How to Lift a Truck Safely: Step-by-Step Guide
How to Lift Your Truck Safely: Step-by-Step Guide
A truck lift can be a great idea with the right conditions and equipment around the Seattle-Tacoma area, and performing the lift yourself can be rewarding. However, there are many considerations when lifting your truck yourself, and many ways to prepare to ensure you lift it safely. Here is our Custom Trucks Northwest guide to properly and safely lifting your truck.
Choose the Right Lift Kit
The first step to begin lifting your truck is to pick out the right lift kit for your vehicle and your intended purpose. Without the right lift kit from our service shop, you can run into issues installing your kit and running your vehicle. Not all lift kits are the same; some focus on performance, body lifts, or even simple leveling kits.
To choose the right lift kit, you will need to consider your vehicle's current mileage and what you intend to use your lifted truck for. High-mileage trucks are great for comprehensive lift kits, for example. Types of lifts you can choose include:
- Leveling Kits: 1-3 inches
- Suspension Lifts: 2-6 inches, off-road focused
- Heavy Duty Coils
- Body Lifts: 2-5 inches, style-focused
Necessary Tools & Preparation
Once you pick out a lift kit for your truck, you must gather the right tools and equipment to help you with the process of actually lifting your truck. Proper tools and equipment will make your lift go smoothly and efficiently; without them, your lift could take significantly longer or even fail.
Remember to have a stable, level surface with plenty of room to be able to work around the vehicle. If you have a friend or two to help out, that is always a good idea, too. Ensure you properly secure your truck at key points, and don't take any chances. Essential tools to have on hand include:
- Various socket sets
- Heavy-duty jack stands
- Specialized suspension tools
- A high quality floor jack
- Torque wrenches
- Proper diagnostic tools and proprietary tools
Considerations Before Installation
Once you commit to a lift kit installation, it is hard to back out or stop the process midway. First, ensure that a lift kit is what you truly want, as there are trade-offs to lifting your vehicle. For example, installing a lift kit can void your warranty, leading to potentially more costly repairs down the line. There are also many lift kits that you cannot reverse if you decide to remove them.
Also consider how a lifted truck will change the way you drive daily. Will your truck have trouble with parking garage clearance beams? Will the lift kit impact how you tow and how much you can tow? You must answer these questions and many more before committing to the lift.
Keep Safety Precautions in Mind
Lifting a truck is an intensive process that can take plenty of time and work to complete. Some lift kits are complex and tough to complete on your own. Your main priority should be to remain safe during the service, limiting hazards and potential accidents.
Remember to properly support your suspension system, adding multiple fail-safes in case something goes wrong. Do not improperly handle springs, as they store high energy under compression, which can lead to serious injury if mishandled. Finally, ensure you install your lift kit the way it was intended, as malfunctioning lift kits can lead to ongoing risks while driving your lifted truck.
When to Work with Professionals Such as Our Team
Lifting a new or used truck requires patience, experience, and high-quality tools. Most home garages do not have all of those, but our service bays do. If at any point you realize you cannot or do not want to do the lift on your own, come to us and let service staff handle the work for you.
Let Us Handle Your Truck Lift at Custom Trucks Northwest
Custom Trucks Northwest is your go-to source for all things lifted trucks. We can help you start your own lift, or even complete it for you at our dealership. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to our sales, service, or finance team today. We look forward to serving your lifting needs.
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Custom Trucks NW
300 Valley Ave NE
Puyallup, WA 98372-2520
- Sales: 253-697-9129
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