To Lift or Not?

[lifeisgoodsteve]

My 13 duramax sits pretty low, and I ended up STUCK on my skid plates this fall. I’m considering a 3” tough country lift to cram more rubber under it. It’s my daily driver, and I do haul trailers, so I’m interested in others experience as well.

What kind of road/situation did it get stuck?

I do like the idea of only skid plates to keep it simple and maybe front bumper for better attack angle and animal protection on highway.

 

[zion zig zag]

I have a Silverado 1500. Stock tires are 265/70-r17. If I did a 2" level kit how much bigger tires can I run? And then how much overall ground clearance does that net me?

I've kicked it around a bit, but honestly I've been on some pretty hairy roads bone stock, not sure I need to give myself more latitude.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

I have a Silverado 1500. Stock tires are 265/70-r17. If I did a 2" level kit how much bigger tires can I run? And then how much overall ground clearance does that net me?

I've kicked it around a bit, but honestly I've been on some pretty hairy roads bone stock, not sure I need to give myself more latitude.

Similar position. With the K02’s, 4WD low and airing down the truck has been fantastic on some rough and steep roads. Did get halted on a steepish hill this year with some snow so had to do an exciting turnaround but that wasn’t a clearance issue.

There were just a few ruts that made me nervous thinking they might be pretty close and one or two really deep ones that I could avoid when dry but when wet and the truck slips, not sure I’d get out of them.

Guess I’m thinking of it as possible insurance in those scenarios. Yes, it’s a lot of dough for a few possible scenarios.

Think for my truck leveling could fit 33’s though not sure if it’d need fender work. Doesn’t get me real benefit over the 32.8 I have now and you are pretty good with your tires.

 

[colersu22]

4” and 35’s on that truck you will have to trim to get the tires to not rub. The Chevy/GMC wheel wells are to squared off VW the Ford and dodge so you need more lift to clear the same size tires. My buddy has a leveling kit on his 2015 duramax with 33’s and I think he had to take a little plastic off since he rubbed at full lock.

You could do a 1” lift in the rear too so you keep the factory rake as well if you want it to sit level when towing.

I have always had a lift or minimum a leveling kit. Just got a 14’ f350 and already ordered a leveling kit for it.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

What kind of road/situation did it get stuck?

I do like the idea of only skid plates to keep it simple and maybe front bumper for better attack angle and animal protection on highway.

8” of powdery snow, I pulled off the road, turned out there was a coffin sized rock there under the snow. Got off of one, started sliding around and launched it up onto another rock. Stuck stuck!

 

[Broomd]

Would never lift a truck unless the conditions absolutely required it. And hard to imagine that in 2020.

All of my trucks do get airbag kits the moment I bring them home. Amazing the difference they make and they are easy to install, reasonably priced and don't change the look of your stock ride.
I haul hay for the cows, pull a stock trailer, and haul a truck camper/pull a boat to Ontario, Canada some years.

For a Tundra air bags sould be a factory option....

 

[manitou1]

Depends on what 'bottomed out'. A lift doesn't get the differentials any higher and that's what limits travel most of the time. Only way to get differentials higher is bigger tires.

EXACTLY!!! My last Ram that I lifted suffered it's towing capability terribly after the lift install. Keep your rake and don't lift too much if you want to maintain your camper towing stability. As above, a lift does not raise your differentials and axles... which are your lowest components that will drag in the mud/ruts. Bigger wheels/tires will help a bit.

 

[Maverick1]

Really appreciate guys sharing if they lifted and liked it or lifted and had reliability issues. Thanks!

Yes, the rear differential sits pretty low (see pic), so one value of a 4” loft vs leveling would be to allow 35” tires to get a couple more inches clearance for it. Right now I run 285/70/17 which are something like 32.8” inflated.

pics- frame sits below body in pics for lowest point.

35" tires, from your current 32.8".....that would get you an additional 1.1" of lift to the lowest point on the vehicle.....

 

[netman]

My 2011 Dmax was leveled. First thing I noticed was the decrease in fuel economy.
Then a semi slammed into it.
I bought a new 15 Dmax and have left it stock. I do have some taller AT tires on it that rub a little in sharp turning . Leveling would cure the rubbing but I’m not going to mess with it. My mud tires don’t rub.
I originally bought these trucks to pull heavy commercial fishing boats.
Now that I’m retired I don’t pull anything heavy anymore.
The fuel economy is the most important part for me as I mainly use this truck for long distance hunting and fishing trips.

 

[Colterw]

Level the front, airbags in the rear.

 

[Buffinnut]

I bought a super duty so I can run 35s stock no problem. Level gets you 37s. Those dont solve the problem of the rougher ride of a 3/4 or 1 ton. I'd way rather have an early 2000s 4runner on 32s as my hunting rig that I'm not scared of tearing up but can't tow a big 5th wheel with that.

 

[Mt Al]

my 2 cents: Reason I don't is perceived reduced reliability (I can't prove anything, could be wrong, examples above of where I am wrong), reduced gas mileage, towing and that the chance of a lift kit allowing larger tires and having my differential lifted 1 - 2 even 3" actually making any difference in snow where I drive is so minimal it doesn't make sense - for me, my situation and the places where I drive, big issue being massive snow drifts. Plus, if I'm using my truck that way - getting farther in in the snow/ruts, etc, I'm thinking I'd need a winch and all the accessories to really make a difference. Not my personal style.

For the money, I'm going to be buying a 4 wheeler or UTV with tracks and a winch. Yes, it's more $ than a lift/tires/etc but I'll actually get all the way to where I'm wanting to go vs. just getting a little farther on a snowed over road.

My good friend, my son in law and his brother in law think I'm nuts. They lift everything they buy 2" or so, put on the bigger tires and have a ball - but still have to deal with deep snow stopping their progress at some point. Their trucks do look a lot better than mine lifted, gotta give them that.

Of course I have to give them crap and ask why they need "compensation" of a lift kit. Leads to good family fun.

 

[KBC]

The advantage to a lift and bigger tires is the approach and departure angles are improved. You might only raise the diffs an inch or two depending on how much bigger the tires are you put on, but not ramming the far side of a cross ditch with your front bumper or dragging your rear bumper on the way out is pretty nice.

 

[Squamch]

I've levelled my f350 with 35s. Fuel economy has not changed. Air bags out back for towing and hauling.

I'd level your truck, put tires on it, and a winch. Air bags if you're concerned about the ear squatting.

Tires gain you clearance. Lift gains room for tires. Of course, you have a chev, which for some reason is designed to run square tires, not round ones like everyone else. So you may need to cut your fenders to make round tires fit the square holes.

 

[VenaticOppidan]

I have a 2017 Chevy Silverado High Country that i got new. Immediately put a 6.5” zone suspension lift, 35/12.5/20 wildpeak At3 tires, color matched fender flares, a Corsa sport exhaust, -19” ballistic rage rims, and did a Diablo tuner. I love the ride of my truck, i get very minimal rub at absolute full lock. I have 48k miles on it in 2.5yrs and the honkey tonk is

always off road for hunting/camping/fishing adventures


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[Baddog]

Buy a Ford! As someone mentioned the big benefit to the lift is departure angles. Bigger tires usually work better off road and roll over stuff easier. But chevy makes the lift way more complicated than a straight axle rig.

 

[fatlander]

Level it out and run an oversized tire. That’s all you really need.


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[MeatBuck]

Talking ifs lift kits here.
You don’t need to lift until you can’t fit the tire size you need to get you where you need to go. You won’t be gaining any suspension travel from a system that simply lowers your existing front suspension and makes up the difference with a lift block under the rear spring. You also gain no ground clearance without then adding larger tires. The purpose of the ifs lift is tire clearance at the fender well. If you aren’t concerned with modification of the fender area and money is tight then don’t waste your time with a lift just trim the fender well or cab corner to fit the larger tire size. Or get a small body lift, SMALL being the key word. Otherwise you get into having to extend lines and linkages etc. If you’re like 99% of guys you won’t go the fender trimming route because of lack of skill or worries of warranty or simply the look of the finished product.

But for what you get from an ifs lift your money is best spent saving up and doing a solid front axle swap.

Benefits from sas are ten fold to ifs lift.
You can choose what type of suspension you want to mount the axle with ie leafs 3 link 4 link etc. You get actual wheel travel(flex) and there half the shit to break or wear out ie cv joints and boots. Steering upgrades are endless with sas and will be infinitely stronger than the ifs stuff.

You will also be able to relocate the axle forward to accommodate larger tires in the fender well and not have issues rubbing tires on cab corners or have to cut floor out.

Really it all depends on what you think you will need to get you to where you need to go. Just remember the further your modified rig will get you the further it is to get it out if something breaks or even just a dead battery or bad fuel pump or whatever. Bigger tires get stuck deeper so you need a buddy with a rig just as capable as yours in case of emergency.

All that said I have built my sas Toyota specifically for the remote areas I hunt and it doubles as my mobile camp. Can’t say enough about a rig that’s set up correctly for the terrain. Makes it nice to double down the tcases, hit the ac switch and slow ride into a remote camp. Where another guy is spinning tires and bottoming out, stacking rocks and logs to get through a deep rut or washout. Or Bouncing and bumping his way to a sore ass or back or noggin for the rest of the hunt.

My 2cents. Take it or leave it.

 

[zion zig zag]

Just remember, the difference between four wheel drive and two wheel drive is the distance you have to walk after you get stuck. I assume the same thing applies for a lift

 

[204guy]

Best advice on the whole thread is get an atv/utv. 3/4, 1 ton diesels don't make good offroad trucks no matter what you do to them.