Leveling verses lift kit

[greenweever]

I'm conflicted. What to do? What was the thought process everyone went through when deciding between a level and lift kit?

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[Maverickman74]

Leveling is literally half-assed. So yeah. The benefits of a leveling kit are more wind under your bumper and squeezed under the truck causing drag. It also keeps your low ground clearance. It makes your truck look like a squatting dog when you haul things with it. It also makes it so your lights shine nice and bright in peoples eyes at night. The best thing about it is that it often costs the same as most lift kits.

 

[OrCoaster]

I like to have a lifted truck. I would mess around with a leveling kit too much I think. If I had the capacity to make it ride one way or another when loaded and then differently when unloaded I would wear out the pump I fear.

With 3 inches of steel between the axle and the frame there is no thought to change that. When I load it I watch the overall plane I have on the rocker panel and will throw more weight in front of the bed and leave the lighter stuff for the rear.

I can bottom out the springs and have undue weight on the tires but you could do that with leveling kit too I suspect.

 

[Johnkn]

I like to have a lifted truck. I would mess around with a leveling kit too much I think. If I had the capacity to make it ride one way or another when loaded and then differently when unloaded I would wear out the pump I fear.

With 3 inches of steel between the axle and the frame there is no thought to change that. When I load it I watch the overall plane I have on the rocker panel and will throw more weight in front of the bed and leave the lighter stuff for the rear.

I can bottom out the springs and have undue weight on the tires but you could do that with leveling kit too I suspect.

What in the world are you talking about?



LOL


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[Shakesbear]

Leveling is literally half-assed. So yeah. The benefits of a leveling kit are more wind under your bumper and squeezed under the truck causing drag. It also keeps your low ground clearance. It makes your truck look like a squatting dog when you haul things with it. It also makes it so your lights shine nice and bright in peoples eyes at night. The best thing about it is that it often costs the same as most lift kits.

The higher and brighter the better in my book. All of the full sized and lifted trucks have blinded me for the last 11 years

 

[Maverickman74]

The higher and brighter the better in my book. All of the full sized and lifted trucks have blinded me for the last 11 years

Definitely best when both converging drivers are blinded

 

[BigB]

Basically all trucks including the Maverick sit higher in the back from the factory. A leveling kit raises the front only so it sits level not squatted. Squatted trucks have a a combination of a lifted front and lowered rear. As far as the headlights go all you have to do is re-aim them which pretty simple. Drag would be negligible.

 

[gte105u]

If you don't put bigger tires on, neither really do anything since it didn't improve ground clearance. At that point it's just looks, so which do you prefer?

 

[YuMADPlaza]

I leveled mine with a 1 1/2" HRG Leveling Kit https://www.hrgoffroad.com/ because I just wanted to get custom wheels and bigger tires, so it could have a better look. My truck is also a FWD so I knew I would not be needing a lift kit. My truck rides great and the kit was easy to install, I did it myself. Cooper Discoverer AT3 245/70R17 tires fit perfect and Mayhem Wheels https://www.mayhemwheels.com/ Good Luck and I hope this helps. I was having the same issue when I was looking to do something to mine.

 

[LM42]

I'm conflicted. What to do? What was the thought process everyone went through when deciding between a level and lift kit?

There are some bizarre posts in here, including the first one below your original post. Whether you lift the truck or level it, the front end sits higher and therefore in theory could add more drag. Anecdotally I am getting the same mileage before a level and after. I know I am never going to haul so much weight in my truck that the rear squats badly. But if you lift it, the result is the same when the rear is weighted. For me, I want this truck to retain good mileage. I will be swapping the wheels and going to a wider tire, but I am not going any taller. So lots of clearance is not necessary. I just think these look silly with so much rake in them, so I leveled mine. Similarly though, I think these look silly lifted, when not paired with the right wheel/tire combo. It is about what you need and what you want. My level kit was something like $100 from Rough Country plus install and align. It is as inexpensive as you can get on these for an appreciable appearance change.

 

[LM42]

I leveled mine with a 1 1/2" HRG Leveling Kit https://www.hrgoffroad.com/ because I just wanted to get custom wheels and bigger tires, so it could have a better look. My truck is also a FWD so I knew I would not be needing a lift kit. My truck rides great and the kit was easy to install, I did it myself. Cooper Discoverer AT3 245/70R17 tires fit perfect and Mayhem Wheels https://www.mayhemwheels.com/ Good Luck and I hope this helps. I was having the same issue when I was looking to do something to mine.

This looks really nice. One of the better wheel/tire fitments I have seen on the site.

 

[Shakesbear]

If you don't put bigger tires on, neither really do anything since it didn't improve ground clearance. At that point it's just looks, so which do you prefer?

Put on some 245/70/17's (no issues reported per another thread on tires) and you will effectively achieve 1" more of ground clearance. 9.6" of clearance ain't bad for the little Mav with no mods to the suspension

 

[StillWaiting]

I leveled mine with a 1 1/2" HRG Leveling Kit https://www.hrgoffroad.com/ because I just wanted to get custom wheels and bigger tires, so it could have a better look. My truck is also a FWD so I knew I would not be needing a lift kit. My truck rides great and the kit was easy to install, I did it myself. Cooper Discoverer AT3 245/70R17 tires fit perfect and Mayhem Wheels https://www.mayhemwheels.com/ Good Luck and I hope this helps. I was having the same issue when I was looking to do something to mine.

Exactly what I’m planning on doing. A lift kit just seems to not be worth it especially for looks. I’m still in the never ending choices of wheels phase though. Beautiful truck

 

[greenweever]

I leveled mine with a 1 1/2" HRG Leveling Kit https://www.hrgoffroad.com/ because I just wanted to get custom wheels and bigger tires, so it could have a better look. My truck is also a FWD so I knew I would not be needing a lift kit. My truck rides great and the kit was easy to install, I did it myself. Cooper Discoverer AT3 245/70R17 tires fit perfect and Mayhem Wheels https://www.mayhemwheels.com/ Good Luck and I hope this helps. I was having the same issue when I was looking to do something to mine.

Thanks for the reply. Would you mind measuring the front/rear fender heights?

 

[gte105u]

Put on some 245/70/17's (no issues reported per another thread on tires) and you will effectively achieve 1" more of ground clearance. 9.6" of clearance ain't bad for the little Mav with no mods to the suspension

I agree. Very few crossover based off road vehicles with significantly higher. I may up the size of the tires when they need to be changed. FX4 stock Pirelli should be fine until then.

Just that many don't realize a lift isn't really doing much for clearance. You need to get the axle higher to increase clearance and that's basically just tires (could be wheels but increasing wheel size for off roading is counter productive).

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