If you've just purchased your first truck, customizing it can really give it a sense of you and make it personal. One option to consider is a body lift. It raises the body of the truck a bit to make it appear taller. By increasing the distance between the ground and the bottom edge of the truck body, it makes it look taller. If you're thinking about lifting your truck body, here's a look at some options.
Leveling Kits
When you look at your pickup truck, you might find that the body itself is uneven. It happens because of the added weight of the engine making the front end sit lower. If the back end is sitting slightly higher than the front end, you should think about investing in a leveling kit. It's designed specifically to add an inch or two to the front end to make the body look more level. It will improve the overall appearance of your truck.
If your truck's suspension uses coil springs, the leveling kit will come with either coil spacers or top strut spacers. If the suspension uses a torsion bar, you'll get new torsion bar keys. For solid front axle suspension systems, you'll either get blocks or an add-a-leaf kit for the leaf spring.
You can install a leveling kit on your own if you have the expertise and the tools, but coil spring suspensions require a coil spring compressor to do the job right. It may be better to take it to an auto body shop for help.
Full Body Lifts
A full body lift will raise the height of the entire truck body, adding some space between the truck's frame and the body panels. You can add anywhere from about one to nearly three inches with a body lift depending on the style and the truck. These are a great way to increase your truck height without having to modify the factory suspension, which can affect your ride quality.
Most body lifts use polyurethane blocks that are placed on the body mounts of the truck. The kit should also include longer, hardened bolts to secure the body panels to the spacers on the body mounts. Body lifts are usually a quick and easy installation and can be done in the garage in a weekend. If you don't have the expertise and understanding, though, it's often best to take it to a mechanic (like those at Metropolitan Truck Center Inc). He or she can install it properly and ensure that it's balanced for your safety.
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