Understanding the Risks and Advantages of Lift Kits

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Understanding the Risks and Advantages of Lift Kits

Let’s face it; there are not many things cooler than a lifted truck with some monster tires underneath it. There is something incredibly special about driving (or even just admiring) your own miniature version of a monster truck.

Rudimentary versions of lift kits were first invented sometime during the First World War when the military was forced to modify their off-road vehicles to travel in tough terrain while moving heavy machinery. Many areas had swamps and bogs that the Army would have to travel through, so engineers had to develop a way to fit taller tires.

By the 1970s, the off-roading community was well involved with lifting their trucks. Trail riding, mudding and modifying trucks was becoming increasingly popular as the introduction of monster trucks started to take the country by storm.

Today, many truck owners enjoy driving a truck that sits a bit higher, has a greater towing ability and can fit larger tires for better performance. In turn, the off-roading aftermarket has developed a wide-range of top quality lift kits for enthusiasts. Most drivers choose a lift kit between 2’’ and 5’’, but it’s not uncommon for “bad boys” to push the limits with extreme kits.

Pros and Cons

At 4WheelOnline, our parking lots are filled with lifted trucks, so we spoke to some guys with years of experience with driving lifted machines to get their opinions on the advantages and negatives with owning “high driving” truck.

ADVANTAGES:

• Visibility – The ability to see more of the road is priceless, especially in congested areas. Sitting up higher gives a better view of the road, and it also gets you noticed from poor drivers, too.

• Tire Sizes – With stock suspension, truck owners are forced to run narrow and shorter tires. Unfortunately, smaller tires have non-aggressive grooves, so this means getting stuck in the mud or snow more often.

• Eases Towing – Towing heavier loads with stock suspension will often make your truck “squat” down, which can make bottoming out more likely with a heavy load.

• Looks – A lifted truck looks better. No doubt about it.

Thumbs up or down in this lift kit face off

NEGATIVES:

• Gas Mileage: Bigger tires means more power is needed to spin your wheels, so some enthusiasts have reported a minimal gas mileage loss.

• Center of Gravity: The higher your truck sits, the lower center gravity. This can mean that handling is affected in sharp turns, which increases the chances for a rollover.

• Warranty: Some manufacturers won’t warranty a vehicle with modified suspension. Check with your dealer before altering anything on your truck.

Checking Out Some Trusted Lift Kits

Whether you’re shopping for first Lift Kit or your 40th, it’s important to invest in a quality brand. Trusted automotive vendors like 4WheelOnline.com take the time weed out knock off and inferior brands, so you can trust that you’re getting a top-notch product from a company that has been around the off-roading community for years. Check out some of our popular lift kits below:

•Pro Comp Lift Kits: If the word you’re looking for is “reliability,” look no further. The Pro Comp lift kits are recognized as the most durable and smooth riding kits on the market. Since 1992 the company has been producing lift kits for a variety of vehicles. From 4’’ to 6’’, there are kits for any daily driver.

•Rancho Lift Kits: 50 years of off-roading experience is a lot, so you can trust that these guys know what they’re doing when they make a lift kit. These kits are known in trail riding circles to take extreme abuse at competitions and can also get the work done for day-to-day duty.

•Skyjacker: Quite possibly the most famous name in lift kits, Skyjacker has a style and performance all of their own. The kits simplify installation by packaging all the components into one solid featured product. When it comes time to drive with a Skyjacker kit, enthusiasts have reviewed them as a “sweet and smooth” ride that compares to an OEM feel, but with all the added height.

So if you’re thinking that a lift kit is in your future, start looking at the dozens of different kits that currently Available For popular makes and models of trucks. There may be a couple of downsides to owning a lifted truck, but there sure are a lot of perks, too.

If you’re still unsure about which Lift Kit to purchase, be sure to ask the off-roading experts at 4WheelOnline.com by calling 813-769-2451. The gearheads are more than happy to answer any questions about any of the lift kits that we carry in our catalogue.

By Sean Bowes

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