I am the owner of an auto repair shop where customers swarm to get their trucks lifted using different kinds of lift kits.
Some want the basic and more affordable spacer lift kits, while others want better yet expensive suspension lift kits.
There’s another way!
If you’ve grown out of the beginner-level spacer lifts yet don’t want to invest fully in a suspension lift kit, a coil spring lift can be the way to go for you.
Not only will the right kind of coil springs lift your vehicle a few inches, but they will also make your truck capable of carrying a lot of the added weight.
And they are affordable!
It’s true that you can lift your truck using just coil springs. But you should also consider using different kinds of brackets and some steering components with the springs for better results.
Today, I’ll talk about how you can lift your truck using coil springs and what other components to use for fixing the altered geometry of your truck for better performance.
Is It Possible to Lift a Truck with Just Coil Springs?
You can absolutely lift your truck using just coil spring . But the more lift you get, the higher the chances of you messing up your truck’s suspension angles.
So if you want a few inches of height on your truck without having to use spacers or having to spend too much, coil spring lifts are a good option.
There’s a but!
If you installed just lifted coil springs on your truck, the ground clearance would increase, but you will experience a harsher ride.
You can even fit larger tires because of lifted coil springs. So if you’re okay with compromising your truck’s ride quality, you can use coil springs to lift your truck.
Want a smoother ride?
Yes, there’s a way to fix this issue of a harsher ride after lifting your truck with just coil springs. But it won’t be cheap.
You would need to buy a few more suspension components to make sure you correct the geometry for a smoother ride. These are:
- Longer control arms
- Longer shock absorbers
- Trackbars
- Sway bar links
And if you get higher lifted coil springs like a 6-inch lifted coil springs, you would also need to fix your driveshaft angles using CV driveshaft and Slip yoke eliminator.
But all this is if you want a smoother ride. If you can compromise the ride quality for an affordable lift, just coil springs will do the job just fine.
How to Lift a Truck with Just Coil Springs
Wanting to lift your truck will just coil springs is possible. And installing the coil springs yourself is also very much possible.
I’ll tell you how in a bit!
Step 1: Raising Your Truck
Firstly, you have to lift the side of your truck you want to start with. I suggest raising the front first using car jacks.
Make sure your truck’s front is raised enough so you can get underneath it to install the coil springs.
But don’t rely just on your car jack, as it could lead to accidents. You should also put safety stands.
Step 2: Removing Tires and Control Arm
The first thing you need to remove is the tires of your truck.
After that, you have to take out the lower ball joints from your truck’s control arm. For this, you can make use of the pickle fork you’ll find between the spindle and your control arm.
Then, jack up your truck’s rotor to take out the control arm that will be attached to the spindle stud.
Step 3: Removing Strut and Coil
It’s time to take apart your truck’s struts. To do this, you need to take out the tree nuts attached to the strut. Be very careful when removing the strut.
Now you have to be even more careful when taking out the coil spring from the strut. If it somehow uncoils, you could get seriously injured.
Make sure the compression brackets are 180 degrees in the opposite direction to one another on your old coil.
Evenly turn each one 8-10 times. Remove the bolt of your strut to take out the coil spring when it looks tightly compressed.
Step 4: Installing the Lifted Coil Springs
The main step of installing the lifted coil springs comes right after taking out the old coil springs.
This time, you have to compress your new lifted coils in a similar way you had to compress your old coils for removing purposes.
Now slip your compressed coils back on your strut and start bolting them in place. Find the small slit to place the bottom of your coil spring.
After that, put your strut assembly back into your truck and bolt everything back in place, along with the control arms and tires.
Step 5: Repeating on the Other Side
Once you’re done installing the lifted coil springs on the front end of your truck, lower the truck and take out the jack.
Now you have to repeat the same process from beginning to end on the rear end of your truck.
Final Words
Can you lift a truck with just coil springs? Yes, you can actually lift your truck with just coil springs.
However, even with the added height and ground clearance, you will get a harsher ride and a harder time handling your truck with just the coil springs.
I recommend you get the other components I mentioned installed on your truck to get the best outcome.
