Mid travel, leveling, long travel and lift kits

• Leveling kit: raises the front with spacers, torsion keys or a partial set of parts. It's missing some or all of the new shocks and control arms.
• Mid travel kit: new upper control arms and all four shocks, with front lift only. On solid front axle trucks, radius arms or drop brackets take the place of upper arms.
• Long travel kit: replaces the lower control arms as well, for the most wheel travel.
• Lift kit: raises the front and rear, usually with new knuckles or drop crossmembers on independent front suspension, or drop brackets and radius arms on a solid axle.

Why mid travel rides better than a leveling kit

Raising the front of a truck changes the angle of the factory upper control arm joint, and that limits how far the wheel can drop. A leveling kit gets the height but gives up some of that down travel, so the ride gets harsher. A mid travel kit replaces the upper arms with ones built for the new height and pairs them with shocks valved for it, so the truck sits level and keeps its travel.

Choosing a kit

• Upper arm material. Steel tube arms are the lower-cost option. Billet aluminum arms are machined from solid stock and sit at the top of the range.
• Ball joint or uniball. A ball joint is quieter and needs less attention. A uniball allows more articulation and suits trucks driven hard off road.
• Shock size and type. A larger shock body holds more oil, so it stays consistent for longer on rough roads. Remote reservoir and bypass shocks add capacity, and many add adjusters so you can tune the ride.