Lifted trucks for street use: Why?

qslim

qslim

The Man with the Big Yellow Car
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Personally I've never been a truck guy. Been a motorhead all my life, but never saw trucks as anything other than something to provide utility. My DD these days is a 1500 Silverado - it's a great driving truck, tows confidently, mobs it up in the mountains during the winter for skiing, and generally does everything I need it to. When I drive around here in Utah I feel like I'm the only dude without a honkin' bro-dozer sitting 4+ inches high with twin steering dampeners.

So what's the point of lifting a full-size truck? They're too big to take off-road to most of the trails I frequent, I can't imagine it helps with the on-street driveability and handling manners, and getting in and out all time would seem like a pain in the ass. Hell, my TJ with a 4" lift and 33s sucks on the street. If I had to DD it I'd lower it and put normal tires on it.

A few of my coworkers have commented that my truck needs a lift and don't understand why.
 
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In the south they are doing the “squat”

raising the front end leaving the rear at stock height.

looks stupid. Reverse rake of the nova and other 70s cars.
 
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Pulled this from the Internet since I’m not in NC anymore

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Do we need lift on our jeeps? For the trails I do, I could have stayed with stock height. I've seen some nicely lifted trucks, but your point is valid. Most people don't need a lifted truck.

I use my truck for towing, so lifting would be counterproductive. My OEM tires are effectively 33", and I love that my truck has running board to climb in.
 
I shake my head when I see lifted pickups. Guys go buy a diesel 4x4 and jack it up. What for??? Compensate like others have said is my opinion too. Take a very capable powerful truck and make it totally useless. Can’t carry, or even easily, load the box with any real weight and safely drive with any stability. Can’t tow properly, either fifth wheel or regular. I have a 3500 Ram 4x4 dually for both hauling and towing at the same time. Any lift and it’d be dangerously useless.
Same goes for putting 22.5” wheels on with stupid weak adaptors on a dually, all ugly show in my opinion.
You want to off-road, you but something like our jeeps or an atv etc.
 
Bababooey said:
I have a lifted truck. I also have a Miata. I always forget if I’m over compensating or gay.
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Lol it evens you right out.

I've been in the market for another clean NB. I think having a doorless/topless TJ in driveway parked next to a Miata with the top down would make for the best weekend fun package.
 
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Equilibrium31 said:
From my experience watching lifted trucks in Texas, apparently it helps you drive faster on the highway.

I'm guessing this because it always seemed that the bigger the lift, the faster and more wreckless the person would drive.
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Same here in Utah. When I first moved here from the east coast I immediately recognized lifted trucks as the west's version of ricers when it comes to darting in and out of traffic.
 
Maybe they just do it because they want to. Lord knows that's why I do so much of the stuff I do. I don't particularly care what someone else thinks when it comes to my vehicles, which pretty much allows me to modify them as I see fit. Lowriders make the least sense of all vehicles, and yet I love the old school ones. Tail draggers of yesteryear are awesome, as well. Lifted vehicles are just the extreme opposite. Whatever works for ya.
 
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