Chevy Trucks and Lift Kits
How a Lift Kit Affects Your Truck
If you’re an off-road enthusiast, you’ve likely heard about the merits of lifting your truck or SUV. Doing so can alter your vehicle’s capabilities, allowing you to go further off-road and tackle more challenging trails. Our team is more than capable of helping you find the right lifting solutions for your vehicle; however, there are a few things you should know about how lifting your vehicle can affect your driving experience before you make that decision.
What’s a Lift Kit?
Let’s start by defining a lift kit. Two main types of lift kits are available to truck and SUV drivers: suspension lift kits and body lift kits. Both are designed to increase the distance between the body of the vehicle and the ground. However, which is right for you depends on what you aim to accomplish by lifting your truck. Do you intend to increase your vehicle’s ground clearance for off-roading? Do you want the lift kit to give you more wheel articulation? Or do you simply like the look of elevated vehicles?
Body Lift Kits
If your goal is to add a coolness factor to your vehicle and you’re working with a tight budget, a body lift kit may be the best option for you. Body lift kits generally cost less than suspension lift kits and are easier to install. They can allow you to mount larger tires on your vehicle, increase the truck's curb appeal, and unlike suspension kits, they won’t affect your vehicle’s towing capabilities.
Body kits don’t increase your vehicle’s ground clearance on their own, though, and any gains in that department will be due to the use of larger tires. This is because body lift kits adjust the distance of the body of the vehicle from the ground without affecting the vehicle frame and chassis.
These kits are only compatible with vehicles that have a body-on-frame design, meaning that the body of the vehicle and the chassis are assembled separately, then the body is bolted onto the steel frame. Body kits typically install spacers between the frame and the body; therefore, the undercarriage, skid plates, and bumpers remain at the same level.
Truck-based GM models such as the GMC Sierra lineup, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and HD models, the GMC Yukon, and the GMC Yukon XL all have body-on-frame designs and can be altered with a body lift kit. Crossovers, such as the GMC Acadia, have a unibody design and won’t be eligible for a body lift kit.
Suspension Lift Kits
Suspension lift kits generally cost more than body lift kits. This is because they have a more complex installation process, and depending on how high you intend to lift the vehicle, they can even require replacing steering components. However, if you intend to go off-roading with your lifted truck, a suspension lift will greatly improve your off-road performance.
A suspension lift involves lifting the entire frame and body from the axle and will likely require replacing the control arms, leaf springs, shocks, and many other suspension components. Perks of a suspension lift include:
- Increased Wheel Articulation
- Increased Approach, Departure, and Break Over Angles
- Better Handling
- Increased Ground Clearance
- Higher Lift (Suspension kits can give you a lift of a foot or even more, while body kits have stricter limits)
There are also cons to installing a suspension kit. For starters, no matter what type of kit you use, lifting your vehicle will raise its center of gravity, increasing body roll and the risk of tipping. Suspension kits are also likely to lower your vehicle's towing capacity and may void some portions of your contract.
Should You Get a Suspension Lift?
Whether or not you should get a suspension lift is dependent on your budget, driving habits, and goals for your vehicle. If you own a GMC or Chevrolet vehicle, both brands offer suspension lift kits. Contact our service and parts department at Wilson County Chevrolet Buick GMC.