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Can You Use Stock Tires with Leveling Kit?

Can You Use Stock Tires with Leveling Kit?

Every driver wants to level the front and rear of the vehicle to give it a different look. When we want to level the new truck having stock tires, leveling kits are the best option for raising the front suspension. 

Can You Use Stock Tires with Leveling Kit? You can use stock tires with leveling kits to level the truck’s front side with the back. Stock tires are original tires present in the truck when they are new. Leveling kits are used to raise the front of the vehicle by a few inches to increase the ground clearance. It can cause even distribution of weight on all corners, improving the vehicle’s towing capacities and handling. However, it reduces fuel economy and causes the suspension to wear out quickly. 

These kits are the least expensive option for leveling a truck.

What are stock tires?

These tires are designed by the manufacturer specifically for the vehicle. The manufacturer fits them into the new vehicle according to the specific features of the truck.

Therefore, they are not present in the warehouse and can differ from the other tires of the same brand. They can last up to 50000 to 60000 miles and last even longer with proper maintenance.

They are original tires that are tested to improve the vehicle’s handling during driving. They have a warranty specified by the manufacturer but tend to wear fast on rough roads.

What are Leveling kits?

These kits are designed to raise the front end of the truck to match the height of the front side with the backside.

Manufacturers purposely lower the front end of the pickup to lower the wind resistance and improves aerodynamics. In addition, these kits raise the front end away from the axle.

They can lift the front side to about 2 to 3 inches. Some types of these can raise the front to about 10 inches.

Is it OK to use stock tires with leveling kit?

Many people use leveling kit with their stock tires. They will only level the front of the truck front and back, and you will feel the difference in the looks of your pickup. They do not hurt the stock tires in any way.

But keep in mind that you can slightly raise the front end with it. When you lift it higher, it will create a difference in the heights of the front and rear sides.

This is because stock tires are relatively short as compared to aftermarket tires. So you have to make other alterations when you want to raise it higher.

Your pickup also needs alignment after using the leveling kit with original tires.

You have to adjust the position of the steering and axle after leveling both sides of the truck. Some kits come with specific components to align the parts of the pickup.

Why would you use leveling kits with stock tires?

It has many benefits for the better performance of the vehicle when you use them with stock tires. Here is a brief description of these advantages.

Even distribution of the weight

One main advantage of these kits is they help in balancing the weight on both ends of the truck.

It uplifts the sagging side of the vehicle and provides balance during driving.

It helps in driving the pickup smoothly on a rough road. It also prevents the front end and bumper from being damaged by rocks and mud.

Improve towing capacities

Some drivers want to add a winch or bumper on the truck’s front side.

These components will put extra weight on the front side. These kits will help in balancing this weight on all corners. 

You can also attach other equipment on the front side after leveling it with the rear side.

Even distribution of weight also increases the revolving speed of the stock tires and helps the vehicle move faster.

You can also use the truck in winter for snow plowing due to increased towing capacities.

Improves handling

These kits also help you control all parts of the vehicle during driving. They lower the load or stress on the front of the truck.

It also reduces stress on the suspension and braking system of the pickup.

It helps you apply brakes without damaging the suspension and brake pads in an emergency. You can also handle the steering smoothly due to lesser stress or load.

It also uplifts the running boards that are close to the ground.

In this way, you can protect them from damage due to dirt and debris. In addition, the running boards are less likely to get damaged when raised a few inches higher from the ground.

Inexpensive

They are easy to install, inexpensive, and do not have complicated hardware for installation. Compared to lift kits, they only require a few parts to lift the front end to a few inches.

You do not have to adjust all the parts of the vehicle.

For example, in lift kits, you have to change the shocks to fit them with the equipment. But with these kits, you can use the original shocks.

Disadvantages of using leveling kits with stock tires

There are a few disadvantages of the leveling Kits when using them with stock tires. Here is a brief description of all the of them.

Reduce fuel economy

The leveling kits match the height of the front end to the rear end and thus disturb the aerodynamics of the truck.

The higher front end will face more wind resistance during driving. In addition, the pickup will face more drag resistance due to the increased height of the front side.

The driver has to put extra effort into driving the pickup. As a result, the engine will spend more fuel to drive, especially when hauling a heavy load.

It reduces the mileage of the vehicle by many folds. The MPG of the pickup is increased, and you have to spend more money on refilling engine fuel.

Damage the suspension

It can affect the performance of the suspension of the truck. It exerts more pressure on the suspension system and causes it to wear out quickly.

It can decrease the lifespan of the suspension to many folds. Not only suspension, but it can also adversely affect other parts of the pickup.

Making any change in the truck will also affect the working of the other parts. It also causes the ball joints and front joints to wear out more quickly.

Can I replace the stock tires with bigger tires using leveling kit?

You can replace the stock tires with bigger tires using leveling kits.

These kits lift the front side and increase the truck’s ground clearance. In addition, it will allow you to put on larger tires. But how big a tire to put is a matter of concern.

It depends upon the type of pickup and kit you are using. For example, some kits allow a 1 to 2 inches increase in height.

So you can replace the stock tires with 1 to 2 inches bigger tires.

The manufacturer gives guidelines about the tire size of the truck. Bigger tires are beneficial when you are hitting a rough or rocky road.

Some drivers want to change the look of the vehicle. So using a leveling kit with bigger tires will change the overall appearance.

Tires higher than 2 inches can cause several problems for your pickup. First, it can over-compress the shock and bend them during suspension articulation. 

It can damage the acceleration and MPG value of the truck. In addition, larger tires can make the odometer and speedometer dysfunctional.

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