Photography by Harry Wagner and courtesy of the manufacturers
If you are like us, you might not have a lot of extra money to spend on upgrades these days, but you still want to upgrade your truck or SUV to make it stand out from the crowd. Fortunately, most modern 4x4s use a coilover strut in the front that can be lifted one to two inches with no adverse effects. And since vehicles come from the manufacturer with a rake (where the rear is higher than the front to allow for added weight from cargo or towing), you can just lift the front of your vehicle and fit a larger than stock tire. Enter the leveling kit.
A basic leveling kit puts a spacer between the upper strut tower and the frame mount to increase ride height by the width of the spacer. They can be constructed from polyurethane, steel, or aluminum. Since the spacer is fixed relative to the frame and strut mount you never have to worry about them wearing out, regardless of what they are made of.
Basic Spacer Kits
An inexpensive method to run larger tires and maintain OE ride quality, leveling kits go on top of the factory strut to lift (or level) your vehicle. Leveling kits are for the customer looking to create a weekend warrior with weekday drivability and build a capable truck without compromise, and they are significantly less expensive than a lift kit for several reasons. Some fitments from brands such as ReadyLift and Rough Country can be purchased for under $100, and you don’t need a spring compressor to install them. The most important reason for the reduced price though is that there are just fewer parts needed to level the suspension compared to the parts required to lift a vehicle three or more inches. Complete lift kits and systems often require a horde of dropdown brackets, new knuckles, extended brake lines and sway bar end links, and other components to allow the steering and drivetrain of a 4×4 to function correctly.
Note how the overall length of the factory strut and spacer is the same as the new Old Man Emu strut. This accounts for the 2-inch lift over factory height. The OME strut uses a longer coil though, which provides additional wheel travel without any binding.
Replacement Struts
Replacement struts are another option to level the front of your vehicle. They vary widely in price, but can provide additional performance beyond a simple spacer. A new strut will not limit downtravel like a spacer can. Extended length coilovers are also an option, however one must be careful not to surpass the limits of your CVs or steering components. New coils with revised spring rates to handle bumpers and winches are also an option with new struts, as are shocks with larger diameter bodies that provide more controlled damping and increased fluid capacity to resist fading under heavy use.
Explorer Pro leveling kits replace the factory springs and shocks with performance-oriented PRO VST coil overs. The new 2.5in PRO VST shocks and coilovers offer maximum ride quality on highway and rugged off-road performance. The Explorer Pro Vehicle-Specific-Tuned kits (VST) feature suspension components purposely tuned for improved travel and corrected suspension geometry for bigger wheels and tires without chopping up your new truck.
Pro Comp Explorer Low Center of Gravity Kits
Pro Comp Explorer Low Center of Gravity lift kits feature suspension components purposely tuned and designed to work with your truck. The 2.5-inch front lift provides additional ground clearance, suspension travel, and a rugged stance while delivering robust performance on rough roads and a smooth ride for extended highway miles. Specifically tuned to work with your mid-size, ½ ton or ¾ ton truck, the vehicle-specific kits include four new Pro Comp Pro-M monotube shocks, or can be upgraded to 2.5-inch diameter PRO VST shocks.
Find the right suspension kit for your truck
Check out Pro Comp’s all-new Explorer Low Center of Gravity Suspension Kits that blend the best of both worlds!
Specialty Products upper control arms are adjustable to allow you to set the caster and camber to factory specifications. They also use a high angle tie rod end that is sealed from the elements and allows a wider range of motion than a factory tie rod end.
Upper Control Arms
Aftermarket upper control arms are a popular upgrade that can be added at the same time, or after your leveling kit, depending on your budget. Tubular arms, like Pro Comp’s PRO Series, are stronger than stock and provide additional caster to account for your increased ride height and provide smooth tracking at high speeds. Many aftermarket upper control arms, like those from Icon Vehicle Dynamics and Camburg, also use a spherical bearing or high angularity tie rod end for increased wheel travel when combined with the appropriate length strut.
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