If you’re upgrading your truck, one of the biggest decisions is choosing between a leveling kit and a full lift.
At Lift Pro Customs in Willis, TX, we install both leveling kits and lift kits on Ford F150, Ram 1500, and Chevy Silverado trucks. Each option offers different benefits depending on your goals.
Leaning toward the middle ground? Here is our full take on the 4 inch leveling kit.
What a Leveling Kit Does
A leveling kit raises the front of your truck 2 to 3 inches to match the rear, getting rid of the factory nose-down rake.
It’s the simplest suspension upgrade there is. The stance improves, you gain room for larger tires, and the job is quick — at our shop, leveling kits start at $550 installed with parts, labor, and alignment included, and most installs are finished the same day.
On most leveled half-tons, 33s fit clean, and 35s are possible on some platforms with the right kit and wheel offset. More on that below.
What a 4 Inch Lift Does
A 4 inch lift raises the entire truck, front and rear, instead of just bringing the nose up.
That means more ground clearance, room for aggressive tire sizes, and a much bigger visual change. It also means more components and more labor — a 4 inch lift sits in our 3.5"–6" lift tier, which starts at $2,200 installed.
Where a leveling install is a same-day job, a full lift usually takes a day or longer to do right.
Is There a 4 Inch Leveling Kit?
Honest answer: no. A leveling kit only removes the factory rake, and on most trucks that’s about 2 to 2.5 inches of front lift. Past that point you’re not leveling the truck anymore — you’re lifting it, and the parts and geometry change accordingly.
So anything sold as a “4 inch leveling kit” is really a lift kit wearing a different name.
If you’ve been searching for one, what you probably want is the middle tier: a 2.5"–3.5" lift starting at $1,100 installed. It gets you that taller, planted look and real tire clearance without jumping all the way to 4-inch-lift money.
Cost Differences
Here’s how the two options actually compare at our shop in Willis, TX.
A leveling kit runs $550 to $1,000 installed with the alignment included. A 2.5"–3.5" lift starts at $1,100 installed. A 4 inch lift falls into the 3.5"–6" tier, which starts at $2,200 installed.
Tires are the other half of the budget. Adding 33s runs about $1,250, 35s about $1,500, and 37s about $1,750 on top of the suspension work. See the full leveling kit cost breakdown for what’s included at each level.
Financing is available on any of it — as little as $10 to start through Acima, with Affirm, Sunbit, Snap, and Kafene as options too.
Fitment and Tire Size
This is where the decision usually gets made.
With a leveling kit, 33s fit clean on most half-tons. On a leveled F150, 35s often clear with just a 2" kit — and a 2.5" kit is the guaranteed no-rub route. The Ram 1500 is friendly too: a 35x11.5 fits clean on many leveled Rams with the right wheel offset.
The Silverado runs tighter in the front end. 33s are the clean fit on a leveled Chevy, while 35s typically mean fender liner trimming and careful wheel selection. If you want 35s with zero compromises on a Silverado, that’s exactly where a real lift earns its money.
With a 4 inch lift, 35s fit without the drama, and the door opens to more aggressive setups. If maximum tire size is the goal, the lift wins.
4 Inch Lift: Before and After
What actually changes when the truck comes off the rack?
Stance: before, the truck sits nose-down with a soft factory look. After, it sits level and noticeably taller all the way around — it reads as a different truck in the driveway.
Tire clearance: after a 4 inch lift, 35s fit comfortably and the wheel wells finally look filled instead of empty. Pair it with the right wheel and tire package and the whole build comes together.
Ride: a quality kit installed with correct torque specs and a fresh alignment keeps the truck driving straight and composed. Cheap kits and skipped alignments are where the horror stories come from.
Fuel economy: the lift itself isn’t the issue — the taller, heavier tires are. Expect to give up a little MPG and seat-of-the-pants power once you move up to 35s. We broke down the numbers in do bigger tires hurt MPG and power.
Which One Is Right for You
If you want a level stance, room for 33s, and the lowest cost of entry, a leveling kit is the smart move. It’s most of the look for a fraction of the price.
If you want 35s with no compromises, maximum clearance, and the biggest transformation, the 4 inch lift is the better choice.
And if you landed here searching for a “4 inch leveling kit,” the 2.5"–3.5" lift tier is usually the sweet spot — taller than a level, cheaper than a full lift.
Why Choose Lift Pro Customs
We specialize in lift kits and leveling kits, wheels and tires, and truck accessories.
We help you choose the right setup for your truck.
Get the Right Setup
Call Lift Pro Customs today or request a quote online.
We’ll help you build your truck the right way.
Related reading: Leveling Kit vs Lift Kit • Lift & Leveling Kit Installation
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