6 Things to Know About Leveling Kits and Strut Spacers

In this article, we are going to talk about the 6 things you should know about leveling kits. If you are interested in purchasing a lift kit, go to Motoroso.com where we have over 4,000 different leveling kits for you to choose from, from great sellers at great prices, and we always have free shipping. Let’s get started.

VIDEO: 6 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT LEVELING KITS AND STRUT SPACERS

1. Your Truck Isn’t Level From the Factory

Let’s start with why it is even called a leveling kit versus a lift kit. Pickup trucks are designed to carry a bunch of weight in the bed of the truck. If you put a bunch of weight in the bed in the truck, it compresses the suspension, and if the truck was level to begin with, it would push the rear of the truck down, bring the front of the truck up, the steering would get light, and it would handle really weird. To compensate for that, manufacturers always add about a 2” extra lift in the rear so that when it’s loaded down, it actually comes to level, the truck handles safely, and looks normal. 

98% of truck owners are not loading the bed of their truck down. In fact 99.9% of the time, most trucks are not caring that much weight. From a visual standpoint, a leveling kit brings the front of the truck up about 2” on most trucks to level it with the rear.

2. Inexpensive Way to Fit Bigger Wheels and Tires

Now we know what a leveling kit is now we ask why would you get one. It’s a really inexpensive way to fit bigger wheels and tires, and that is your main reason for doing it. It is not a performance upgrade, it is definitely more of a cosmetic upgrade. Leveling kits are super inexpensive which is really nice, and the MaxTrac model works for a bunch of different Toyota models like Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, and 4Runners from about 2005-present. 

This kit is only $120, and it’s very, very simple. It’s a plate that goes in the top of your shock strut, gives you about 2” of extra clearance from the body above the frame, and it comes with all the hardware necessary. Go to Motoroso.com where we have over 4,000 options so you can find the right one for your truck.

3. Leveling Isn’t Lifting

The third thing to know is that a suspension lift is not the same as a leveling kit. A leveling kit, as I mentioned, is really a cosmetic upgrade—not a performance upgrade. If you want better performance off-road and general driving, do a suspension lift kit. They are a little bit more expensive, but they’ll change the length of the spring and upper and lower control arms. Every lift kit is going to be a little bit different, and it depends on how big you want to go, but recognize that a leveling kit is really only a cosmetic upgrade. 

4. It is an Easy Install

5. One Size Does Not Fit All

The next thing you got to know is there is no such thing as a universal leveling kit, you need a leveling kit made specifically for your truck. Go to Motoroso.com we have year, make, and model filters that will help you find exactly the right leveling kit you need for your vehicle. 

6. You Will Need an Alignment

The last thing you’re going to want to know is that when you install a leveling kit, you can do your best to try and get the camber in the alignment set up properly, but in most cases, you’re going to want to get an alignment after you install it. They are inexpensive and if you don’t do it and your alignment is off,  you could get vibration in the wheel and premature wear on your tires. Tires are more expensive than an alignment, so in many many cases, you’re going to want to do the alignment, just do it right. 

All right, those are the six things we thought you should know about leveling kits. When you’re ready to shop for your parts go to Motoroso.com, where you can find hundreds of thousands of the top name brand products in the automotive aftermarket, sold by trusted vendors that we’ve carefully hand-selected. They have great prices and the shipping is always free. Thanks for reading.