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Did you know that pickups don’t come level from the factory? There’s actually quite a few different reasons that they don’t level a truck during production, and we’ll go through them one by one so you can understand why this is, and so you can decide if you want to buy an aftermarket leveling kit or not.
So why aren’t pickups level from factory? Pickups are primarily not level from factory, because the bed will drop down slightly when towing, when this happens, it pushes the nose up and hurts visibility. Pickups also aren’t level to help with handling, as well as aerodynamics.
1. Towing with a pickup that isn’t level
The primary reason behind why pickups are lower in the front, and higher in the back comes down to towing. Any time a pickup truck is towing something, it’s level will change because the height of the hitch receiver has changed due to the weight. The more weight you tow behind your truck, the greater that the nose will raise, and the rear will lower.
Because of this, if the truck is level to start off with, and you tow, then the nose starts to point upwards and gives you considerably less view of the road in front of you.
Manufacturers offset this issue by leaving the nose lower than the rear, and then the truck levels itself when you are towing, keeping you safe.
2. Aerodynamics of the pickup for gas mileage
While this isn’t quite as much of a reason, having the truck lower in the front helps a little bit with aerodynamics because the air is flowing past the truck in a more fluid way.
This not only saves you gas at the pump by getting you better gas mileage, but it also helps company be able to build more, larger vehicles, because they are required to keep to a certain gas mileage average for every vehicle they sell.
The better gas mileage they can get, the more profitable vehicles they can sell.
3. Slightly better handling
While I don’t really have anything to prove this by, it is something that I have heard is a good reason for trucks to be lower in the front, and why manufacturers will do this.
Handling is important to a manufacturer, as it helps with the reviews, but it also makes their vehicles safer, and more likely to be purchased.
Why do people want a truck to be level from the factory?
Now, we have talked about why a manufacturer wouldn’t want their pickups to be level from factory, but why would a consumer want one to be level instead?
It really comes down to looks. Pickups look just a little bit off when they aren’t level, and adding a leveling kit to a pickup makes it look just a bit better and uniform.
There really isn’t any other reason other than that!
Should manufacturers level their pickups in stock form?
In my opinion they really should not, while it may not make for the best reviews, it does lower risk of their pickup getting into an accident while towing, helps with gas mileage, and even handling.
I am sure that many people are going to disagree with this statement and will say that leveling kits should be added during the building of the truck, but a leveling kit doesn’t cost that much for those that want it, and I would prefer for trucks on the road be safer than better looking.
Thankfully, you can add a leveling kit to your truck aftermarket!
These are best for people that don’t plan on towing much.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to get a leveling kit installed
There is most definitely a wide range of prices for leveling kits, however you can expect to pay as little as $200-$250 if you do it yourself, or all the way up to $1000-$2000 to have a shop do it for you.
Where is the best place in my truck bed for installing a leveling kit
If you aren’t comfortable doing it yourself, your best bet is to take your truck and the leveling kit to a suspension and tire shop and have them in stall! They will be able to install it, and make sure your truck is driving in tip top shape before giving it back to you.
Are leveling kits bad for your truck?
Leveling kits are not necessarily bad for your truck, outside of removing the benefits of your truck being lower in the front that we talked about earlier in this article. They won’t really hurt the truck itself though.
Conclusion
If you tow with a pickup that isn’t level, the aerodynamics will hurt your gas mileage. You’ll also get slightly better handling when it’s at stock height, and it helps you tow safer.
Many people want their truck to be leveled from the factory because they prefer how it looks.
However, if you’re just looking for a truck that is just a daily driver, and don’t plan on towing much, then a leveling kit might just be for you. If that sounds like you, make sure to click the button below to take a look at some leveling kits you can buy!
