Have you been thinking for a long time to level up your truck and you are looking to find out how much does it cost to level a truck? If this is the case and you are in this situation, then you are at the right place because there will be a lot to cover on this topic where we will learn everything you need to know when it comes to leveling a truck.
- Why Rear Is Always Taller?
- What Is Leveling?
- Types Of Lift
- Pros & Cons
- Level VS Lift
- Install
- Cost
- Conclusion
- F.A.Q
Doing performance mods like this is probably one of the first things that most people do once they purchase a vehicle. The first reason why people do it is that it is really easy to do and also very beneficial when it comes to the ride quality of your truck.
Not to forget that it looks really good as well. But more on this later on in the article. What is important for you to understand is that the leveling kit is probably one of the best mods that you can do without altering the behavior of the truck overall as in the case when you do a full lift kit. But you shouldn’t worry since we are going to explain everything.
First, we will learn what is a leveling kit and the types of lifts that are out there. After that, we will go through the pros and cons of installing a leveling kit on your truck. Then we will jump into the differences between leveling a truck and lifting it. We will also cover the installation process and guide you through it. And lastly, we will discuss how much does it cost to level a truck. So, follow along.
Why Does The Rear End Sits Taller
Although a basic topic, we need to have a starting point since there are a ton of people reading this article, who are not into trucks and want to learn more about the history of leveling a truck. And also how much does it cost to level a truck.
If you feel like you are well prepared, you can jump to one of the next chapters. If not, keep up with us because there will be a lot of interesting things to cover.
So, why does the front end sit lower than the rear end on a truck? Well, back in the good old days when trucks served only for work, they were perfectly leveled out.
But this was a downside. But why? Well, namely because when loaded, the rear end tends to sag a lot on these old trucks. And I really mean a lot.
So, if you try to load a truck produced in the 80s or before, you will experience this problem and will notice how the rear end squats when loaded. And frankly, using a truck like this on a day-to-day basis is frustrating. Especially for work.
So, carmakers have come to the conclusion that it is best to install a small lift in the rear. About two inches to be more precise.
Then when the truck is loaded, the rear end will level up instead of sagging down. A pretty ingenious idea if you are asking me.
This is why modern trucks tend to have their front ends lower to the ground than the rear end. So, when you load the truck with objects, the rear end does not sag to the ground. How much does it cost to level a truck? More on this in a bit.
What Is Leveling A Truck
So, we learned about why trucks sit higher in the rear end than compared with older trucks. Now let’s take a look at what is leveling a truck. This will be really useful for you to understand before we learn how much does it cost to level a truck. So, what is leveling a truck?
Well, a truck leveling in simple layman’s terms explained is simply lifting the front end of the truck and leveling it up with the rear end of the truck.
Then once this kit is installed on your truck, your car will be nice and leveled out. And frankly, if you are not using your truck for work. This should be a good mod for yourself.
Just beware because if you install a too bigger lift in the rear. Your truck might start to resemble one of those Carolina Squat trucks. And this is not a good situation to deal with on a day-to-day basis. So, why is this the case?
Well, this is the case because your front end will be pitched upwards, it will look in the sky basically. So, what this will do is when you drive at night time, your headlights will not point down on the road but upwards. Sometimes the light will hit the eyes of drivers that will drive in the opposite direction.
So, you can expect that you will get a ton of bad feedback from other drivers. This is why even when you install a leveling kit, you should always recalibrate the headlights and adjust them accordingly. But how much does it cost to level a truck?
Well, more on this we are going to cover later on. First, let’s take a look at what are your options when it comes to leveling your truck.
Body Lift VS Suspension Lift
Now before we learn how much does it cost to level a truck, let’s take a look at the two types of lift that you can get. Trucks are so versatile and modifying the suspension has never been easier when comes to these vehicles. You can do a body lift and a suspension lift on them. Depending on the budget that you have. But more in detail, let’s explain in the following chapter.
Body Lift
The first type of lift that we will discuss before we dive into how much does it cost to level a truck is the body lift.
But what does body lift mean? Well, as you probably are aware, trucks are running the so-called, body-on-frame design.
Body-on-frame means that the body of the truck and the frame are independent of each other. Unlike the unibody design where they are one and cannot be modified or altered.
This is why trucks are so versatile. When it comes to the body lift, this means that you can raise the body of the truck by a few inches by adding a special lift or leveling kit between the frame of the truck and the body.
So, the truck will sit higher with this mod and you will achieve the result that you want. And when it comes to how much does it cost to level a truck, we can say that this is one of the cheaper ways that you can try to pull this off.
And especially if you are a skilled welder, you can just fabricate your own kit from scratch. This is why we all love trucks. They are dirt cheap to modify. But more on how much does it cost to level a truck we are going to cover later on in the article. Now let’s cover the second type of lift.
Suspension Lift
The second type of lift that we will cover before we learn how much does it cost to level a truck is the suspension lift.
Suspension as you probably know is the shock absorbers and springs. Or as in more modern cars they are known as MacPherson struts where both the shock and the spring are in one package.
But if you have an older truck, you are probably only having a spring and the shock is mounted separately.
Nevertheless, a suspension lift will allow you to alter your suspension and lift the truck in the air. And you can pull off a suspension lift in two ways.
The first way will be to install spacers on top of the strut or spring. This is the cheapest way that you can do this mod of leveling up your truck.
Or you can go full aftermarket and purchase aftermarket coilover suspension. Coilover suspension will allow you to adjust the ride height of your car or truck on the go.
You just get a special wrench and adjust the ride height as you desire. But the downside of this mod is that it is really expensive. And I really mean it. A good set of coilovers can easily cost you $1,000 to $3,000. So, keep this in mind.
But more on the costs, we are going to elaborate later on in the article when we will cover how much does it cost to level a truck. Now let’s cover the pros and cons of leveling up a truck.
Pros & Cons Of Leveling A Truck
Now as we cleared the types of lifting a truck. Let’s learn more about the pros and cons of leveling a truck.
As you probably know, everything has its pros and cons and so is the case with leveling your truck. This information is really important to know before you jump to leveling your truck and learning how much does it cost to level a truck. So, let’s cover the positives and negatives briefly.
Pros With How Much Does It Cost To Level A Truck
Now before we dive into how much does it cost to level a truck, let’s first learn more about the pros of performing this mod on your truck.
The first advantage of running a leveling kit on your truck is that your car will be all nice and level. This means that it will look better.
Modern trucks look really funny with the nose pitched down while the rear is lifted up in the air. So, this mod will give you that nice streamlined look from all angles.
The aesthetics will be extraordinary and you will get a few props for doing this mod from truck guys like me who instantly notice when someone has a leveling kit or a lift kit installed on their truck.
In addition to this, you will also be able to install bigger wheels in the front and rear. Rear-wheel wells are a bit bigger than the front and in the rear, you can install bigger wheels.
But the front wheel wells are a bit smaller and the only way that you can install a bigger wheel size is by either installing a lift kit or install a leveling kit.
The next pro that you will notice when installing this mod is the improved handling of the truck. The truck will behave a lot better in comparison to when there is no front lift.
This is why we really recommend installing a leveling kit to level things out. But how much does it cost to level a truck? Well, more on this we are going to cover later on in the article, now let’s cover the cons of installing a leveling kit.
Cons With How Much Does It Cost To Level A Truck
Now let’s discuss more about the cons of installing a leveling kit before we cover how much does it cost to level a truck.
As you probably know, every mod has pros and cons and in this chapter, we are going to cover all of these cons, so you get a better perspective of what you can expect. So, let’s begin discussing.
The first con would probably be the rear end sagging when the truck is loaded. We mentioned that modern trucks are designed with this in mind so your rear end doesn’t sag when the truck is loaded.
So, when you are installing a leveling kit in the front, the rear end of the truck will sag or squat under a heavy load more than it should. If you are loading your truck quite often, we don’t recommend installing a leveling kit.
The second con is connected to the headlights. If you lift the front end like in our case, you will notice how the lights aim a lot higher. And this type of driving can annoy other drivers since the beam of light will hit their eyes.
The first thing you want to do whenever you install a leveling kit is to make sure that you readjust the headlights and make sure that you don’t dazzle other drivers.
And the last con is that this lifting of the front end could risk voiding your warranty. If you own a newer truck, we would recommend consulting with the dealership first to see what is allowed and what is not allowed in terms of mods.
You don’t want to lose your warranty for something simple as this. But how much does it cost to level a truck? More on this in a bit.
Leveling Kit Vs Lift Kit
And one of the last things that we would like to discuss before we cover how much does it cost to level a truck is the difference between a leveling kit and a lift kit. What is the difference between the two?
A ton of people are confused and are asking me this question and they are deserving a good answer. So, let’s cover this briefly.
In general, both of these are lift kits. But when it comes to the differences is that the leveling kit is usually designed to lift the front end enough in order to make it flush with the rear end.
The lift kit on the other hand is both a rear and front-end lift. Usually, when you purchase a lift kit, for example, you get 2 inches lift in the rear and three inches lift in the front. So, when you install this kit, your truck will be nice and flush, perfectly leveled. This is the thing you need to look for when buying a 2-inch leveling kit or a 3-inch leveling kit.
If you install a three-inch lift both at the front and rear, the truck will not be leveled at all. The rear end will sit really high and you will basically have a bad-looking truck.
So, always get a lift kit that will make your truck level. But how much does it cost to level a truck? More on this in a bit, let’s first learn how you can install a lift on your truck.
Leveling Kit Install
Now let’s learn something about how you can install a leveling kit on your truck before we dive into how much does it cost to level a truck. This will be important for you to know since this job is not really demanding.
When it comes to the installation of a leveling kit, you need to get the right kit for your make and model that will fit your stock suspension.
Then you will have to remove the wheel and then remove the strut if you are running struts and place the leveling kit between the strut and the strut tower.
Or else, if you are running an older suspension, you will have to compress the spring in order to remove it, so you be able to install the leveling kit. In the video, you can see how this work is performed on a Toyota Tacoma.
How Much Does It Cost To Level A Truck
Now let’s see how much does it cost to level a truck? Frankly, it is really affordable. Especially if you do this work by yourself.
The leveling kit alone is about $55. Or if you want to get a lift kit and leveling kit at the same time, it will set you back about $120. For example, if you want to get a 3-inch lift on the front and a 2-inch lift in the rear.
The installation also depends on the kit. For a leveling kit, only you can pay about $200 to get it installed. If you lift the rear end as well, you will be paying about $400 to $600 in total. So, take this in mind.
Leveling Kit Installation Near Me
We learned more about how much does it cost to level a truck, now let’s learn more about the leveling kit installation near me. How you can find a shop that will help you with this work?
Well, you can look for shops that work with trucks primarily. Or any shop that has a well-trained mechanic who has experience with working on trucks and knows how to install these kits quickly and effectively.
Facts on Lifting a Truck: What You Need to Know
- Lifting a truck can be done for various reasons such as for off-roading or improving its appearance, but the cost is a significant factor to consider.
- Two essential tools for a successful lift are a lift kit and a leveling kit, each with unique capabilities and functions.
- Leveling kits are ideal for correcting imbalances if the required height is within two inches, while lift kits come in small and large types that can raise a truck anywhere from two to six inches or more.
- Suspension lift kits alter the basic structure of the truck, making them more expensive than body lift kits that can elevate the truck’s height without affecting its integrity.
- Lift kits can range from $400 to $15,000, while leveling kits are typically in the range of $200 to $1,000.
- The installation process can be done through a DIY approach or hiring a professional, but hiring a pro is recommended to ensure safety and proper installation, which can cost the same price as the kit or a bit more.
- The total cost of lifting a truck depends on the kit type, truck model, and installation method.
- Deciding which installation method to choose depends on your knowledge and know-how around trucks and lift kits.
- Researching options and asking questions can help you get the best equipment at the best possible price.
- Even if you have experience with installing lift kits, it’s still advised to have a certified mechanic verify the installation for proper and safe operation.
Conclusion To How Much Does It Cost To Level A Truck
In this article, we have covered quite a bit when it comes to the question of how much does it cost to level a truck.
First, we covered what is a truck leveling and the different types of lifts that you can get. Then we learned the pros and cons of installing a leveling kit and the difference between a leveling and a lift kit. Lastly, we learned the procedure of how this work is done and learned how much does it cost to level a truck.
F.A.Qs On How Much Does It Cost To Level A Truck
Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
What Is A Leveling Kit For A Truck
A leveling kit is a simple kit that you install in order to make the front end and the rear end of your truck lay perfectly flat. Usually, trucks when they come from the factory, they come with the nose pointing downwards. The front end is an inch or two lower than the rear. So, the leveling kit fixes this problem.
What Does A Leveling Kit Do
When trucks come from the factory, they come with the front end lower for about an inch or two lower than the rear end. And this is visible to a lot of people. So, it frustrates a ton of owners. Then they decide on installing a leveling kit on their trucks. This kit levels out the front end with the rear end and makes the truck perfectly flush.
Should I Level My Truck
This really depends on you. If you load your truck a lot, then you shouldn’t because this will cause the rear end to squat. On the other hand, if you care only for the looks and you don’t use the truck as a workhorse, then leveling it out might be an excellent idea.
How Much Does It Cost To Level A Truck
On average, to level a truck will cost you between $200 and $400. It is not that expensive. Or if you do it by yourself, it will not cost you more than $60.
What Is A Lift Kit
A lift kit is a special kit that will lift the rear and the front end of the truck. Usually, the kit for the rear is smaller than the front by about an inch. So, you will highly likely get a 2-inch lift for the rear and a 3-inch lift for the front. This will lift your truck and make it perfectly flush.
How Much Is A Lift Kit
A lift kit usually costs somewhere between $100 to $120 if you go for 2 inches in the rear and 3 inches in the front. If you go for a bigger lift, then prices will increase. But overall, it is still a cheap mod.
