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Best Lift Kits for the Ford F-250

Updated on Sep 16, 2024

As not just Ford’s best-selling vehicle but the best-selling vehicle in the United States for the past 41 consecutive years, the Ford F-series truck is a true American icon. That means that, for 41 years, businesses and individuals alike have viewed the Ford F-Series lineup–comprising the F-150, F-250, F-350, and other heavy-duty chassis–as the most premium, reliable, feature-packed, and all-around best vehicle on the market. While a true testament to Ford’s quality, the pickup's monstrous sales figures also suggest something else: there are a ton of F-Series trucks on the road. So, what sets your F-250 apart from the 15 million-plus other pickups sporting the iconic blue oval? What about a quality lift kit?

Lift kits offer one of the most significant and notable changes to your F-250, both in performance and aesthetics. However, lifting a heavy-duty, ¾-ton truck comes with unique challenges. Firstly, ¾-ton pickups are used primarily for work, including hauling heavy loads, towing trailers, and tackling challenging terrain. As a result, lift manufacturers must produce kits that maintain the premier qualities of the ¾-ton truck, such as payload capacity, towing capacity, and overall durability, so as not to reduce practicality.

However, even with these strict requirements, there’s still a massive assortment of lift products on the market. So much so that it can be challenging to narrow your selection to a specific lift height and type, let alone a single product. Luckily, the experts at RealTruck are here to help guide you toward a well-informed decision. In this guide, we tackle everything you need to know about lift kits for the Ford F-250, including the various lift kit types, each’s pros and cons, and our top selections for each category.

F-250 Lift Kit Types

Before we get into our favorite lift kits, it’s imperative to understand the distinctions between the different types of lift kits, including what they modify to achieve their claimed lift, as well as some pros and cons of each.

Body Lifts

Body lifts are an entry-level lift, often paired with a suspension lift or leveling kit to bolster the overall height of your F-250. These kits leave your F-250’s suspension alone, instead focusing on–you guessed it–the body. Body lifts increase the distance between your F-250’s body and chassis using synthetic plastic or alloy pucks/spacers positioned between the cab/bed/front clip and body mounts on the frame, thus “lifting” the body over the chassis. As a result, the overall height and tire clearances are increased, though your F-250’s ride quality remains the same as factory.

Pros:

Inexpensive
Maintains factory ride quality
Retains payload and towing capacities
Increases tire clearances

Cons:

May result in noticeable gaps between the body and frame
May expose more of the frame beneath the body
Typically requires cutting and trimming of frame horns for bumper relocation brackets
Minimal lift; approximately 1–3 inches

Leveling Kits

Most F-250s (besides Tremor packages) roll off the assembly line with a substantial forward rake, meaning that the front sits 2–3 inches lower than the rear; manufacturers opt for this uneven stance for a few reasons. First, a taller rear suspension typically has more uptravel, which allows the truck to tow and haul more without bottoming out or sagging–which is especially important in a heavy-duty pickup. Secondly, the low front ride height keeps the overall stance lower, easing entry into the cab. Thirdly, the uneven stance levels out with a load in the bed or trailer on the hitch, keeping your truck from sitting nose-high when you put it to work.

While the forward rake does serve a purpose, it doesn’t make for the toughest or most visually-pleasing stance when unloaded. There are also numerous ways to reduce rear-end sag while towing, like air bags and load-distributing hitches. For this reason, several truck owners opt to eliminate the factory rake and install a leveling kit, which employs products like coil spacers, taller coil springs, and longer shocks to raise the front end by 2–3 inches, thus leveling the stance.

Pros:

Improves stance
Increases front ride height
Improves front ground and tire clearances
Retains factory towing characteristics
Typically affordable
Can improve off and on-road performance
Bolt-on installation

Cons:

Retains rear ride height
May cause a reverse rake while towing/hauling
Minimal lift; approximately 1–3 inches

Basic Suspension Lifts

While there are several types of suspension lifts, the two most commonly encountered are basic and coilover. The former–basic–is typically a simpler and more affordable version, utilizing components like coil spacers, longer coil springs, drop brackets, lift blocks, and shock spacers to accomplish the lift; however, ride quality tends to take a backseat. While not noticeably poor, basic lift kits may result in a minor decrease in driveability, especially at high speeds or while towing. Off-road performance generally remains the same or marginally better, though any improvement is due primarily to oversized tires and increased ground clearance.

Regardless, these kits are ideal for daily drivers and mild-wheelers. However, if you tow regularly or plan to frequent the local trails, other options on this list will likely suit your needs better.

Pros:

Variable ride height increases
Improved ground and tire clearances
Improved aesthetic
(Typically) bolt-on
Most affordable suspension lift

Cons:

May alter on-road performance.

Coilover Suspension Lifts

Coilover suspension lifts are similar to basic lift kits besides the shock/strut/coil spring setup. Rather than employing strut spacers, taller coil springs, and longer shocks, coilover lifts utilize high-performance bolt-on coilovers up front to increase ride height and overall handling performance, both on and off-road. Rear damping gets handled by premium monotube or remote-reservoir shocks.

Pros:

Variable ride height increases
Improved ground and tire clearances
Improved aesthetic
(Typically) bolt-on
Improved on and off-road performance

Cons:

Priciest of conventional suspension lifts

Top Lift Kits

Now that we’ve covered the lift types you’ll most commonly encounter for your F-250, let’s look at our expert-curated lifts.

Top Body Lift: Zone 3" Body Lift Kits

As a leading manufacturer of performance body lifts, Zone Offroad knows a thing or two about increasing ground and tire clearances on a budget. Zone’s 3” Body Lift Kit includes everything you’ll need to lift your F-250, including heavy-duty thermoplastic lift blocks, bracketry, and all hardware, ensuring a straightforward installation. Since Zone body lifts retain your F-250’s original suspension, there’s no reduction in ride quality or performance!

Features:

Maintains factory ride
Easy installation
60,000lb capacity crush-proof body blocks
Blocks constructed from thermoplastic synthetic resin
All necessary hardware is included
Limited lifetime warranty

Top Leveling Kit: ReadyLIFT SST Leveling Kits

ReadyLIFT SST Leveling Kits offer a significant aesthetic upgrade at a budget-minded price point! These heavy-duty alloy leveling kits are constructed from corrosion-resistant aluminum or powder-coated steel, ensuring maximum strength and longevity. All kits are engineered for a quick, bolt-on installation in a couple hours, saving you time and money on lengthy and intricate installations. And since the rear suspension is unmodified, there’s no reduction in towing performance or payload capacity.

Features:

Lifts the front of your truck without sacrificing ride quality
Allows you to add up to 37" tires on select applications
Fast and simple installation process takes about 1/3 the time of other kits
Steel kits have a durable powder coat finish
Aluminum kits are resistant to corrosion
Coil spring spacers, torsion bar keys & strut spacers are available
All mounting hardware is included
Made in the USA

Top Basic Suspension Lift: Superlift 6" Basic Lift Kits

Superlift is one of the most popular manufacturers of suspension lifts, and for a good reason! The company is renowned for producing high-quality, cost-effective kits at various lift heights and price points, ensuring a product for every application. The Superlift 6” Basic Lift Kit is no exception, including heavy-duty steel drop brackets, lift spindles, and coil spacers. While the kit wont excel in extreme off-road situations, it offers excellent on-road performance and significantly improved aesthetics.

Features:

Complete front and rear lift kit
Vehicle specific fitment
Includes all required installation hardware
Most kits are available with Superlift or Bilstein shocks
Backed by a limited lifetime warranty
Made in the USA

Top Coilover Suspension Lift: Icon 3" - 6.5" Adjustable Lift Kits

Icon Vehicle Dynamics is a leading manufacturer of high-end, off-road-centric suspension components for everything from Jeeps to SUVs and pickups. Regarding high-end coilover suspension lifts for your Super Duty, the Icon 3”–6.5” Adjustable Lift Kit is tough to beat. This lift kit features high-end bolt-on remote-reservoir coilovers up front, piggyback CDCV shocks in the rear, and all associated brackets and hardware to match; installation is a simple bolt-on procedure requiring little to no modifications.

While more expensive than the other options on this list, the Icon Adjustable Lift Kit offers exceptional on and off-road performance, full adjustability, and unbeatable quality.

Features: