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Updated on Nov 20, 2024
Over the years, we've seen a significant rise in factory-built, off-road-centric pickup models, and Toyota is no exception! Tundra TRD Sport and Pro packages offer several benefits over base model trims, including factory lifts, larger tires, and improved off-road performance. Unfortunately, these options also command hefty price tags.
And unfortunately, if you don’t opt into pricey, high-end, off-road packages, you're left with a low, heavily raked, and under-tired Tundra. Especially on the dealership lot beside a TRD Pro, a non-TRD model looks...dare we say, forgettable? Luckily, you aren't stuck with your pickup’s low factory ride height!
At RealTruck, we offer several lift kits for the Toyota Tundra, giving your pickup the attitude and altitude adjustment it deserves! In this feature, our experts discuss lift kits for Toyota’s flagship full-size pickup: the Tundra. We’re covering all of your leading questions, including the various lift kit styles, the qualities that differentiate each from the others, and our top products in each lift category.
Pickup owners opt to install lift kits for numerous reasons, though the two most commonly cited are aesthetics and off-road performance.
Regarding aesthetics, there aren't many who’d argue that a lift kit makes a pickup look worse…quite the contrary! Lift and leveling kits provide your Tundra with a tough, aggressive stance, only improved with aftermarket wheels and oversized tires.
Regarding off-road performance, ample ground clearance, fender clearance, and articulation are key qualities of an effective suspension in the dirt, and a lift kit provides all three! Lift kits also improve fender clearances, making room for aggressive, oversized tires to claw through challenging obstacles with ease!
Lift kits come in several shapes and sizes, ranging from mild body lifts and leveling kits to sizable coilover suspension lifts! In this section, we’re covering the top lift kit styles and some pros and cons of each.
Body lifts are an unconventional lift style featuring several high-density composite or alloy spacers installed between the body and frame mounts. As a result, your Tundra’s body is effectively lifted over the chassis, resulting in a taller overall ride height and increased fender clearances.
Though cost-effective, body lifts come with some drawbacks. These kits don’t alter your pickup’s suspension, which maintains on-road ride quality, but won’t necessarily improve ground clearance. Since the frame and chassis remain at the same height, body lifts offer little to no improvements in off-road performance.
Pros:
Cost-effective
Maintains factory ride quality
Retains payload and towing capacities
Increases tire clearance
Cons:
Typically requires cutting and trimming of frame horns for bumper relocation brackets
Minimal lift; approximately 1–3 inches
Time-consuming installation
Leveling kits are another cost-effective lift style, altering only the front suspension to even out your Tundra’s factory rake. These kits utilize strut spacers or lift struts to raise the front ride height by 1–3 inches, thus eliminating your Tundra’s unattractive, ‘stink bug’ stance.
Pros:
Balances stance
Increases front ride height, ground clearance, and tire clearance
Retains factory towing characteristics
Cost-effective
Bolt-on installation
Cons:
May cause a reverse rake while towing/hauling
Minimal lift; approximately 1–3 inches
Basic lift kits are cost-effective suspension upgrades aimed solely at increasing ride height. Unlike high-end coilover lift kits, basic lift kits utilize lift blocks, strut spacers, and drop brackets to keep costs low while providing a safe and durable suspension system.
Basic suspension lifts offer little to no improvement in off-road performance. As previously mentioned, their main goal is increasing ride height rather than performance. Aside from increasing ground and fender clearances, these kits typically retain stock levels of travel and suspension damping.
Pros:
Offered in various lift heights
Improves ground and tire clearances
Improves aesthetics
Most affordable suspension lift style
Cons:
May alter on-road performance
May require modifications (cutting, drilling, etc.)
For maximum performance on and off-road, you can’t beat a coilover suspension lift. These kits utilize several similar, if not identical components to basic lifts; however, damping is where they blow the competition away!
Coilover suspension lifts ditch budget-minded strut spacers, shock extenders, and simple monotube dampers for performance-oriented front coilovers and rear shocks, improving travel and ride quality on and off-road! These kits are engineered for looks and aesthetics, making them ideal for daily-driven Tundras that rack up a fair share of dirt miles on the weekends.
Pros:
Offered in various lift heights
Improved ground and tire clearances
Improved aesthetic
(Typically) bolt-on installation
Improved on and off-road performance
Cons:
The priciest of conventional suspension lifts
With a base understanding of the popular lift kit styles on the market, it’s time for our staff's top picks! Each of the following products has been carefully selected by our experts, ensuring the ideal blend of build quality, on and off-road performance, and overall best value.
Performance Accessories is one of the leaders in high-end, American-made body lifts, offering exceptional build quality, factory comfort, and a rugged stance!
The company’s 3” Body Lift Kit includes everything necessary for installation, including 3-inch fiberglass-reinforced nylon body blocks, laser-cut brackets, and high-strength hardware. Performance Accessories backs each body lift with a limited lifetime warranty, guarding against defects in materials and manufacturing.
Features:
Maintains factory ride quality
Allows installation of larger wheels and tires
Does not alter factory suspension geometry or stability control
Fiberglass-reinforced nylon body blocks
Laser-cut fittings and brackets
High strength hardware
USA-made
Limited lifetime warranty
Rancho Level-It Leveling Kits are a budget-friendly, high-quality product engineered to level out your Tundra’s factory rake, creating a uniform ride height from front to back.
Unlike lesser-quality kits, which include generic strut spacers for a harsh ride, Rancho Level-It kits include complete lift strut assemblies, increasing ride height and quality! These kits feature a simple bolt-on installation without any modifications.
Rancho proudly manufactures each Level-It Leveling Kit in the USA and backs it with a limited lifetime warranty.
Features:
Eliminates factory rake
Improves stability for larger wheel and tire combinations
All mounting hardware included
Simple bolt-on installation
USA-made
Limited lifetime warranty
ReadyLIFT is a popular manufacturer in the lift and leveling kit market, renowned for its high-quality suspension systems at prices that won't break the bank! The ReadyLIFT 4” SST Lift Kit is no exception, including everything necessary to lift your Tundra by a uniform 4 inches.
ReadyLIFT manufactures its lift kits in the USA from only the finest quality materials, and all alloy components are corrosion-resistant for superior longevity. If that’s not enough, ReadyLIFT backs each 4” SST Lift Kit with a limited lifetime warranty!
Features:
Retain your factory ride quality while achieving maximum lift
Allows you to add larger wheels and tires
Steel kits have a durable powder coat finish
Aluminum kits are resistant to corrosion
All mounting hardware is included
No drilling or welding
USA-made
Limited lifetime warranty
If you’re looking to outrun a TRD Pro on the trail, consider a premium Superlift 3” Coilover Lift Kit from RealTruck! This product packs only the best components to ensure maximum comfort on and off-road, including USA-made control arms and brackets, high-grade hardware, performance-tuned King Off-Road Racing front coilovers, and King rear dampers. Whether you’re hitting the trail or carving through a windy backroad, a Superlift-equipped Tundra is up for the task!
Superlift is a RealTruck brand. When you purchase a 3” Coilover Lift Kit or any other Superlift product from us, you’re ordering directly from the manufacturer. We back each Superlift lift kit with a limited lifetime warranty.
Features:
Complete front and rear lift kit
Vehicle-specific fitment
Includes all required installation hardware
Comes with King Off-Road Racing coilovers and shocks
USA-made
Limited lifetime warranty
RealTruck is your home for the best products to outfit your build for unforgettable adventures.
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