To lower your lifted truck, the process primarily involves reversing the modifications made to lift it. On many lift kits, it's a matter of replacing some of the parts used to lift the truck. However, the complexity and cost can vary significantly depending on the type of lift kit installed and the original vehicle modifications.
Methods for Lowering a Lifted Truck
The two main approaches to returning a lifted truck to a lower stance are based on how the initial lift was achieved:
1. Removing or Replacing Lift Kit Components
This is the most common and generally less expensive method. It involves identifying and removing the aftermarket parts that were installed to increase the truck's height.
- Identify the Lift Kit: Determine the specific brand and type of lift kit that was installed. This will help you understand which components need to be removed or replaced.
- Remove Lift Components: This might include:
- Spacer blocks (often used on leaf springs or between the frame and body)
- Extended shackles or hangers
- Aftermarket coil springs or struts designed for height
- Lift blocks for the rear axle
- Longer control arms or trailing arms
- Drop-down brackets for suspension or drivetrain components
- Install Original or Lowering Components: Once lift components are removed, you will typically need to reinstall the original factory parts or install specific lowering kit components designed for your truck model.
| Lift Kit Component (Example) | Action to Lower |
|---|---|
| Coil Spacers | Remove & Reinstall Stock Coils |
| Lift Blocks (Rear Axle) | Remove & Reinstall Stock Blocks or Use Lowering Shackles |
| Extended Shackles | Replace with Stock Shackles |
| Drop Down Brackets | Remove & Reinstall Stock Mounts |
2. Frame or Suspension Modification (Less Common for Lifting, More Complex to Reverse)
In some cases, especially with older or more extreme lifts, modifications might have been made directly to the truck's frame or primary suspension mounting points.
- Advanced Modifications: On others [lift kits], you might have to completely remove a part and re-weld a new part of the frame (which is much more expensive to do). This is typically required only if the lift installation involved cutting or welding the original frame or suspension mounting points.
- Professional Expertise: Reversing such modifications often requires professional welding and fabrication skills to ensure structural integrity and proper alignment. This makes it a significantly more complex and costly process compared to simply removing bolt-on lift kit parts.
- Potential for Lowering Kits: If the original lift involved frame modification, returning precisely to stock height might be difficult or impossible without extensive work. In such cases, a specific lowering kit designed to achieve a desired ride height by replacing or modifying suspension components might be an alternative approach after removing any lift-related frame modifications.
Lowering a lifted truck effectively means undoing the steps taken to lift it, prioritizing the removal or replacement of aftermarket lift components. Frame modification reversal is a less common but significantly more involved possibility.
