Do you want to stand out on the road with your Ram 1500? Want to go off-road? Do you want larger tires? More ground clearance? A simple way is to install a lift kit. It's an aftermarket product that contains a set of parts from a third-party manufacturer that's meant to lift the truck. (To put it simply.) But we bet you have some questions:
- Are Lift Kits and Leveling Kits the same?
Generally, yes, they both lift a vehicle, but they address different goals and lift the truck in different ways. So, if you want to get technical, no, they're not the same.
A leveling kit is used to make the truck front and rear even since trucks usually have a higher rear height for heavy loads. If you don't use your truck to haul anything, then the height difference might be annoying for you. These leveling kits tend to only lift around 1 to 2 inches and they tend to be easier to install than lift kits.
A lift kit gives your truck more ground clearance, more off-road capability, an opportunity for larger tires, and more height in general. They can give you a lift from 1 to 7 inches but are usually more difficult to install. You might need to get a professional.
Nope. There are two kinds of lift kits: body lift kits and suspension lift kits.
Body lift kits lift the body of the truck using spacers under the cab, usually to make room for bigger tires. These usually don't affect driving performance. Suspension lift kits are more serious, lifting the truck's height, ground clearance, and center of gravity. Some kits require you to switch out suspension and drive train parts so your driving performance can change a lot.
The Zone Offroad 1.5" Body Lift Kit is a great way to give yourself a little lift without getting serious about spending, although it won't do much for adding ground clearance. The kit comes with everything you need, including: grade 10.9 body bolts (really long-wearing and strong carbon steel bolts), spare tire winch relocation, and rear bumper step support.
You also don't need special tools to make the install happen. It's generally a bolt-on only installation (so should be pretty easy), but there are times that you'll need to do some minor drilling and cutting into parts of the truck. So, if you feel uncomfortable with that then you'll also need to think about the cost of hiring someone. The lift is done through indestructible body blocks, giving you about a 1.5" lift in the front and the rear. With this kit, you can install up to 33" tires.
- Lift Height: 1.5"
- Ram 1500 Compatibility: 2009 - 2017 2WD/4WD; not for Mega Cab models; will work with 3.0L diesel models
We like this Zone Offroad kit because it's relatively easy to install and should take about an afternoon to complete (about 3 to 5 hours). If you don't like showing off your truck mods, this kit also has parts to relocate your front and rear bumpers so you can keep the factory look of your Ram 1500. Plus, the kit only deals with the body, that's it. You're not going to mess with the feel of the ride. It's a simple mod that'll give you that height boost and change the body lines of your truck without a big money commitment.
Another Zone Offroad product! But for good reason - the company has a good standing reputation for offering quality products at reasonable prices. If you want a little higher lift, this 2.5" kit is probably for you. It's a little harder to install than the 1.5" kit, but it's a 100% bolt-on system. You'll get a 2.5" lift in the front with coil spacers and a 2" rear lift with a block kit. The kit also comes with a U-bolt kit so your truck's spring has the strongest support. The maximum compatible tire size is 33".
We like this 2.5" lift kit because you can still install it yourself if you're a careful beginner and have about four hours to spare. And with its 100% bolt-on system, you don't need any special tools. But with its extremely affordable price, if you do need to ask for help, you still have lots of cash. Like the 1.5" kit, it won't mess with your truck's driving performance so you'll keep the same ride feeling. There's also an opportunity to improve your shocks in the installation process too. (Replacement shocks are sold separately.) The coil spring and blocks are black powder-coated so they'll last a long time too.
If you want to go bigger, (but maybe not too big) this Supreme Suspensions lift kit might be for you. The kit includes two front strut spacers made out of anodized 6061-T6 billet aluminum and two rear lift spacers CNC milled from solid Delrin thermoplastic. The aluminum is well-known for its strength and toughness, and it won't compress under any heavy load. The Delrin's properties include high-wear resistance, stiffness, and strength, perfect for any heavy-duty job your truck needs to do. Like the previously mentioned 2.5" lift kit, it's a bolt-on system. You'll increase ground clearance and you'll be able to fit 35" tires with this kit too.
- Lift Height: Front 3.5", Rear 2"
- Ram 1500 Compatibility: 2009 - 2018 4WD; not for 1500 Mega Cab, TRX or Rebel models
This Supreme Suspensions lift kit is affordable, long-lasting, and shouldn't take long to install. (It's supposedly a 2-4 hour process, but we'd recommend that you go to YouTube for an assist - you might not like the included instructions. We've linked a video that should help with the front spacers below.) The materials of the front and rear spacers are precision parts that are meant to last as long as your truck does, which means great value for a <$200 lift kit.
It's a general rule that the larger the lift, the more expensive the kit gets. You'll see that here. However, it doesn't mean that it's not worth the cost. The way the kit was designed it removes the need to install expensive parts, making it work at the same level as a 4WD lift kit. You'll get lift spindles, extended, DOT-compliant brake lines, rear coils, track bar/sway bar brackets, and nitrogen-charged twin-tube shocks. It'll clear up to 35" tires.
A larger lift does bring a few more challenges. If you're knowledgable about your truck, you'll probably be able to figure out how to install the kit yourself in about a day, but if not, it's probably better to get a professional for this. And if you have a model with a two-piece driveshaft, you'll need to also get Max Trac's Carrier Bearing Spacer Kit.
- Lift Height: 4.5"
- Ram 1500 Compatibility: 2009 - 2018 2WD; no Air Ride models
We like this kit because of how it makes the Ram 1500 look - you'll get heads turning no matter where you go. Plus, because of the way the kit is designed, you'll be able to keep the same ride performance. The included rear springs are made for those adventurous drivers that like to go way, way offroad for fun. Even if you don't prefer that kind of driving, having the ability to tackle any terrain is really nice.
So you want to get serious about your lift, ok, we get it. This 6" Zone Offroad suspension kit probably is the kit for you. It comes with front and rear cross members, CNC milled steering knuckles, strut spacers, a differential skid plate, and sway bar links. It also comes with 3" rear coil springs to help level the truck. (There's also the same kit with 5" rear springs .) The largest tires you can fit are 37". Unfortunately, the kit isn't for beginners; you'll need a professional to install it for you.
- Lift Height: Front 6", Rear 3"
- Ram 1500 Compatibility: 2013 - 2018 4WD; no Air Ride, AWD, and TRX model
It's definitely not the cheapest on this list, but you need more parts to get you that bigger lift. But you'll get what you pay for! Those parts are high quality, strong, long-lasting, and have been independently tested to comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 126. (It means that the kit will work with the electronic stability control that's required for certain vehicles as defined in the regulation.) Plus, everything in this kit, from the shocks to the differential skid plate is so that your truck is prepared to conquer any terrain with ease.
Final Thoughts on the Best Lift Kits for Ram 1500
So, what do you think? Have an idea of what lift kit you want? To make it easy to think about, it basically comes down to a few things: the cost, how big a lift you want, and how you want to use your truck. The first product we mentioned, the Zone Offroad 1.5" Body Lift Kit, gives you a low-key lift for a low price, but no off-roading with this kit! The second product was the Zone Offroad 2" Suspension Lift Kit. It has a reasonable price and the opportunity for off-roading, although maybe nothing too extreme. The third was the Supreme Suspensions 3.5" Lift Kit, and it provides great quality parts for a low price, plus you can get bigger tires for more extreme off-roading adventures. The next product was the MaxTrac 4.5" lift kit with shocks. This kit is a splurge but it's perfect for the adventurous, I-don't-need-roads driver. The final product was the Zone Offroad 6" lift kit with 3" shocks. It's the most expensive kit on the list and requires professional installation but with it, you'll get an incredible, towering 6" lift and it's all legal and compliant when you're having fun leaving everyone behind.