What does a leveling lift do?
Take a close look at the cars passing by on the street, and you’ll notice that they have their natural tilt. It’s as if most of them have their noses down and look a bit sad. Now that we’ve said it, you’ll probably keep noticing it.
You’ll see it clearly in pickup trucks. Their beds are much higher than the front, which makes sense for carrying heavy loads. That’s why standard versions of these cars are not really associated with hardcore off-road. Simply put, they lack that off-road edge. But don’t worry, that’s where the leveling lift comes in.
The job of a leveling lift is simple and clear – it levels the vehicle by raising its front end relative to the back. This gives the off-road vehicle more character, highlights its aggressive look, and allows for larger wheels.
How to choose the optimal height of a leveling lift?
The goal of a leveling lift is to raise the front to the height of the already higher rear, you need a leveling kit that matches the height difference. Usually, this gap is up to around 2 inches, but you need to measure it on your own vehicle. Following this logic, if you install a 4-inch lift on the front, you might need just a 2-inch lift on the rear. Technically speaking, it’s no longer just a leveling lift.
This is because a larger modification, like around 1.5-2.5 inches, might require further changes to other key car parts. For example, the brake lines might need to be longer, and the driveshaft angles might change. In that case, you will need a full suspension kit.
Leveling lift kit
How and with what will you level the front of the vehicle?
We’re talking about adding and installing, but what exactly and where? A leveling lift is usually done using special spacers mounted on the top of the suspension springs. This is one of the simpler and cheaper modification methods that doesn’t change the suspension’s performance. However, it’s not the only option.
Ways to achieve a leveling lift:
- Spacers – the simplest method is to install suspension spacer kits on the front.
Leveling lift on spacers
- Coilover and strut shock absorbers – installing new shock absorbers can also level the front. For example, by using longer than factory coilovers with springs or struts shocks that allow you to mount the factory spring at different heights.
Leveling kit by snap ring and coilovers
- Torsion bar adjusters – the torsion bar, which is connected to the control arm, has an option to adjust the tension using special adjusters. These adjusters are usually screw mechanisms that can be tightened or loosened. Tightening increases the tension of the bar, which raises the vehicle and increases ground clearance, while loosening the adjuster decreases the tension, lowering the vehicle.
Leveling kit by adjusters
Pros and cons of a leveling lift:
Cons (but not really):
For some drivers, the biggest disadvantage of this suspension modification is that it doesn’t change the vehicle’s performance. If you choose just spacers, the driving experience will be the same as with the factory height. That’s why a leveling lift is great for adding a bit of capability (by increasing ground clearance) and highlighting its off-road look.
Pros:
The main advantages of a leveling lift are easy installation, low modification cost, and enhancing the aggressive character of the off-road vehicle. Moreover, the lack of impact on driving experience in some cases should be considered a plus, as simply leveling the angle line will significantly improve the design. This is evident in the RAM TRX, which has an excellently optimized factory suspension.
Additionally, leveling kit essentially requires no extra modifications and can utilize only the vehicle’s factory components. Furthermore, it is quickly reversible and allows for other tuning in the future.
How does a leveling lift perform in off-roading?
Because it has minimal impact on suspension performance, a leveling lift isn’t the best choice for extreme off-roading. If you’re into extreme off-road adventures, a vehicle with this modification might end up going off-plan spectacularly. Unless “shooting into space” is your goal. Okay, but seriously.
A leveling lift, by increasing front clearance, allows for bigger wheels, which adds capability for driving through deeper mud. Also, it improves the approach angle, reducing the risk of scraping the front when going up or down steep slopes. Therefore, if your pickup, along with its load, needs to handle tougher terrain without going wild in off-road rallies, a leveling lift is an enough and very beneficial option.
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