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Pros & Cons of Different Sized Lifts

Whether You Need a Little Lift... or a Lot!

by Jim Walczak
for About.com

Just A Little Lift:

If you want just a little more clearance under the transfer case, or a little more room to run 30x9.5's, then a small lift is the way to go.

Typically, this type of lift will consist of coil spacers in front with long shackles in the rear. You could go with blocks in the rear IF you have new or strong springs. 1.5" is the most common "small lift"

Pros & Cons:

  • Inexpensive, most affordable
  • Quick and easy to install
  • Few installation complications

Medium-Sized Lift:

You might choose the middle-of-the-road option if you want the best tire clearance, yet you don't do a lot of extreme offroading.

The medium-sized option typically consists of spacer and add-a-leaf (AAL) lifts; get the full-length ones. These kits often come with new shocks too. 2" is the most common "medium lift"

Pros & Cons:

  • You need to have strong rear springs
  • AALs are only designed to lift stock springs (though you could add shackles to taller springs later)
  • More noticeable handling performance

Bigger Lift:

A larger lift typically results in a more aggressive look and better off-road performance -- with the ability to retain a stock on-road ride.

Larger lift kits typically come with with new front coils and Add-A-Leafs (AAL's) in the rear, plus some combination of new front coils and new rear springs. These kits often come with a matched set of shocks too. 3-4" are common "large lift" sizes for a body lift

Pros & Cons:

  • Most expensive
  • Some complications are to be expected, since some lifts basically re-design the entire front suspension
  • They have their tradeoffs when it comes to on-highway handling and performance

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ATVs / Offroading

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