Truck Suspension Buyers Guide | What To Buy When Lifting or Lowering Your Ride

With so many truck models out there from vintage pickups of the 60’s all the way up to this year’s models, there are a ton of products on the aftermarket to help customize the suspension system as you see fit. That can include lowering, lifting or leveling your truck with static or air ride components. There are definitely a lot of kits and individual parts to consider when choosing which direction is best for you and your project or daily driver, but we’ve done a good deal of research to help you make your way through the mass amount of products currently available. 

The overall level of quality is vastly improving across the board, and the technological boundaries are always being pushed further. Options now have options, and there is more to gain than simple ride height measurements after the install is complete. You can have the stance you’re after while also having the agility of a bonafide track star, and your truck can still function like a truck, and boast a heavier load capacity over stock—even after it has been dramatically lifted or lowered. 

Follow along to make sure you’re purchasing the right suspension parts with the right objective in mind—you’ll be sure to end up with the truck of your dreams, no matter what make, model or vintage it is. 

LOWERED

2019 Silverado 2-Inch Drop Spindle 

Belltech constantly has their pulse on the sport truck aftermarket, and they haven’t missed a beat with the ’19 GM Silverado/Sierra platform. These 2-inch drop spindles improve handling and maintain critical suspension geometry, which directly leads to promoting a factory ride quality. Belltech’s spindle design also helps eliminate excessive ball joint, shock and tire wear when compared to other methods of lowering. 

Belltech 
800.445.3767
belltech.com 

Hydraulic Height and Pressure Management 

For those looking for an intuitive ride control system, Level Ride is here to give you the control you’ve dreamed about in a very user-friendly package. With the use of a compact motor, manifold piston accumulators, and patent-pending 24-point adjustable shocks, this system will properly orchestrate seamless function while driving, as well as when airing up or down. 

Level Ride Air Suspension
702.778.5829
levelrideairsuspension.com 

MC.2 Manual Controller 

Those looking to upgrade their old Slam Specialties MC.1 controller, or hook up a righteous manual controller to their air ride setup, the MC.2 offers 12 LED back-lit customizable buttons with just as many color options to chose from. The billet aluminum case can take a beating, and the plug & play connectivity with SS’s SV-8C manifold makes it a no-brainer to complete the package. 

Slam Specialties 
888.352.5225
slamspecialties.com 

2019 GM 1500 Rear Sway Bar 

Hellwig’s sway bars are constructed from 4140 solid, heat-treated, forged chrome-moly steel, and offer the ability to fine-tune the reduction of body roll. Increase stiffness for improved handling, comfort and safety on all road surfaces. Adding this beefy sway bar to a suspension system will also offer noticeable differences in control, confidence and drivability over the OE unit. 

Hellwig Products 
800.367.5480
hellwigproducts.com

’15-’18 Ford 2WD/4WD 1.5-/2.5-Inch Drop Kit 

If you’re going to lower your truck, do it the right way with quality parts from manufacturers who design and build their parts in the USA. Ground Force constructs all of their lowering components in America, and offers them individually or in complete kits that come complete with front coils, rear shackles, u-bolts, rear bump stop bracket, and rear cell foam bump stops. 

Ground Force 
724.430.2068
groundforce.com 

’07-’18 GM 1500 2/4WD MST Sport Series Lowering Strut 

These 100% bolt-on struts are designed with variable valve, twin tube technology that allow for a more controlled ride, while minimizing bottoming out on not-so-ideal roads. Maxtrac’s MST lowering struts are black powdercoated, and are adjustable from stock ride height all the way down to 3 inches of drop all by utilizing machined grooves and a snap ring to go up or down in 1-inch height increments.

MaxTrac Suspension 
844.535.1668
maxtracsuspension.com 

SlamAir Coilover Shock Replacement 

There are so many airbag options out there on the market, go for one that has been designed to work with your lowered truck in mind. Air Lift’s SlamAir ‘bags offer adjustable load support for many ½-ton trucks with a 2-6-inch drop. The ultra high-strength nylon composite end caps are just as strong as steel, weigh less, and will never succumb to rust or corrosion. Sounds like your load carrying woes will soon be problems of the past. 

Air Lift Performance 
airliftperformance.com 

ENDO-CVT Compressor Valve Tank 

Why struggle with wiring up separate compressors, valves and a tank, when you can reach for Accuair’s ENDO-CVT streamlined all-in-one unit instead? The all-aluminum housing is weld-free and leak-free, and all ports are machined directly into the solid aluminum body and sit flush with the tank’s exterior. All components can be easily accessed and extracted through the removable end caps, and there are no magic secrets here—just highly sophisticated design execution that is quickly becoming the go-to option for many truck builders. 

Accuair
877.air.down
accuair.com 

Dual Compressor Wiring Kit 

AVS has swooped in to give builders running two compressors an all-in-one wiring solution to make the job easier than having to order the individual components and parts individually. Each kit comes complete with everything needed to wire up two compressors down to the relay, fuses and all hardware necessary for a secure installation. Never again will you have to make multiple trips to the store to get all those little yet so important bits and pieces that you forgot the first time there—get it all with this kit and avoid headache and frustration. 

AVS
559.486.5444
airbagparts.com 

’19 Silverado/Sierra 1-2-Inch Lowering Shackles 

New from Crown Suspension are their adjustable drop shackles for ’19 Silverado/Sierra pickups. These will lower your truck 1 or 2 inches depending on the bolt hole you select to better achieve the ride height you desire. Crown’s shackles are not universal parts that will require the use of washers, spacers or luck to install successfully—these have been designed specifically to work seamlessly with ’19 models. Best yet, they have been powdercoated for corrosion protection and have been designed and built in the USA. 

Crown Suspension 
714.671.9500
crownsuspension.com 

LIFTED 

2019 Silverado 2-Inch Lift Kit 

For those hesitant to modify the factory suspension on a brand new truck, you can now rest assured with the only 2-inch suspension lift system designed, engineered, tested and backed by Chevrolet. This kit has been constructed specifically for the all-new ’19 Silverado 1500, and has been developed and tested in the same manner by the same engineers who built the truck’s OE suspension system. If that’s not enough to sell you, this kit will not void the new vehicle limited warranty.  

Chevrolet 
888.940.2438
chevrolet.com/accessories 

2019 GM 1500 7-9-Inch Lift Kit 

For builders wanting to take their new Silverado/Sierra into the higher end of the lift spectrum, McGaughy’s 7-9-inch kit will do the trick. The kit does offer height adjustability, and features front and rear boxed crossmembers, adjustable front lift struts, diff drops, skid plate, front driveline, boxed compression struts, lift bocks, and so much more. Get everything you need to jack your new GM pickup into the sky in one single, complete suspension package. 

McGaughy’s Suspension 
559.226.8196
mcgaughys.com

’17-’18 Ford F250/350 4WD Ride-Rite Kit 

Airbags aren’t just for slammed trucks. Pickups that are still designed to be used as pickups need all the help they can get while carrying heavy loads, which is why Firestone’s Ride-Rite package is so important to consider. This inboard mounted kit features a no-drill installation, and a 5,000-lb carrying load capacity. The kit has also been designed to clear all common in-bed hitches and creates better clearance for oversized tires. 

Firestone Ride-Rite 
800.888.0650
riderite.com 

AirCommand Wireless App Kit 

To best complement Firestone’s Ride-Rite system, check out the AirCommand wireless controller kit—it conveniently adjusts air springs with the tap of a finger. This new kit design features a two-wire hookup for an easier install experience, and the air pressure control app is available for both iOS and Android devices, and features two memory presets to quickly achieve different ride height levels. 

Firestone Ride-Rite
800.888.0650
riderite.com 

Shock Guard 

Daystar’s patent-pending shock absorber guard is made from hard, lightweight ABS thermoplastic, and is impervious to heat or cold—the perfect protector from debris and other damaging materials. The Shock Guard even installs without having to remove the shock—the shield simply attaches to the shaft end, and the guide goes over the shock body. These fit most popular monutube and dual tube shock absorbers, and are proudly made in the USA. 

Daystar Products 
800.595.7659
daystarweb.com 

2019 Silverado 3.0 IBP Front Coilover 

External finned reservoirs come standard in this kit to dramatically increase fluid capacity and heat dissipation as well as provide sustained dampening performance in even the most extreme conditions. The fully adjustable 3-tube bypass shock design allows for two different levels of compression adjustment and rebound customization as well. This kit is 100% bolt-on, with no cutting or welding required. 

King Shocks 
714.530.8701
kingshocks.com

2019 Dodge Ram 1500 6-Inch Suspension Kit 

New Dodge Ram owners can breathe easy, as there are some great lift kits designed for the 2019 rollout. ProComp’s 6-inch kit is one of their freshly designed suspension systems comprised of rugged components that have been constructed to install with ease and maintain factory ride quality. Of course, the need to clear larger tires has been addressed, as this kit will allow for enough clearance for 37s with no problem at all. 

ProComp 
310.900.5500
procompusa.com 

‘17+ Ford F150 Raptor Rear Suspension System 

With so many popular pickup models on the roads and trails, ICON made it a point to make an absolutely killer rear suspension kit for newer Raptors. This bolt-on kit is designed to redefine the truck’s potential for off-road performance through its inclusion of 3.0 Series bypass shocks with finned reservoirs, 3-way adjustable multi-rate leaf springs, and a hydraulic bump stop kit with an integrated billet aluminum crossmember. 

ICON Vehicle Dynamics
951.689.4266
iconvehicledynamics.com 

Performance Series 2.0 Coilover Snap Ring IFP

The all-new Fox 2.0 Performance Series coilover snap ring IFP shock provides increased ride quality and off-road handling over stock at an affordable price point by reusing the vehicle’s stock springs and mounting hardware upon installation. Three snap ring grooves in the aluminum body allow for stock, level and lifted ride heights 

Fox Racing 
619.768.1800
ridefox.com 

’09-’18 Dodge Ram 1500 Forged Aluminum Upper Arms 

These industry-first forged aluminum upper control arms for the ’17+ Ram 1500 2WD/4WD platform are constructed from 6082 T-6 aircraft grade forged aluminum, which is much stronger than its billet counterpart, and are far lighter than steel arms. These uppers are built to factory specs, which allow them to be used from stock height all the way up to 7 inches of lift while providing more droop travel over OE units. This leads to better ride quality and less “topping out” when taking on bumpy stretches of road. 

MaxTrac Suspension 
844.535.1668
maxtracsuspension.com 

‘19+ Silverado 1 – 3.5-inch Lift System 

Sometimes a simple leveling kit just isn’t enough, and the “big” packages offer way too much change in lift height. To meet Silverado owners on middle ground, ICON offers an adjustable lift system that features 2.5 Series internal or remote reservoir coilover options, 2.5 Series or Aluminum Series rear shock options, and billet aluminum or tubular steel upper arms with ICON’s patent-pending Delta joint. The kit can be left at the very mild 1-inch lift height, or be taken up to a more commanding 3 inches of right height increase to clear 35-inch tires with ease. 

ICON Vehicle Dynamics 
951.689.4266
iconvehicledynamics.com

F-250 Extended Adjustable Panhard Bracket 

Bison Offroad’s exclusive Panhard Bracket for Ford F-250trucks is cast for strength, and is slotted to give an ideal fit and steering feel. The unique “stop cam” adjustment gives additional suspension fine-tuning while the flat sections of the eccentric keep the setting in place during extreme use. This bracket is available separately, as well as included in lift and level kits. 

Bison Offroad
760.752.5222
bisonoffroad.com 

CLASSIC 

Classic Performance Products new Coil-Over Kits are finally here for all you C10 Enthusiasts! Front Coil-Over Conversion kits are fully ride height adjustable from standard height to a 3″ drop. This allows a full 5-1/2″ drop when combined with CPP’s Modular Drop Spindles. Coil-Over Upgrade Kits available for use with stock control arms or can be purchased as a complete kit with our NEW Lower Tubular Control Arms. These new Coil-Over Control Arms were designed to make adding coil-overs easy. The Rear Coil-Over Kit offers a full 5″ of ride height adjustment and is specifically designed to work with CPP’s Rear C-Notch kits. Kits are available as Coil-Over upgrade or paired up as a rear suspension package with CPP Totally Tubular™ Trailing Arms. Installation only requires standard hand tools and no major fabrication. Provides a clean look, with maximum clearance and consistent performance, all while dramatically improving the handling and control of your vehicle

Complete Front Coil-Over Conversion Kit With Upper & Lower Control Arms Features

• Totally Tubular Upper and Lower Control arms made from strong DOM steel tube, TIG welded and feature their patented D-spec bushings. 
• Upper CNC-Bent & Laser-Cut Spring Pocket Bracket & Seats
• Dual Adjustable shocks have separate adjustments for compression and rebound.
• Grade 8 hardware and all mounting brackets for a simple bolt-on installation
• Coil-Over Spring Rate For SBC, BBC and All LS Series Engines
• Includes Spanner Wrench and Thrust Bearing Kit
• Pair with drop spindles to achieve the ride height desired!

Complete Rear Coil-Over Conversion Kit Features

• Totally Tubular Trailing arms newly designed for an easy coil over conversion install. 
• Dual Adjustable shocks have separate Adjustments for compression and rebound. 
• CNC-Bent & Laser-Cut Mounting Brackets
• Grade 8 hardware and all mounting brackets for a simple bolt-on installation
• Includes Spanner Wrench and Thrust Bearing Kit

Classic Performance Products
http://www.classicperform.com

Direct-Fit C10 Rear Frame System 

Sometimes scrapping a classic truck’s original frame is easier than making repairs and building it back up again. In cases when the OE frame won’t be used, kits like this one from KP Components step in to save the day. The Direct-Fit rear frame system replaces the rear frame and 4-link suspension for ’63-’72 C10 pickups, and works perfect for long-to-short bed conversions scenarios. The frame can be ordered in two different styles and customized to meet personal specs. 

KP Components 
888.388.0204
kpcomponents.com 

’88-’98 GM 2WD C1500 Front Coilover Kit 

Aldan American’s front coilover conversion kit designed for ’88-’98 GM C1500 trucks drops the front right height up to 2 inches, and works with factory or aftermarket control arms. This kit has been constructed to fit with OEM mounting locations, making installation a breeze. Improve ride quality and handling in no time! 

Aldan American Suspension 
310.834.7478
aldanamerican.com 

’67-’72 Ford F-100 Front IFS Suspension Bolt-On Kit 

Owners of vintage Ford pickups will absolutely love this front IFS suspension clip from All American Billet. First, it replaces that front I-beam setup, and introduces Crown Vic balljoints, steering knuckles, hubs and brakes with a Mustang II style rack & pinion with a manual or power rack. This bolt-on kit is available for coilovers or air bags, and will yield a 6-inch ride height, with the ‘bagged version kit being able to lay frame on a 29-inch tall tire.

All American Billet 
844.BILLET1
allamericanbillet.com 

’63-’87 TrueLine Series C10 Front Shocks 

If you’re going to swap out your C10’s busted shocks, at least get the very best to replace them with. Aldan American’s TrueLine Series shock absorbers are designed to replace OE units with adjustable shocks for a more consistent, smoother ride. TrueLine shocks work with factory or aftermarket control arms and rear end setups with both stock and lowered applications available. 

Aldan American Suspension 
310.834.7478
aldanamerican.com 

Loaded Strut 

Not all truck owners are looking to go the slammed or jacked-up route. When factory suspension restoration is in order, Duralast’s Loaded Struts are where it’s it. These application-specific struts restore vehicles to OE ride height, and each one is constructed with OE-grade components for optimal performance. Duralast offers their loaded struts complete with a MacPherson strut, coil spring and strut mount in one pre-assembled, easy to install unit—what could be easier? 

Duralast 
800.288.6966
autozone.com 

F-100 Suspension System 

Forget about having to rely on the junkyard to find suspension parts for your old Ford truck. QA1’s all-new, engineered-from-scratch suspension systems put an end to parts scavenging, with their more reliable method of building a modernized F-100 chassis. Front and rear coilover conversion kits are now available for ’67-’72 F-100 trucks (similar packages are also available for C10 applications) and come complete with every single component needed to get the job done, right down to the last bolts.

QA1
952.985.5675
qa1.net 

’63-’87 C10 Stage III Plus Suspension Kit 

POL’s Stage III Plus coilover suspension kit for ’63-’87 C10 pickups is far superior in both handling and performance categories. The tubular upper and lower control arms will dramatically improve front end performance and handling through better geometry, as well as provide more ground clearance than factory stamped units. Aldan American’s Phantom Series single adjustable coilovers deliver killer handling, and are direct-replacements of OE units. Get up to 2 inches of drop with this package that will prove to outshine rivals both on the street and on the track. 

Performance Online 
866.230.5981
performanceonline.com 

’88-’98 C1500 StreetGRIP Suspension System 

With so many aftermarket suspension packages available for C10 and late-model trucks, it’s refreshing to see the support of ’88-’98 GM pickups, as they very well may blow up to be the new classic truck to build. Ridetech’s StreetGrip suspension suite is an affordable suspension upgrade system that includes drop spindles, coils, premium quality shocks, and C-notches for added axle clearance. Get your OBS Chevy truck riding like the true sport truck it was destined to be. 

Ridetech 
812.481.4778
ridetech.com 

’73-’91 Chevy/GMC Suburban/Full-Size Blazer Drop Spindles 

Not everyone is building C10 pickups, and to help out the guys who have chosen a different classic GM model truck, Western Chassis offers 2.5-inch drop spindles for ’73-’91 Suburban / full-size Blazer applications. Western Chassis has been building lowering spindles for classic GM trucks since ’81, and since then these standards have only been improved up as far as cosmetic appearance and structural improvements are concerned—they are better now then they ever have been.

Western Chassis 
866.720.0929
westernchassisinc.com 

GT Sport Chassis For ’55-’59 Chevy/GMC Trucks

Get a modern stance, commanding handling and a comfortable ride that complements the classic style of your old GM pickup. Art Morrison’s full GT Sport Chassis is an engineered wonder that stands as an entire frame swap that DIY builders can manage to take on in their own garage. Look at an upgrade like this as an investment that will take your classic truck into the future in overall style and reliability for the long road ahead. 

Art Morrison 
800.929.7188
artmorrison.com