from the axles.

Main Differences

While both kit methods are done to lift the truck, the exact measurements do vary. With a leveling kit, the body is lifted about two inches maximum at the front side. A leveling kit will make the front of the truck raised, and if you prefer a stock-style stance, you can pair it with a spacer block to raise the rear of the truck.

On the other hand, lifting kits raise the truck even higher than a leveling kit can do. Lifting the truck higher is made possible by modifying the suspension parts. For this, you can choose anywhere from two inches to ten inches in kit sizes. You can also go for custom lift kits if you prefer a much larger size.

In terms of ease, leveling kits are simple to install and less process is required to install them. That said, while lifting kits are more complex, they provide a more comprehensive array of features that leveling kits don’t have, including springs, shocks, control arms, and more.

Advantages of Leveling and Lifting

Leveling allows for larger tires that can be placed on all four corners, hence the term “leveling.” Most pickup trucks can hit the fender or bumper, especially during sharper turns. In this scenario, leveling is a good entry-level solution. Leveling kits are great at addressing the sagging issue of the suspension when something is added to the front of the truck. They keep the front of the truck leveled with the rear.

Lifting is primarily applied to allow the fitting of large tires. If you prefer to run with large wheels, you can use a lifting kit to help the vehicle run smoothly. Lifting kits are also great for raising all modifications that are generally in contact with the road when things start getting intense, especially for off-road sessions. In general, lifting kits are spectacular for giving large trucks better ground clearance.

Disadvantages of Leveling and Lifting

It should be noted that there are cons to any modification, which means you’re sacrificing something to achieve another feature. With leveling kits, you’re giving up style. Leveling kits aren’t as sleek and modern looking as lifting kits.

On the flip side, lift kits, while they look clean and modern, they don’t provide the same support that leveling kits do. Also, they can be extremely complicated to install.

Conclusion

Put simply, leveling kits are affordable and are more stable. They’re also very easy to install, which calls for fewer labor charges. Lifting kits are amazing in terms of design and additional functionality. While they may not be as stable as leveling kits, they provide access to other kits that compensate for that.

We’re a provider of premium parts for pickups and trucks in the US. If you’re in need of certain parts, get in touch with us and let us help you choose the parts that best fit your needs.