How to Pick a Lift Kit
Selecting the best lift kit for your vehicle involves taking a number of different factors into consideration. These factors include the type of vehicle you are lifting, what the purpose of lifting the vehicle is, how the vehicle is driven, what size tires you want to put on the vehicle and how much money you intend on spending on the lift. A lift kit is more than an aesthetic modification, as it can positively or negatively affect how your vehicle handles, operates and drives.
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Instructions
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Compare lift and suspension options for your particular vehicle. Decide what features are important to you and what features are not. Some lifts can actually be combined with other suspension upgrades to make your truck or SUV ride more smoothly; others make your suspension less flexible and create a rougher ride.
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Determine how large of a lift you want to put on your vehicle. The larger the lift is, the more expensive it will be and the more modifications you will have to perform on your vehicle overall in order to make it run properly and minimize the effect of the lift. Lifts range from two inches to more than 10 inches, and typically cost between several hundred dollars and several thousand, depending on the size of the lift and the vehicle it is intended for.
If you are lifting your vehicle because you want to put larger, off-road tires on it, you will have to make sure the lift gives you enough room for the tires to clear the truck's body without rubbing against the body panels.
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Look at what suspension components are included in the lift kit. Different kits include different items, such as shocks and adapters. When you look at the basic costs of the lift kits, don't forget to factor in additional parts you will have to purchase in order to make your vehicle run properly. A lift kit that is $200 less than another may not be the best deal if you're going to have to purchase an additional $300 in parts to make it right.
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Identify your brand preference. Some brands of lifts have better reputations than others among certain groups, and some lifts are known to work better with specific types of vehicles.
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Tips & Warnings
Talk to several experts before you buy your lift. If possible, you may also want to try to drive a vehicle similar to yours with a lift to make sure you like the way it rides and handles.
Adding a lift can make a vehicle more dangerous due to the higher chance of rollover that occurs when you raise the center of gravity. Lifting your vehicle can void your warranty.
References
- Photo Credit 4x4 gold image by Dariusz Kopestynski from Fotolia.com
