Lifting vs. Leveling Your Suspension

The goal of adding performance car parts and modifications to your vehicle isn’t really about increasing your speed – at least not all of them, anyway.

Many aftermarket modifications are intended to improve your vehicle’s performance and to help you achieve your specific performance goals. These modifications should also improve the value of your car or truck and – most important – improve the driving experience for you.

In Salt Lake City and throughout northern Utah, suspension modifications are one of the most in-demand services. You certainly can lower your vehicle but, here in the Intermountain West, most people are interested in lifting and leveling their trucks and sport utility vehicles.

Performance Car Parts Suspension

Lift kits and leveling kits achieve two very different goals, however. So which one is right for you?

What Do Lift Kits Do for Automotive Performance?

In this discussion, we’ll be talking about suspension lifting, as opposed to body lifting. Body lifting, although less expensive, only lifts your vehicle’s body away from the frame. A suspension lift kit, on the other hand, lifts both the body and the frame.

This allows you to install larger tires and gives your vehicle a more aggressive stance. But, even more important for most northern Utah residents, it provides extra ground clearance for off-roading.

Depending on your goals, your budget and your appetite for radical mods, you can lift your truck anywhere from an inch or two to as much as 18 inches.

What Is the Purpose of Adding a Leveling Kit to Your Vehicle?

Choose a lift kit if you a uniform height increase all around, and when you want extra ground clearance. But if you’re looking to adjust your truck’s level to improve under-load handling or to balance out the appearance of its stance, a leveling kit is just the ticket.

Typically, leveling kits are installed on the front suspension to offset the unbalanced appearance of the standard factory nose-down rake. Sometimes, however, truck owners are looking to improve their vehicle’s performance under specific conditions.

For example, if you run a snow plow, you might notice that your front suspension sags. A leveling kit is the perfect fix for this problem. Or, if hauling too many heavy loads in your truck has your rear suspension sagging, you can tighten it up like new by adding a leveling kit in the back.

Find a Performance Car Parts Expert for Lifting and Leveling

Whether you want to lift, lower or level your vehicle, don’t take it just any shop for these high-tech automotive performance car parts. When it comes to aftermarket mods for performance, the installation can be just as important as the parts themselves.

At Laketown Speed and Sound, we “get” performance upgrades. In fact, we’re so detailed and hands-on that we can spend with a vehicle before we ever begin the work, analyzing its current performance and strategizing about how to get the maximum results from the desired upgrades.

Located in Draper, our team also specializes in car audio installation as well as sound systems for your boat, RV, ATV or motorcycle. Contact us if you’d like more information on adding a lift kit or leveling kit to your vehicle, or if you simply want to learn more about what you can achieve with aftermarket performance car parts.