Are you not satisfied with how your truck turned out after you lifted it? Have you lifted it higher than you’d like? Or are you trying to sell it and worried that the lift may have reduced its value?
The answer is simple. You can definitely lower your lifted truck. And, depending on the type of lift kit you used, you can lower it to various degrees, and you can even turn that truck back to its stock settings.
There are enormous types of components available to lift trucks such as lift kits, spacers, levelers, etc, and this makes the topic a bit more complex than it seems. How much you’ll be able to lower it depends on how you lifted it.
Today, I’m here to provide you with all the details you need in order to lower that lifted truck according to your own preferences.
How to Lower a Lifted Truck
Lowering a lifted truck is not something to sweat on. Whether the truck was lifted with just a lift kit or the combination of various lifting methods, the process is relatively easy for lowering than lifting.
You simply need to replace the lifting components with their stock counterpart or remove them if there was none in their place before.
Removing Body Lift
Body lift kits use spacers in between the frame and the body of the vehicle to raise it a couple of inches. This results in higher ride height but the same ground clearance.
To lower the truck, you have to remove the spacers to make it as it was before. It’s that simple.
Removing Leveling Kit
If you used a leveling kit to level it or paired it with other methods for lifting your truck, the lowering process is as simple as removing the leveling kit. Voila!
Removing a Coilover Lift Kit
To lower a truck raised by after-market coil springs or coilover springs, you can also change them to the stock option.
If there were strut spacers in use, removing them is also very simple and straightforward.
Lowering a Truck Lifted With Dropdown Lift Kits
These lift kits are not as straightforward as the other options available. They usually require welding new mounting brackets between the body and the frame.
These kits are not easy to undo and require a tedious restoration process. So going back to stock height is significantly harder.
But, these kits usually combine other lifting methods, like spacers. So, you can still lower them to a certain point.
WHY I REMOVED LIFT ? ONLY TWO MONTHS OLD!!!
Can You Lower a Lifted Truck to Its Factory Settings
If you’ve lifted your truck using aftermarket lift kits, you need to know the difference between crossmember and non-crossmember lift kits first.
What is a Crossmember?
A crossmember is part of the core structure of the truck. It is a reinforced steel bar placed under the truck which bolts across the vehicle and supports the transmission.
Most lift kits fit the stock crossmember of a truck, but some lift kits that target a higher lift can come with custom crossmembers that reach lower than the stock one.
Lowering Trucks Lifted With Crossmember Lift Kits
When lifting with a lift kit that comes with a custom crossmember, the stock one needs to be removed or the frame has to be cut to fit the new components. This means, going back to the stock settings is much harder in this case.
The reason for this is, the old components need to be fixed by welding the pieces you cut back to the frame. But doing so and keeping the alignment of the body panel straight is tough. And proper alignment is a must for proper handling, durability, and strength.
The best course of action, in this case, is to keep the crossmember as it is and replace parts that can be replaced with the stock components.
For example, lift kits that target a height increase of 4-6 inches or more, tend to achieve it by combining various lifting methods, such as body spacers, custom coil/coilover springs, strut spacers, custom shocks, and so on.
In that case, you can remove or replace some of them. You can also put in a different lift kit according to your preference. This will allow you to lower your lifted truck, even though you can not exactly go back to the stock settings.
Lowering Trucks Lifted With Non-Crossmember Lift Kits
If the lift kit you used does not come with a custom crossmember bar, then you are in luck, because you can simply replace the lifting components with the older stock components.
In this case, you have the choice to lower it to any degree as well as make it as it came out of the factory.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Does Lowering a Lifted Truck Affect Its Performance?
Lowering a lifted truck will restore its stock driving feel and performance in most cases. A moderately lifted truck usually drives better than a not-lifted one.
If you find your truck performing worse after lifting it with a non-crossmember lift kit, lowering it will improve its performance.
If you used a crossmember lift kit, you need to take care to keep the body-frame alignment correct, which is a tedious process. If the alignment is not perfect, then the performance will be significantly reduced.
How Does Lowering a Lifted Truck Affect Its Fuel Economy?
Some top-of-the-line lift kits offer better fuel economy after lifting. But in most cases, the fuel efficiency drops after lifting, as the increased height affects aerodynamics and acceleration. In that case, lowering will result in better fuel efficiency.
Will My Lifted Truck Drive Better After I Lower It?
The outcome can vary, but usually, a moderately lifted truck drives better than its stock counterpart. If you drive on the road, then the difference after lowering it again will be negligible. But when you go off-road, you’ll be able to notice a drop in the quality of the drive.
