How to Lift a Truck

Maybe you’re interested in a new look for your ​​Chevy Silverado in Collierville or better off-road chops for your GMC Sierra 1500 in Crocket County. Either way, you might be wondering, “How do I lift my truck?” Learning how to lift a truck can be tricky, but many DIY enthusiasts around Jackson and Humboldt have found plenty of success. And luckily, the team at Express Chevrolet GMC can help you learn how to lift a truck like a pro! Take a look at our primer below, and be sure to reach out to us in Brownsville for all of your automotive needs.

Before we dive into how to lift a truck, let’s talk about what you’ll need to do the job properly. The most important thing you’ll need is your lift kit. You can visit our parts department to go over the different options like body lift kits, leveling kits, suspension kits, and more. Then you’ll need to have the right tools at your disposal. A good starter toolkit includes:

• Vehicle jacks and jack stands
• Socket wrench
• Torque wrench
• Lug wrench
• Screwdriver
• Optional pry bar, hammer, and WD-40

How do I lift my truck? Your best guide is the manual that comes with your specific lift kit. Different lift kits have different requirements, and some are more involved than others. But if you’re trying to decide whether to do the job yourself or hire a professional, here’s a brief overview of the steps that you’ll need to take.

• Remove the negative cable from your battery.
• Loosen the lug nuts on your tires, but don’t remove them.
• Raise the vehicle with your jack and jack stands. Take your time to ensure the vehicle is balanced properly.
• Take off the tires.
• Pull off the old U-bolts, shocks, and springs.
• Attach the new set of bolts, shocks, and springs.
• Tighten everything with your torque wrench to the correct specifications.
• Reattach your old tires or a new set of bigger tires.
• Lower the vehicle to the ground while keeping it as level as possible.

Now you know how to lift a truck, but should you lift your truck or just let someone else handle the work for you? While that will ultimately depend on your interest and experience with car work, here are some things to consider.

• Time: Pros can lift a truck in anywhere from 7 to 15 hours on average. If you have a lot of auto experience, you could probably install a simple kit on a weekend.
• Supplies: Pros have an entire facility dedicated to service, which means they have all the tools they need on hand. If you don’t have the tools that you need, buying all the extra supplies might make your DIY task a lot less affordable.
• Complexity: Pros can handle everything from the most simple body lift to the most complicated suspension lift without an issue. If you need to alter components like the suspension, a lot can go wrong - and it’s best to let a pro handle it.

Whether you want to pick up a lift kit at our parts center or schedule an installation at our service center, Express Chevrolet GMC is your one-stop shop for all things automotive. Contact us with your questions or schedule your service today. You can even order parts online!