Lift and leveling kits, installed and aligned in Arvada

We don't recommend a lift based on height alone. We start with how you use the truck, how you want it to ride, the tire size you're trying to fit, and whether towing or daily driving matters more.

We install bolt-on suspension built for your truck by the kit maker: leveling kits, lift kits, shocks and struts, coilovers and upper control arms.

Most pickups leave the factory sitting lower in front than in back. That nose-down stance is factory rake. A leveling kit raises the front to match the rear, so the truck sits flat and has room for a slightly bigger tire. Most kits raise the front about 1.5 to 2.5 inches.

There are three ways to do it, and the truck's front suspension decides which. A strut spacer sits on top of the factory strut and keeps the factory spring and shock. It is the least expensive route: ReadyLift's 2-inch strut kit for the 2021 and newer F-150 lists at $249.95. A leveling coilover replaces the front shock with one whose spring seat moves, and Bilstein's height-adjustable 5100 sets anywhere from 0 to 2.75 inches of front lift depending on the truck. It costs more, and the truck gets new front shocks in the same job. Chevrolet and GMC 2500 and 3500 HD trucks use torsion bars, so a pair of replacement torsion keys does the leveling; ReadyLift's 2-inch key kit for the 2020 and newer HD lists at $209.95.

ReadyLift estimates 2 to 3 hours to install its F-150 kit and 3 to 4 hours for the HD torsion key kit, before the alignment. In our shop, plan on a full day for any level, whether a spacer, a Bilstein 5100-style leveling strut or a coilover kit. The kit is priced at retail, installation is quoted for your truck, and the alignment is included.

A leveling kit changes the stance. A lift kit raises the front and the rear for more clearance and bigger tires, and it replaces much more of the suspension. The heights, parts and tire sizes below come from ReadyLift's listings for the F-150 and Silverado 1500; the kit for your truck lists its own.

Some owners who ask for a lift want a better ride more than more height. New shocks, struts or coilovers change how the truck handles bumps and washboard, and some set the ride height as well. Bilstein's height-adjustable 5100 sets 0 to 2.75 inches of front lift depending on the truck. Eibach's PRO-TRUCK-LIFT Stage 1 pairs lift springs with monotube shocks for 0 to 3 inches of lift depending on the truck, with clips on the shock body to adjust the height, and Eibach built it for ride quality on and off road.

A strut spacer and a kit like that are different jobs at different prices: the spacer changes the stance, and the shocks change the ride. We can source most major suspension brands, and the truck and the goal decide which one.

The tire usually starts the conversation, and there is no single answer to what fits. Clearance depends on the truck, the lift, the tire's real size and the wheel's width, offset and backspacing. A tire can clear with the truck parked and still rub when the wheel turns lock to lock or the suspension compresses.

So we treat the lift, the wheel and the tire as one decision. If you already know you want 33s or 35s, or you have picked wheels, tell us before we order the suspension. The tire sizes in the table above are what ReadyLift lists for those kits; the kit for your truck lists its own.

A lift that raises the rear, or taller tires on any truck, moves the receiver up. A trailer that sat level behind the stock truck then rides nose-up, so the ball mount needs more drop. Our trailer hitch page covers the drop, the wiring and the brake controller. If you tow, tell us when you book the lift, and we size the drop at the same time.

A leveling kit and load support solve different problems. The kit changes how the truck sits empty. Air bags help the rear carry a heavy tongue or a loaded bed within the truck's ratings. A leveled truck can still squat under a heavy trailer, and the fix for that is load support.

Tell us what the truck will carry before we choose the suspension: a steel bumper, a winch, a topper, a DECKED drawer system, a tool box or a bed that is always full. ARB sells its Old Man Emu springs by load, from light to heavy, and advises choosing them for the constant weight the truck carries, such as a bumper, a winch or a roof rack, rather than its loaded weight.

A level or lift changes the angles of the front suspension, so the truck needs an alignment afterward, with caster, camber and toe set back to spec at the new height. ReadyLift's product pages say the truck may need one and leave it out of the install time. Alignment is mandatory after every level or lift we do. A partner alignment shop handles it, it is included in your quote, and it is done before you get the truck back.

Raising the front also points the headlights higher. ReadyLift's instructions say headlamp aim has to be checked and adjusted after installation, for the driver's safety and everyone else's. We adjust headlight aim when the truck needs it.

Newer trucks read the road with cameras and radar for systems such as automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise. On a truck with camera or radar-based safety systems, ReadyLift tells owners to check and adjust those systems for proper aim and function after the kit goes on. Whether a truck needs recalibration depends on the truck. It can cost extra, and some trucks need a dealer visit after the suspension work; we don't do every recalibration in-house.

Ride N' Shine's workmanship is warrantied by Ride N' Shine.

Common trucks for a level or lift here are the F-150 and Super Duty, Silverado and Sierra, Tacoma and Tundra, Ram, Wrangler and Gladiator, and Bronco. Each has its own kit by year and drivetrain, so a quote starts with the exact truck. On a 2021 or newer F-150 a level is a front strut extension. On a 2020 or newer Chevrolet or GMC 2500 or 3500 HD it is a pair of torsion keys, and ReadyLift says its 2-inch key kit makes room for a 35x12.50 tire, with trimming on some tire styles.