Does Your Plow Truck Need a Leveling Kit?

Looking to increase your plow vehicle ground clearance and ride height? A leveling kit may be just what you need to help raise the front end of your truck to align with the rear stock ride height. A truck is made to carry heavy loads in the bed, which is one of the reasons why the rear of the vehicle usually sits higher than the front.

Once you attach a plow, the weight of it forces the suspension to compress causing you to lose ride height in the front end. Most leveling kits offer between 1-3 inches of additional lift to the front end of the truck. This levels out the vehicle and helps carry a front mounted device including a snowplow.

A Brief History on Fuel Efficiency Improvements

When truck manufacturers started implementing fuel efficiency improvements in the early 2000’s, the changes impacted the design of many pickup trucks by lowering front end. This boosted the aerodynamics, which creates better fuel efficiency but can be problematic for snow plow installations because the front end can sit too low to the ground depending on the vehicle.

What Are the Benefits of a Leveling Kit?

Other than being able to simply install a snowplow, there are other key reasons why you may want to have a leveling kit installed on your vehicle:

• Proper Mount Attachment Height—a leveling kit may be needed to raise your truck’s mount attachment height within the specified range. A plow attached in the specified mount height range will scrape better, trip as intended as well as provide even cutting edge wear.

• Higher Plow Clearance—this is one of the greatest reasons why people install a leveling kit on their plow truck. When the front end is too low, the possibility of making contact with the road surface is greater. Especially when making grade changing transitions from one road surface to another such as pulling into a steep driveway. It can also make stacking snow more difficult because it doesn’t allow the plow to lift as high.

• Improved Vehicle Weight Distribution—when carrying a plow, the front suspension compresses causing the back of the truck to rise slightly, shifting the vehicles weight distribution. A leveling kit will improve the weight distribution for more effective truck handling and stopping. Make sure that your truck is also properly ballasted for the model of plow installed.

NOTE: Since a leveling kit modifies the suspension, you may need a wheel alignment after installation.

If you’re thinking about adding a leveling kit to your vehicle, it’s best to consult your local dealer for a hands-on assessment. Leveling kits are not a one-size-fits-all solution and should be designed for your vehicle’s specific make and model.