Lift Your Ride Without Dropping the Account Balance

Little known Christmas fact: Santa Claus has a 6″ suspension lift on his sleigh. It’s true. The additional height allows for better chimney clearance, keeping both the sled’s undercarriage and reindeer legs free of potential rooftop scrapes. Gotta be careful, it’s not like Prancer has any skid plates underneath him. Do you know how tough it is to replace a broken reindeer around the holidays?

Choosing The Right Lift

But seriously, Christmastime is a wonderful excuse to get your loved one (or yourself, you’ve been good all year) that lift kit they’ve been eyeing up since mid-July. But there’s a ho-ho-whole lot of options out there, and its important to make the right choice. That’s why, just like leaving the toy making to Old Man Kringle and his elves, it is best to heed the advice of seasoned industry professionals.

And Steve Robinson of ReadyLIFT is just the professional for the job. With years of aftermarket sales experience, his specialty lies in not just knowing about what lift kits he’s selling, but why he’s really selling them. “We sell tires and wheels,” Robinson says. “We don’t actually make tires and wheels,” he chuckles, “but we sell tires and wheels. That’s the biggest segment of the aftermarket, and us suspension guys are really just support staff for them.”

Why Lift?

Robinson estimates that “90 percent of lifts, maybe more,” are for strictly cosmetic purposes. “Some guys might argue that number, because you do get some extra fender well clearance. But truly? That’s not why you do it,” he explains. “You do it so that you can get the tire, the wheel, and the look you want. One of the misnomers about lift kits is that they increase ground clearance. They absolutely do not. Tires and wheels increase ground clearance.” Regardless of the motivation, brands like ReadyLIFT have a variety of options to fit every ride and every budget when it’s time for that upgrade.

Options Abound

Suspension lift kits are the ideal way to go for many enthusiasts. This method is a major undertaking, in which everything from the shocks and struts to leaf springs and control arms are replaced. This method allows for the biggest and baddest tires to fit, and virtually every larger lift (6″ and up) is a suspension lift. The suspension articulation and overall performance is high with this type of lift, and so is the price tag. Robinson notes that ReadyLIFT suspension kits in the 5-8″ range generally set owners back $1,800-$3,000.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, body lift kits are historically the most affordable to way go. These kits utilize blocks and spacers to lift the body of the vehicle higher on the frame without permanently altering the suspension. The price is right, at a fraction of the cost of a suspension lift. As little as a couple hundred dollars can get the ball rolling and the body rising. However, opinions are split in the community about whether they are bad for the overall health of your rig. But Robinson sees them as a great, inexpensive way to get the look and feel you’re after. And since most OEMs include some version of them on their vehicles from the get go, he has no worries about their performance.

“If they weren’t fine,” he says, “names like Ford and Dodge wouldn’t put them on their stock vehicles. There’s just definitely a limit on how tall you should go with a block kit.”

So, suspension kits for the ballers, and blocks for the beginners… but what about those in between? How about all the people who want a top quality lift but don’t want to commit to a permanent change? This is the sweet spot that Robinson is most exited about.

A Stable Middle Ground

The ReadyLIFT SST (Smart Suspension Technology) kit does a perfect job of splitting the difference. This mild lift kit is ideal for drivers looking for a 2.5-4″ lift. The hardware is 100 percent bolt-on, which means it is completely removable. There is no cutting of cross-arm members or control pockets, or any other irreversible alterations.

“In a full suspension system, 99 times out of 100 you are cutting something and it is permanent. You are married to that kit.” Robinson notes that a lift of this magnitude may not be for people looking to fit a 38″ tire. But if 33-35″ tires are what you’re aiming for (or mayyybe a skinny 37″), this may be your best bet. Plus, ranging from $300-$1,200, an SST kit won’t be something you’ll have to pay off until next Christmas.

And there’s no need to worry about ReadyLIFT performance. All of ReadyLIFT’s non-wearable parts are guaranteed for life. Wear items like shocks and bushings come with an industry-standard one-year warranty.

It’s All In How You Use It

So, which kit is right for you? Steve Robinson says that the answer is as varied as the people who need them. “I don’t ever recommend that somebody simply buy the most expensive kit we have just because they can afford it. It depends on what they’re looking for their vehicle to do for them. For example, I love a lifted truck. I like 6-8″ lift kits. But I tow a trailer, and I haul a lot of stuff with my vehicle. So, I have a 2.5″ lift kit. It all depends what you’re doing with your vehicle.”

Whether you’re looking for a fully-commited 8″ suspension lift, or just an extra inch or two to fit those new tires, there’s an option out there for you. Even if you happen to drive a magical flying sleigh.