Are Leveling Kits Safe?

Do you intend to level your SUVs, trucks, and Jeep, and then the question ‘are leveling kits safe?’ pops up in your mind. And you probably want to know the pros and cons of using leveling kits.

The answer is yes; leveling kits are safe if you carefully install them without any mistakes. However, it will only harm your vehicle if you do not do it correctly.

Although leveling kits improve the vehicle’s overall handling, it has their own risk, as they can cause your truck’s suspension components to wear out quickly.

But then, the disadvantages do not outweigh the advantages of the kits. You will find out as you read.

So, in this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about leveling kits, including the advantages and the disadvantages of these kits, and provide the best explanation to your question ‘are leveling kits safe?’

Let’s dive in!

What are leveling kits?

By default, the front part of all SUVs and trucks comes unleveled, which means that the front part is lower than the backside. This unleveled feature is an intentional feature from the manufacturers of the vehicles so that your truck bed doesn’t sag when you put a heavy load inside. Hence, the leveling kits.

A leveling kit differs from a lifting kit. You use leveling kit only at the front to bring it to the backside level instead of lifting the entire vehicle. Car leveling can also give room for larger truck tires.

Simply put, you use leveling kits to level the front part of SUVs, trucks, and Jeeps to have an equal balance with the back part and thus, give a more ground clearance.

What are the different ‌leveling kits? Types

There are three different ‌leveling kits you should know. Before choosing any kit, ensure it’s the make and model for your truck, SUVs, and Jeep, as no one kit can work for all vehicles.

1. Coil spring spacer

2. Strut extensions

3. Torsion bar keys

Coil spring spacer

If your truck or Jeep has coil springs, then the coil spring spacer leveling kit is perfect for you. You can place this coil at the top or bottom of the spring bucket.

The model and make of your truck or SUV will determine whether you will remove the spring entirely before attaching the spacers and then fixing the spring back to its position.

Shock extension is an essential tool you will need, so ensure that your leveling kits come with one, and you buy if it doesn’t come with any.

Strut extensions

Strut extension leveling kits allow you to place a spacer at the bottom and top of your factory strut and lift your vehicle’s suspension a few inches. So, this does not require you to change the struts of your SUV or truck. Instead, you have to put a leveling kit at the top or bottom of your vehicle.

Also, you can always take off the spacers anytime you want or if you probably don’t like the look of your vehicle. Finally, although strut extension leveling kits are relatively straightforward, you might also need a professional’s service.

Most strut extension comprises steel, PPA plastic, and billet aluminum.

Torsion bar keys

This leveling kit is for SUVs, trucks, and Jeeps with torsion bar suspension systems. Unlike the above leveling kits, torsion bar keys require you to add to the factory parts instead of replacing them.

Also, we will advise you not to change the factory keys to get a raise as this will put more strain on the load and become harmful to your vehicle.

Tips on How to Choose Leveling Kits

Yes, they are safe to use, but then, the safety nature of your leveling kits solely depends on you. You may need to consider all‌ the points below to guarantee the safe nature of your leveling kits.

The make and model of the leveling kits

Choose a kit designed for your kind of vehicle. For example, it could be Toyota, Nissan, Volkswagen, Ford, Honda, etc. Also, note the year of your car when choosing so as not to choose the wrong kit.

The quality of the leveling kits

Ensure to go for quality products, and buy from verified sellers as this will contribute to safety.

A proper installation of the leveling kits

It is one thing to buy suitable kits, and it’s another thing to fit them properly into the vehicle. Just so you know, a properly installed leveling kit will not harm your car, but if otherwise, it may cause a problem for you later.

Advantages of Leveling Kits

Here are some ‌advantages of installing leveling kits in your vehicle. Note that these are not all the pros. We will only discuss a few of them in this section.

You can fix larger tires on all four corners.

One of the most exciting parts of installing leveling kits is that it allows you to use bigger tires for your Jeeps, SUVs, and trucks in all four corners. In addition, the kit aligns the front and the back of the vehicle, which also gives you more clearance for your activities.

It lowers the braking pressure.

When driving unloaded trucks or SUVs, the back ends can cause minor complications, especially during sudden stops for an emergency. So leveling your vehicle creates a balance that reduces the brake and front suspension pressure. When there is an emergency stop, it can lower the braking force of your car.

Leveling kits are cost-effective.

Another good thing about leveling kits is that they are affordable. This may come as a shock to you, right? But, yes, they are inexpensive, so this will allow you to buy a high-quality kit.

Improved overall handling.

Most truck drivers level the noses of their vehicle because it improves the overall handling for all the four corners and thus, makes the truck go faster.

Easy to install.

Although the installation of leveling kits is accessible just as the removal, we still advise you to use professional service not to cause any problems with your vehicle. But if you have experience in doing so, then install it yourself.

Disadvantages of using leveling kits

These are also some cons of installing leveling kits in your vehicle.

It breaches the warranty of your vehicle.

Using leveling kits will void your vehicle’s warranty if it is a recent purchase, but you don’t have to worry if it has passed its warranty period.

More fuel consumption.

The overall profile of your vehicle changes as soon as you install a leveling kit on it. When making this alteration, you will often experience increased wind resistance, which causes the engine to work harder to get the same output. As a result, you’ll use more fuel than usual.

Wear and tear of the suspension component.

The suspension component of your truck will quickly wear out because of the pressure the leveling kits put on it. Typically, these vehicles are programmed and manufactured to work in a particular way, so any attempt to change them will affect their performance and user experience.

Wrapping Up

You use leveling kits to balance the front end of your vehicle and the back end. Remember to use high-quality kits because there are many fake products out there. And for the installation, we advise you to consult an expert to get the best result.

Furthermore, choose wisely as the fitting leveling ‌kits for your vehicle depend on the level of lift you want and the suspension type.