Did you know that truck sales represent almost 20% of car sales in the US? This means that almost one-fifth of cars on the road are trucks! They are the most common vehicles in operation today.
Trucks are beloved vehicles for offroad sports enthusiasts, mountain dwellers, and people who simply appreciate the craftsmanship of a good, solid truck. Owing a truck allows more freedom than other types of cars, and due to the nature of their use might need maintenance more often than other cars.
To own a truck, you should know how to lift a truck. While it might seem intimidating at first, this process is not that difficult and makes it much easier to maintain and upgrade your vehicle.
Reasons to Lift a Truck
Many people choose to get all their maintenance done by professionals, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, repeated visits to car maintenance shops can be pricey, even for simple procedures.
If you know a thing or two about cars or are willing to learn, maintaining your car at home can be a great way to save money in the long term. This way, you only need to visit the professionals when you encounter more serious maintenance problems.
Sometimes you might also want to change your tires depending on the season, a trip you’re planning, or simply to replace worn down tires. Changing your wheels to the best truck wheels available is simple and easy when you’re skilled at lifting a truck!
How to Lift a Truck
To lift a truck, you’ll need a few pieces of equipment. While this equipment can be expensive, in the long run, you’ll save money by avoiding a maintenance shop:
- Vehicle jack/jack stands
- Screwdriver
- Socket wrench
- Lug wrench
- Torque wrench
First, you’ll have to prepare your vehicle by removing the negative battery cable. To make your tires easier to replace, you should also loosen the lug nuts on the tires with your lug wrench.
Use your jack and jack stands to raise the vehicle. Allow for some time with this procedure, because you want to ensure the vehicle’s center of gravity is exactly in the middle. You don’t want to raise one side too fast or too high.
Remove the wheels and tires.
If you’re installing a new truck lift, remove the U-Bolts, shocks, and springs. Then attach the new bolts. There should be an instruction manual included with your lift kit, so attach the bolts according to this manual as the specifics vary by vehicle.
Place your new tires and secure all lug nuts. Then carefully lower the vehicle while maintaining the center of gravity. The truck should be as level as possible.
This is a time-consuming process, especially if installing a whole new lift kit, so don’t plan to do this right before a trip. If it’s your first time, allocate a whole weekend to the process.
Upgrade Your Truck Today
When buying a truck or owning a truck, the more maintenance you can do at home, the better! Whether you want to install a new truck lift kit or just replace your tires, it’s important to know how to lift a truck. This process will get easier with practice, so take your time and learn the steps.
If you enjoyed this content, you’re sure to enjoy our other lifestyle advice, so check out our other posts for more!