Elevate Your Ride: Costs and Benefits of Truck Lifting

In the annals of history, few bonds have been as profound as that between a man and his horse. Together, they traversed rugged terrains, faced the harshest of elements, and built civilizations from the ground up. The horse was not just an animal; it was an extension of the man, reflecting his spirit, ambitions, and indomitable will.

Fast forward to the modern era, where the horse-drawn carriages of the past have been replaced by roaring engines and gleaming metal, the essence of that bond remains unbroken. Today, it is the truck that stands as a testament to this timeless connection. Just as the horse was to the cowboy, the truck is to the modern man. And that’s why, beyond its performance, there’s an innate desire for your truck to be a reflection of who you are.

If this sounds like you, then you’ve come to the right place. Elevated Motoring is not only your premier destination for aftermarket truck solutions in Austin! In this blog, we’ll dive into, the benefits of lifting your vehicle, the costs associated, and the different types of lifts available.

Why Lift Your Truck?

When you elevate your vehicle you’re not only making a style statement but also paving the way for new capabilities you didn’t have before.

• Improved Ground Clearance: Lifting a truck increases its ground clearance, making driving easier over obstacles like rocks, logs, and rough terrains, opening more challenging routes and trails.
• Larger Tires: Lifting provides the necessary space to fit larger, more aggressive tires, which can offer better traction and performance, especially in off-road conditions.
• Reduced Risk of Undercarriage Damage: The higher the vehicle, the lower the risk of something damaging the undercarriage.
• Improved Water Crossing: Navigate deeper waters during stream crossings or heavy rain with less danger of water and debris damage.
• Appearance: It’s not just truck owners that appreciate a nice lift, many other vehicles such as hatchbacks and SUVSs look much more aggressive and gain the off-road look that is extremely popular.
• Resale Value: A beautifully lifted truck is an appealing way for others to skip having to do all the research and work themselves, demanding a much higher resale “convenience” value on the market

Types Of Lift Kits

Okay, so you’re all in, but with a variety of truck lift options available, how do you choose the right one? There are three main types of lift kits, each varying significantly in terms of cost, functionality, and practicality. We’re going to dive into each type to help you find the perfect lift kit tailored to your truck and your unique needs.

Suspension Lift Kits

A suspension lift kit is a modification system designed to raise the height of a vehicle by altering its suspension. This typically includes a set of components like longer coil springs, torsion bars, leaf springs, and shock absorbers. Depending on the vehicle and the height of the lift, it might also come with additional parts such as extended control arms, track bars, and sway bars.

While this type of kit is the most complex and expensive, it offers the most benefits such as improved off-road capabilities, largest tire upgrades, and a more aggressive look.

Body Lift Kits

A body lift is a type of vehicle modification designed to raise the body of a vehicle away from its frame. Unlike suspension lifts that elevate the entire vehicle by altering the suspension components, body lifts focus solely on increasing the space between the vehicle’s body and its chassis.

This type of lift is great for those who want a more budget-friendly way to install larger tires on their vehicle without the aggressive and complex look of a suspension lift. This typically consists of spacers or blocks made of durable materials like polyurethane or nylon. These spacers are placed between the vehicle’s body and frame. Extended-body bolts replace the original ones to secure the body to the frame with the added height from the spacers.

Leveling Kits

The most subtle lift of the three. Trucks are typically built with the rear higher than the front to balance heavy loads in the bed, resulting in an unlevel stance. Without a load, the truck noticeably slopes forward. A leveling lift aims to correct this by raising the front of the vehicle to the same height as the rear. This also allows for slightly larger tires.

DIY vs Hiring a Pro

Whether it’s a body lift or a suspension lift, the decision between doing it yourself (DIY) and hiring a professional can be the most important decision. For most people, hiring a professional is the better choice, let’s have a look at the pros and cons of each to explain why.

DIY (Do It Yourself)

• Pros
  • Cost Savings: The largest reason most opt for DIY is the savings on labor costs.
  • Personal Satisfaction: Completing the lift on your own gives you a sense of accomplishment.
  • Learning Experience: It can be a great hobby and learning opportunity.
• Cons
  • Time-Consuming: Lacking professional experience can unexpectedly prolong the process, as you juggle it with your free time, correct mistakes, and possibly deal with missing tools.
  • Risk of Mistakes: A lack of expertise can lead to errors, which can result in damaging components, harm, and added time your truck is unusable.
  • Additional Costs: Mistakes can lead to additional expenses in repairs, buying replacement parts, and downtime for your vehicle.
  • Lack of Specialized Tools: Professionals often have access to all the specialized needed that the average DIYer most likely wouldn’t.

Hiring a Professional

• Pros
  • Expertise: Professionals have the necessary experience and knowledge to ensure the lift is installed correctly and safely.
  • Efficiency: With their experience, professionals can complete the job faster and more efficiently.
  • Warranty: Many professional shops offer warranties on their work, ensuring peace of mind.
  • Tools and Equipment: Professionals have access to all the necessary tools and equipment, ensuring the job is done right.
  • Safety: A professional will ensure that the vehicle remains safe to drive after the modifications.
• Cons
  • Cost: Hiring a professional will typically be more expensive upfront due to labor costs.

For most, doing it yourself is about cost savings. Unless you have the experience and resources, the costs of purchasing the necessary tools and the potential mistakes can add up to being just as expensive as hiring a professional if not more so. For this reason, we highly recommend hiring a pro that will have your truck lifted quickly and correctly.

Costs

The costs can vary significantly depending on the type of lift kit you choose and the level of lift you desire. The complexity of the kit, the type of vehicle, and the location of the work can all influence the labor costs.

We’ll give you a general idea of what you can expect to pay below.

Kit Plus Labor – What to expect

Standard leveling kits, which have the fewest components and lift, typically range from $100 to $1,500 with labor costing around the same. You can probably expect to pay under $2000 in total.

For those looking to slightly elevate the truck’s body without altering the suspension, body lift kits are a viable option, starting at around $200 and going up to around $1,000. You can expect to pay around a thousand in labor, putting you at about $1500 to $2000 in total. Body Lifts themselves do not improve your offroad capability per se, only allow for a larger tire as the body is lifted and not the suspension.

However, if you’re aiming for a more substantial transformation and enhanced off-road capabilities, suspension lift kits are the way to go. These kits can cost anywhere from $1000 to around $12,000 with labor costing several thousand. For those purchasing mid to high-range kits, you should expect to pay $4,000 to $10,000 including labor.

If money is no option and you want your truck to sit in the stratosphere, you can expect to pay up to $40,000 for an extreme state-of-the-art lift such as the AnyLevel lift. This top-tier brand utilizes a patented hydraulic coilover mount, allowing your truck to raise and lower from 1″ to 13″ at the touch of your phone.

Financing

At Elevated Motoring, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to transform their truck and enjoy the upgrades they desire, regardless of their credit score or financial situation. That’s why we are proud to offer No Interest Financing. Synchrony Financing allows you to fund your truck modifications easily and accessibly, charging no interest when you make payments on time.

Contact Us

We hope that this blog post has helped to answer all your questions. At Elevated Motoring, we’re passionate about helping you navigate this exciting journey, providing expert advice, top-notch solutions, and flexible financing options to bring your vision to life. Feel free to reach out to us below if you have any more questions or concerns, we’re always happy to help out!