There are many aesthetic and functional benefits to lifting a truck, but it’s important to know what the financial commitment is before diving in.
Lifting a truck can do more than just improve the truck’s aesthetic; the lift can also increase ride height and cargo capacity, gain suspension travel, and boost clearance.
Drivers may choose to lift their trucks to be able to mount up bigger wheels and tires, improve the truck’s ride while towing, or increase the vehicle’s off-road capability.
How much a truck owner spends to lift a truck can vary greatly, depending on a series of factors, such as the number of parts installed, the price of parts themselves, or any necessary labor costs.
This article outlines the different ways a truck can be lifted and the costs associated with each technique.
Different Types of Lift Kits
Before we touch on, “How much is it to lift a truck?” and “How much is a lift kit for a truck?” we’ll need to go over the different types of lift kits available. Depending on your Chandler lifestyle, one lift kit could be better than the other for your needs.
To give you an idea of how involved a lift kit install might be, most lift kits can range anywhere from 7 to 15 hours of installation time.
So, whether you’re installing the lift kit yourself in Scottsdale or you’re taking it to a professional, make sure you have some time set aside for the install. With that out of the way, let’s go over the most popular types of lift kits you can opt for:
Levelling Kits
Most trucks come with a standard degree of rake. Rake refers to the slope from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle. In many trucks, the front of the truck is lower than the rear of the truck to accommodate cargo.
With a levelling kit, you’ll eliminate the slope and raise the front end to match the rear.
Body Lift Kits
Body lift kits essentially raise your truck’s body using spacers. Body lift kits can usually provide up to 2 inches of lift and are a great way to add more clearance if you want to run larger wheels and tires.
Body lift kits don’t provide added off-road performance but are great if you want extra ground clearance or you just prefer the aesthetics. These lift kits are typically more inexpensive than suspension lift kits.
Suspension Lift Kits
If you’re looking for added off-road performance and looks, you’ll want to consider a suspension lift kit. These lift kits typically replace your vehicle’s suspension with more off-road-oriented suspension.
Suspension lift kits are the most expensive way to lift your truck but provide increased performance for more serious off-road activities.
Choosing the Right Lift Kit for Your Truck
So, how do you know which kind of lift kit to use on your truck? If you’re lifting your truck yourself, we strongly recommend that you stick to body lift kits, as they are far less complex than suspension lifts.
Suspension lifts, on the other hand, can lift your truck higher than a body kit, but are also the more expensive option. Here the details about each type:
Body Lift
- Can increase your truck’s height by 1 to 3 inches (not as high as a suspension lift)
- Is less expensive than a suspension lift
- Is far simpler than a suspension lift
Suspension Lift
- Can lift your truck 4 to 6 inches (twice as much as a body lift)
- Is more expensive than a body lift, and may require the purchase of additional parts
- Is more complex than a body lift
No matter what kind of truck you drive, be it a used Ford F-150 or a Chevy Silverado, you can get the modifications and upgrades you need for it at Bayer Motor Company.
The Parts Cost of Lifting a Truck
Depending on the make and model of truck, there could be a myriad of aftermarket parts available to achieve the perfect lift.
Typically, a leveling kit is the least expensive method; it utilizes basic materials, such as small metal spacers or mildly higher-riding springs, and only raises the front end an inch or two. Parts alone cost anywhere from $30 to $1,000, depending on brand and materials quality.
Lift kits start at a higher price point due to the amount of components involved. If the goal is to achieve a modest, three-to-four-inch lift, truck owners can expect to spend $200 to $1,000.
Going higher than that involves more components to correct the vehicle’s geometry, which increases the cost range for parts to $400 to $2,000.
Without further ado, the answer to, “How much is a lift kit for a truck?” can be found below:
- Leveling Kits: Standard leveling kits can range anywhere from $200 to $1,000.
- Body Lift Kits: Body lift kits can start at around $300 and can go up to around $2,000.
- Suspension Lift Kits: For more serious tasks, a suspension lift kit can be anywhere from $300 to $12,000 for two to five inches of height. If you want six inches or more of lift, it can cost around $10,000, all the way up to $15,000, and sometimes even more.
The Labor Cost
After acquiring the necessary aftermarket parts, the truck owner must have them installed. For the average car enthusiast with the space, tools, and know-how to do it themselves, the price of labor is free.
There are risks associated with going the DIY route, though—without taking proper care, an unsupported vehicle could either badly injure or kill someone if it falls on them.
So it’s important to be well-versed in properly raising and supporting a car with a jack and stands and other necessary safety steps.
But if a truck owner isn’t certain on how to lift the truck, or just doesn’t have the time or the right tools, then the best choice is to hire a professional shop.
The shop will likely mark up the cost of parts on top of its hourly labor rate, so be prepared to see prices that don’t align with what’s common with various online retailers.
Typically, a shop will charge $300 to $500 to install a mild leveling or lift kit, whereas more substantial lifts may cost significantly more. This is due to having to remove factory components and installing new ones, any necessary cutting or drilling, and utilizing special tools.
Once all the parts are installed, the vehicle must be aligned to ensure it tracks straight and won’t cause premature tire wear. Plan on paying for at least four hours of labor, but definitely shop around and get quotes from a handful of reputable shops with good reviews before making a decision.
How Long Does it Take to Lift a Truck?
Installing a lift kit takes time and patience, whether you’re a certified mechanic or a DIY-er. Several variables affect the time limit, such as your experience, the style of lift you’re installing, and your access to power tools, pneumatic tools, and lifts.
As a rule of thumb, body lifts and leveling kits take a certified mechanic 1.5-3 hours to install, while suspension lifts typically take 5-15 hours, depending on the amount of drilling, welding, grinding, and cutting that must take place.
For DIY-ers, plan to at least double the installation times of professionals.
Lifting a Truck: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now that we have a baseline of the time and tools required to install a lift, let’s dive into the meat of the article: installing the lift. While all installs are different, these basic rules pertain to most lift kits and chassis.
- Do Your Homework: The best way to ensure your lift kit installation goes smoothly is to do your homework, reducing the risk of being blindsided by any steps in the instructions. Read through the instructions numerous times before attempting to install the kit; if you can find a helpful installation video online, all the better!
- Prep Your Workspace: What’s the next step? You guessed it–more prep work! In the days before installation, verify you have a clean workspace and that all of your required tools are located and operating correctly. There’s no worse frustration than leaving in the middle of a project to buy tools or borrow something from a buddy.
- Disconnect the Negative Battery Terminal: Before working on your vehicle, it’s best to disconnect the negative battery terminal to prevent damage to sensors and other electrical components during disassembly. Note: The following steps are required for leveling kits and suspension lifts; if installing a body lift, skip to “Disassembly.”
- Elevate Your Vehicle: On the day of the installation, the first step is to elevate your vehicle. Ensure you’re parked on solid, level ground, raise the vehicle with a lift or a floor jack, and install jack stands beneath areas of the frame where weight is evenly distributed. Note: If you’re working without an impact, loosen the lug nuts a half turn while the tires are still on the ground.
- Remove Wheels and Tires: The next step is removing the wheels and tires. For leveling kits, traditionally, only the front wheels and tires are required for removal; for suspension lifts, remove all four.
- Disassembly: Follow the instructions of your lift to disassemble your vehicle’s suspension as required. Take your time and use caution during this step to prevent injury or damage to suspension components.
- Modification: In some cases, manufacturers will specify modifications you must perform for installation. These may include cutting, trimming, welding, and drilling holes into frame sections and suspension brackets. During this step, use proper eye and skin protection.
- Assembly: Follow the instructions of your lift to assemble your vehicle’s suspension, using whichever combination of new and old components is specified. Make sure to torque bolts to their specified values. Once assembled, bolt the wheels and tires back onto your vehicle, torque lug nuts to spec, lower the vehicle to the ground, and reconnect the negative battery terminal.
- Get an Alignment: As with any suspension modification, it’s critical to have your vehicle aligned to prevent undesirable driving characteristics and uneven tire wear. Before doing any extensive driving, schedule an appointment with a trusted alignment shop.
- Retorque Your Suspension Components: It’s not uncommon for nuts and bolts to loosen as components shift and settle. For this reason, it’s essential to retorque all mechanical components after approximately 3,000 to 5,000 miles.
Is It Worth Lifting a Truck?
As you can see, how much it costs to lift a truck in the Latham area can really add up depending on how extreme of a change you’re looking for. So is it worth the money and time? If you’re unsure, here are some reasons why you should invest in lifting your truck:
- A lift kit allows for superior ground clearance, better shock absorbers, and bigger tires with improved traction. If you’re a serious off-roader, you will find a lift kit to be a must.
- Lifting a truck gives it a more unique and aggressive appearance, so if you want to stand out on the Clifton Park roads, you’ll find the price to be well worth it.
- Even if you don’t go off-road, a lift kit can actually help to improve your truck’s performance. In addition to improved ride quality, a lift kit could even help to improve your MPG!
- With the superior suspension, the miles you put on your odometer will generate a smaller amount of wear and tear. This translates to lower maintenance costs and, generally, higher resale values.