One of the first decisions truck owners face when planning a lift is choosing between a body lift and a suspension lift. Both raise your truck, but they do it in fundamentally different ways, with different costs, different performance characteristics, and different trade-offs. Understanding the body lift vs suspension lift debate is essential before you spend money on parts and installation.
This guide explains how each type works, what you gain and give up with each, and what we recommend based on the builds we complete every week at Redline Auto Creations.
A body lift raises the body of the truck off the frame using spacers — typically one to three inches of blocks made from polyurethane, nylon, or aluminum. The spacers are placed between the body mounts and the frame, lifting the cab and bed while leaving the suspension, axles, and drivetrain in their stock positions.
A suspension lift raises the entire vehicle — body, frame, axles, and all — by modifying or replacing suspension components. This can be as simple as adding spacers to the stock springs (a leveling kit) or as complex as replacing the entire suspension system with longer arms, new springs, and high-performance shocks.
Body lift: $200 to $600 for the kit, plus $200 to $500 for installation. One of the least expensive ways to gain tire clearance.
Suspension lift: $500 to $5,000+ for the kit depending on complexity, plus $500 to $2,000+ for installation. Supporting modifications (regear, extended brake lines, driveshafts) add to the total.
Body lifts win on cost by a significant margin. A complete body lift installation can cost less than the parts alone for a quality suspension lift.
Body lift: No change. The frame and axles remain at stock height. You can fit larger tires (which do add ground clearance), but the lift itself provides zero additional clearance.
Suspension lift: Direct increase. Every inch of suspension lift adds roughly an inch of clearance under the frame and axles. For off-road use where rock clearance matters, this is the significant advantage.
Suspension lifts win clearly on actual ground clearance.
Body lift: Provides additional clearance between the body and tires by raising the fenders. A two to three-inch body lift can typically allow one to two sizes larger tires. However, the tires may still contact suspension components at full lock or full articulation since those relationships do not change.
Suspension lift: Provides clearance both above and below. The additional distance between the axle and the fender means larger tires fit more completely, with clearance at full steering lock, full compression, and full droop. here
Suspension lifts provide more complete tire clearance.
Body lift: No effect on ride quality. The suspension is untouched, so the truck rides exactly as it did from the factory.
Suspension lift: Varies widely depending on quality. Budget spacer lifts with stock shocks can make the ride harsher and bouncier. Quality suspension lifts with matched springs and adjustable shocks can actually improve ride quality over stock by providing better damping and travel. here
Body lift: Minimal improvement. You may gain some clearance from larger tires, but the suspension's capability is unchanged. Axle clearance, approach angles, and articulation remain stock.
Suspension lift: Significant improvement. More ground clearance, better approach and departure angles, potentially more suspension travel, and the ability to fit substantially larger tires. For serious off-road use, a suspension lift is the only option that delivers meaningful improvement. here
Body lift: Relatively simple. The truck body is raised, spacers are installed, and body-mount bolts are tightened. The main challenges are extending the steering column, shifter linkage, radiator hoses, and any other connections between the body and frame. On modern trucks with electronic shift-by-wire systems, even some of those challenges are eliminated.
Suspension lift: More complex. Depending on the kit, installation may involve replacing springs, shocks, control arms, track bars, sway bar links, brake lines, driveshafts, and steering components. A comprehensive suspension lift can take two to four times longer to install than a body lift.
Body lift: The truck looks taller, but observant eyes will notice the gap between the body and frame. This gap is visible at the front bumper, behind the cab, and along the rocker panels. Gap guards help but do not completely eliminate the visual. The bumpers also stay at frame height, which can look disproportionate.
Suspension lift: The entire truck — body, frame, bumpers, and all — rises uniformly. There is no gap because the body-to-frame relationship is unchanged. The proportions look natural, especially with properly sized tires.
Suspension lifts look more integrated and proportional.
A body lift is a reasonable choice when:
A suspension lift is the right choice when:
After installing lift kits on hundreds of trucks, Jeeps, and SUVs at Redline Auto Creations, our standard recommendation is a suspension lift for the vast majority of builds. The improvement in ground clearance, tire fitment, ride quality (with the right components), and overall appearance makes it the better investment for most truck owners.
We install body lifts when the situation calls for it — typically on strict-budget builds or as a supplement to a suspension lift on competition rigs. But for the owner who wants one lift done right, a quality suspension lift delivers more value per dollar in the long run.
Ready to lift your truck? Call Redline Auto Creations at (813) 544-4009, visit us at 11626 N Florida Ave in Tampa, or here to discuss which lift is right for your build.
At Redline Auto Creations, we specialize in crafting custom vehicles with precision and passion. From wheels and tires to suspension, performance upgrades, and custom designs, we bring your vision to life. Contact us today and transform your ride.
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