What You Need to Know before Buying A Lift Kit

Your vehicle was engineered and built to perform in a specific way at the height it is now by the manufacturer. However, despite automakers traditionally discouraging the use of lift kits, the popularity of off-roading, increasing tire size, and the power of “looking down” on other vehicles has led to expanded use of lift kits on pickups, Jeeps, and SUVs.

The practice of installing lift kits puts stress on suspension components and other parts, often resulting in manufacturers not covering components under the basic standard warranties or extended service plans. Some manufacturers, like Jeep, for example, now offer Wranglers with a factory-installed 2-inch lift that can be warrantied with an extended Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan. Vehicles with Mopar Lift Kits up 4 inches high installed by Mopar dealers can also be warrantied with a Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan and Mopar Lift Kit Protection Plan.

So, if you are considering the possibility of lifting your Jeep, Gladiator, Ram, or Challenger, for example, you need to know the pros and cons of lift kits, the types of kits, and safety factors affecting the installation of a lift kit on your SUV, truck or car.

Pros and Cons of Different Lift Kits

Leveling Kits: The rear end of vehicles are typically higher than the front ends, which restricts the use of larger tires. Raising the front of your vehicle to the height of the rear provides clearance for larger tires, and often the level stance makes the vehicle look more attractive.

Body Lift Kits: This method of raising a vehicle requires unbolting the body from the frame, installing 1-3-inch nylon spacers between the frame and body, and re-bolting. Body lifts are time-consuming but are more economical than suspension lift kits. Body lifts retain the factory suspension geometry and alignment while providing more all-tire service clearance. These lifts create a gap between the body and frame, detract from the vehicle’s look by making the frame more visible, and sometimes hinder the performance by changing the vehicle’s center of gravity.

Coil Lift Kits: This type of kit is also less pricy than suspension lifts and puts space between the springs and body of .75 and 2.5 inches. Coil kits, also known as Budget Boost Systems, usually include longer shocks or shock extensions, longer sway bar links, brake line brackets, and track bar brackets. Some coil kits feature taller spring spacers for the front and shorter spacers for the rear for JK Wranglers or larger shackles for YJ Wranglers for leveling, too.

Suspension Lift Kits: These lift kits allow the owner to raise the vehicle as high as the driver feels comfortable and use a much larger size tire and wheel hub bearing combination. The annoyance factor of climbing into a monster SUV or truck, however, may not suit your family. Moreover, suspension lift kits will often roughen the ride, change the steering articulation, require more suspension components, and increase future maintenance. When properly paired with specific shock absorbers and other components, suspension lifts will prevent body squatting and excessive dive when accelerating and braking.

Suspension lifts come in two styles. The short-arm suspension lift kit is the most common for tough terrain and lifts vehicles under 4 inches. The long-arm lift suspension kits are for rock and mountain climbing, with the lifts ranging up to 10 inches. Such lifts can also conflict with towing restrictions, and state safety regulations and void your standard and extended vehicle warranties.

Keep in mind, that installing a third-party lift of more than 4 inches on a Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator, or Ram 1500 will restrict the owner from purchasing both Mopar Vehicle Protection and Mopar Lift Kit Protection Plans. Wranglers, Gladiators, and Ram 1500’s with Mopar factory-installed lifts of 2 inches are eligible for Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan contracts. Gladiators, Wranglers, and Ram 1500’s with dealer-installed Mopar lifts of 4 inches or less must purchase a Mopar Lift Protection Plan along with a Mopar Vehicle Protection Plan to maintain warranty service coverage.

Safety and Handling Implications of Lifts

The higher center of gravity of lifted trucks, Jeeps, cars, and SUVs means drivers must pay more attention to additional on- and off-road safety challenges.

Drivers of lifted vehicles need to forget about making tight turns, and swift maneuvering since the higher profile will cause such vehicles to flip or roll over easier in the event of an emergency maneuver. And rollovers if lifted vehicles will more likely result in serious damage and catastrophic consequences.

While the extra height provides an increased sightline above traffic and longer distance visibility, it reduces visibility in close quarters. The blind spots of vehicles wit

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