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How Much Does It Cost to Lift a Truck?

Andrew Cilio
By: 

Andrew Cilio

 / Nov 30 2022
How Much Does It Cost to Lift a Truck?

The easy answer is that for most trucks, you're looking at somewhere between a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars to lift a truck. But, as you'd expect, the easy answer is never really that easy.

Whether you're looking to change tire sizes for offroading, love the appearance of a lifted truck, prefer the balance and drivability that comes with a lift, or simply like the view from above, there are plenty of reasons to get a lift or level.

Here's the lowdown on how much lifting a truck can set you back.

Contents
  1. Typical Cost to Lift a Truck
  2. Body Lift vs. Suspension Lift
  3. Cost of Lift Kit Installation: DIY vs. Mechanic
  4. FAQs
  5. Is Lifting a Truck Worth It?

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Typical Cost to Lift a Truck

Array of pieces included in a lift kit

The typical cost to lift a truck could be as low as around $200-$400 for a simple 1-2" kit you can DIY, to upwards of $10,000-$12,000 plus installation costs for high-end jobs. The final cost will depend on a few different factors:

  • Your truck's make, model, and year
  • Whether you're leveling or lifting
  • How significant of a lift you're looking for
  • The brand/quality of the lift kit
  • Whether the lift is stock or custom
  • Whether it's a body or suspension lift
  • The cost of tools (if installing yourself)
  • The cost of labor (if you're going to a mechanic)

For most truck owners, you're probably looking at something in the middle of that range. Those flashy five-figure kits, for example, aren't going to be for everyone. At AmericanTrucks, costs could be as affordable as $195 for a basic 2" front suspension lift or up to around $5,600 for a 3.5" lift system. 

Lifting vs. Leveling

Lifting and leveling are both methods of increasing a truck's ground clearance by adding space between the axles and the body. But where leveling kits are simpler setups that raise the front slightly to match the rear height, lift kits have more hardware and can raise the whole truck 2 inches to 10 inches or more.

Since most trucks come stock with slightly higher rear clearance, you will typically use leveling kits to get the front up to the same height. These kits max at about two inches and should be pretty easy to install. Lift kits, on the other hand, include whole new systems, complete with shocks, coil springs, control arms, lift blocks, and spacer blocks. If you're looking for a significant all-around lift or want to accommodate more aggressive wheel offset, you're looking for a lift kit.

Illustrated diagram showing which size lift kits are needed for various tire sizes, including 1-2 inch kit for 33 inch wheels, 3-5 inch kit for 35 inch tires, and 6-8 inch kit for 35-37 inch tires

How Much Does a Lift Kit Cost?

Lift kit prices range widely, but you can find basic kits that cost under $1,000. For higher-end kits designed to improve performance, you're probably looking at $1,000-$6,000, while premium kits can come with price tags of over $10,000. Note that these are just parts estimates—professional labor could add at least another three figures to the total cost.

How Much Does a Leveling Kit Cost?

Leveling kits are generally cheaper than lift kits. You can reasonably expect a leveling kit to cost as little as $99 and as much as $1,000. Leveling kit installation isn't terribly hard to DIY, and even professional installation shouldn't be too expensive.

Estimated average cost of lift kits chart showing $500-$4000 for lift kits and $200-$1000 for leveling kits

Body Lift vs. Suspension Lift

A body lift simply raises the body of the truck from the core frame of the truck, while a suspension lift upgrades the suspension system for a structural elevation. Body lift kits are simpler than suspension lift kits and are more limited in what they can do.

Benefits of a Body Lift

Body lifts may not be as comprehensive as suspension lifts, but for truck owners who want a little more height for new wheels, they can be the ideal option for these reasons:

  • DIY installation is simpler.
  • Professional installation can be cheaper.
  • Kits tend to cost less.
  • Kits can raise trucks up to around five inches.

Benefits of a Suspension Lift

Suspension lifts are a little more dramatic and can even significantly alter the truck's handling. They also come with some of these benefits:

  • They raise the entire truck.
  • They accommodate bigger tires.
  • They add even more overall ground clearance for offroading.
  • They can raise trucks by upwards of 12 inches.

Cost of Lift Kit Installation: DIY vs. Mechanic

Image of Ford F-150 Sport in a garage to introduce cost of lift kit installation section comparing DIY and mechanic installs

When it comes to doing it yourself, you've always got to ask yourself, what's your time worth to you? If you love doing your own handiwork on your own truck and you're confident in your installation skills, then you've probably already got your answer. If you're on the fence about going to a shop, here are some considerations.

DIY Truck Lift

Obviously, the cost of a DIY truck lift is basically just the cost of the kit itself (which we've established above as ranging anywhere from roughly $500 to $4,000 on average). However, you'll also need to make sure you've got the right equipment and a dedicated workspace—if you've got to build a new garage and stock it with tools just to do the job at home, you're probably not saving any money.

If you're not 100% sure that your quality of work is on-par with a professional's, it's probably still a good idea to take your truck in for an inspection after you finish. They'll make sure you didn't miss anything and can recommend fine-tuning to get your handling as tight as possible. It could tack on another $100-$200 or so, but it'll be worth it in the long run.

Professional Truck Lift

A common rule of thumb for professional installation is that it tends to cost about the same amount as the kit itself—that can be true, to an extent. In general, you can expect bigger and/or more complex (which usually means more expensive) kits to come with more complex installation, leading to higher labor costs. If you decide to go to a performance specialist rather than a general mechanic, you can expect the labor costs to be even pricier.

In general, we don't like to make hard-and-fast claims about labor costs because there are so many factors that can influence it. In addition to the above considerations, there's also your truck's model and year, additional unforeseen maintenance or upgrades required for installation, and even your location to consider.

All that said, you can expect labor costs to range from as little as a couple hundred dollars on the low end to thousands of dollars on the high end.

Lift kit installation cost chart comparing DIY and mechanic installation

FAQs

Does a Lift Kit Increase the Value of a Truck?

Lifting a truck can increase its resale value if potential buyers want a lifted truck. Customizations like lift kits save the new buyers the time and expense of doing it themselves, making the truck more valuable to them. However, it can also make your truck less appealing to buyers who aren't interested in those customizations or who actively don't want them.

How Much Does It Cost to Lift a Truck 2 Inches?

For most applications, a 2-inch lift kit will run from around $200-$1,500, not including installation, which can cost as little as a couple hundred dollars to upwards of several thousand for a more involved 2-inch suspension lift system. Some can cost as much as $12,000 or more.

How Much Does It Cost to Lift a Truck 6 Inches?

Six-inch lift kits commonly run from around $1,000 to around $4,000, but premium options can be significantly more. The final cost will depend on factors like truck model, kit brand, and whether you install it yourself or hire a professional.

Is Lifting a Truck Worth It?

Graphic explaining if lifting a truck is worth it

Comparatively speaking, lifting your truck could cost about as much as a date night at a nice steakhouse or a brand-new car. It just depends on whether you're installing a simple leveling kit at home or hiring a pro to do a massive custom job. Here's a quick gut check to see if it could be worth the cost for you:

  • Yes: If you can install a kit yourself, afford professional installation or inspection, and would get value from your truck's new capabilities.
  • No: If you can't afford a mechanic and aren't sure if you can install yourself, if the lift is mainly to increase resale value, or if you don't plan on making use of added capabilities.

Lifting your truck can add a ton of value for some drivers, from improving offroad handling to accommodating bigger wheels to giving you a birds-eye view of surrounding traffic. Whether the price tag is worth paying really boils down to why you want it. 



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