Suspension | KleanRidezSanJose

If you want to improve off-roading performance, a lift kit or a leveling kit is a great option, and will allow you to raise your vehicle further from the ground for better clearance. Some of these kits also let you get more space to mount LARGER tires that handle tough off-road conditions. We also have lowering kits available for cars and trucks. Contact us for more details

What’s A Leveling Kit?

Leveling kits are built for trucks. If you’re a truck owner, you may have noticed that the rear of the truck sits a bit higher than the front. This is intentional – when hauling heavy loads, it ensures that the truck does not sag and the rear stays even in the front.

A leveling kit consists of suspension components that can correct this “nose-down” stance, and provide a few more inches of lift in the front. This includes strut spacers, coil spacers, “add-a-leafs” for the leaf spring, and torsion keys, depending on the model of 4x4 and the leveling kit.

This is mainly for looks, but also can provide a few inches extra ground clearance, letting you mount slightly-larger tires. Leveling kits also are much easier to install compared to lift kits.

What’s A Lift Kit?

A suspension lift kit, or a “lift kit” for short, consists of a variety of different suspension components like shocks, struts, replacement leaf springs, new control arms and trailing arms. The specific parts may vary depending on the truck or SUV, and the height of the lift.

These suspension parts replace your existing suspension, lifting the body of your truck higher from the road. This lets you get more ground clearance to get over debris when off-roading, allows the mounting of bigger tires, and improves overall performance when you take your 4x4 off-road.

Lift Vs. Leveling Kit – Find What’s Right For You

Lift kits and leveling kits have different advantages and drawbacks. Let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of both modifications to help you determine which style of product might be right for your needs.

Lift Kit ADVANTAGES:

Lift kits let you level the front and back of your truck while achieving a much higher lift than a leveling kit
A lift kit provides much more ground clearance compared to a leveling kit for a more aggressive stance and bigger tires
Lift kits typically include upgraded suspension components built for off-roading, enhancing performance

Lift Kit Cons:

Large lifts can change center of gravity and affect stability on roads
Lift kits are much more expensive than leveling kits
DIY installation of a lift kit is much harder, may be impractical unless you’re an experienced mechanic

Leveling Kit ADVANTAGES:

Simple, bolt-on installation can usually be done on your own
Usually helps fit larger tires
Maintains factory ride for comfort
Very inexpensive and affordable compared to a lift kit

Leveling Kit Cons:

Only gives you a few inches of lift in the front, none in the back
Won’t change overall appearance of the truck or SUV very much
Places more stress and strain on stock suspension components, which may wear out faster

LOWERING KITS

While a majority of 4-wheel drive truck owners are interested in lifting or leveling their trucks, there are also many 2-wheel drive truck owners who are looking for the opposite effect. If you're thinking the lowered look is more suited to your taste KLEAN RIDEZ has you covered! It is important to lower your truck or SUV right the first time in order to avoid any damage to vital steering and suspension components. At klean ridez we offer complete lowering kits that include all the necessary parts needed to create the custom look you desire, while ensuring proper alignment, performance & safety.

LOWERING YOUR TRUCK/CAR ADVANTAGES:

It goes without saying that lowering your truck/car moves the vehicle’s center of gravity closer to the ground. This typically results in better handling, improved traction, less lean in corners and a reduced risk of rollover. A lowered vehicle will typically have improved aerodynamics; there's less air hitting the wheels and tires and other items underneath that are not streamlined shapes. As a result, some owners of lowered trucks/cars may notice that they get improved gas mileage, on the other hand lowering a truck too much can actually increase wind drag and potentially reduce gas mileage.

LOWERING YOUR TRUCK/CAR CONS:

This is probably a no-brainer but, we’ll cover it anyway… The main disadvantage of a lowered truck is having less ground clearance. Once your vehicle is lowered, you will need to pay closer attention to uneven terrain, speed bumps, pot holes, etc especially on freeway 280, 101 and 880 . If you're not careful, you may find yourself bottoming out. Lowering your vehicle dramatically alters steering geometry as well as your wheel-tire fitment. If not done correctly, your truck may end up with alignment issues that create premature or uneven tire wear patterns. Finally, ride comfort can suffer quite a bit if the vehicle is lowered excessively.