Besides looking stylish, lifting your truck increases its ground clearance. It also gives you better visibility and raises the frame, body, and differentials.
Off-road trips are better with your truck lifted, hauling and towing are much easier, and you get better traction.
While you can lift most trucks between 3 and 12 inches, most people consider a 4-inch lift the standard. But what if you want a 6-inch lift instead?
How will lifting your truck by 6 inches differ from a 4-inch lift?
The 2-inch difference might seem negligible to you, but it is a big difference in practice. So, to answer your question, we will compare a 4-inch lift kit vs. a 6-inch lift kit. Read below for our detailed comparison.
4-Inch vs. 6-Inch Lift Kit
Fuel Consumption/ Mileage
Generally, a 6-inch lift kit will cause your truck to consume more fuel than a 4-inch lift kit would. In other words, your miles per gallon (mpg) will most likely reduce when you lift your truck by 6 inches.
A 6-inch lift kit will require you to switch to larger, heavier tires.
As your tires or any part of your vehicle becomes heavier, you will need more power to move. As a result, your truck will consume more gas than usual, reducing your mileage.
A 4-inch lift kit, on the other hand, is less consequential to your fuel consumption. The tires you need for a 4-inch lift are not as large or heavy as those for a 6-inch lift.
Space Needs
As you lift your truck – whether with a 4-inch lift kit or a 6-inch lift kit – your truck’s space needs changes.
Adding 4 inches or 6 inches will increase the overall height of your truck, and this may mean that your vehicle will only fit into large spaces.
From garages to car washes and parking spots, your options will be more limited with a 6-inch lift kit. Of course, if you have a garage that can contain a truck with a 6-inch lift, then this may not be a problem for you.
Compared to a 6-inch lift kit, a 4-inch lift kit will still allow your truck to fit into most spots.
Cost
Besides costing you less fuel, a 4-inch lift kit has a lower overall cost than a 6-inch lift kit. The tires are the primary reason for the difference in expenses between a 4-inch lift kit and a 6-inch lift kit.
A 6-inch lift kit has larger tires than a 4-inch lift kit. So, it will cost more than a 4-inch lift kit.
Ease of Use
A 4-inch lift kit trumps a 6-inch lift kit in more ways than one in ease of use.
Firstly, when you add a 4-inch lift to your truck, the ease of driving and maneuvering the vehicle does not change too much. But with a 6-inch lift, controlling the vehicle is a bit tougher.
Besides the maneuverability, a 4-inch lift will not be as difficult for shorter people as a 6-inch lift.
If you lift your truck by 6 inches, it may not be as easy to access for your shorter family and friends. You may even have to buy a set of steps for them to get into the truck.
Off-Road Performance
A 6-inch lift kit takes the win when it comes to off-road performance. A 6-inch lift kit will raise your truck, giving it more clearance.
With more clearance, your vehicle can course through harsher terrains. This makes the overland or off-road performance better.
Vehicle Size
Neither a 4-inch nor 6-inch lift kit may be ideal for your vehicle, depending on your truck size.
Generally, a 6-inch lift kit might be the only suitable option for some large trucks. Then again, some smaller trucks might not do well if lifted too high.
Tire Compatibility
Tire compatibility is perhaps the most vital factor when choosing a lift kit.
If you’re looking to get 33- to 35-inch tires, you need a 4-inch lift kit. But if you want 35- to 37-inch tires, a 6-inch lift kit is more appropriate.
Your ride quality will not change too much with the tire-lift kit combinations above. Apart from that, you will get sufficient clearance and maintain good size proportions.
You may opt for smaller tire sizes for either one of the lift kits.
If you choose larger tire sizes for either category, it will come at a price: there will be a lot of rubbing, especially on the front wheels.
Gear Ratio Compatibility
When lifting your truck, you may have to install new gears in your rear differential as you change the tire size. The point of doing this is to adjust your axle/gear ratio in line with the new tire size.
Increasing the gear ratio as you increase tire size helps you maintain torque when driving off-road, hauling, or towing. Also, higher gear ratios make it possible to tow heavier trailers.
If you use 33-inch tires with your 4-inch lift kit, a gear ratio of 3.55 should be okay. If the tires are 34 inches, a gear ratio of 3.73 works; if they are 35 inches, aim for a gear ratio of 3.91.
As mentioned earlier, 6-inch lift kits go with 35-, 36-, and 37-inch tires. So, if you use 35-inch or 36-inch tires, a gear ratio of 3.91 should work. But for 37-inch tires, aim for a gear ratio of 4.10.
Legality
The lawfulness of a lift differs from state to state. But you are more likely to break the law driving a truck with a 6-inch lift than one with a 4-inch lift.
In other words, if you opt for a 6-inch lift, you may not be able to drive your truck in some places.
There are restrictions on how high you can lift your truck in states like California, Delaware, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. But there are no restrictions in Texas, Vermont, Nebraska, Mississippi, Kansas, and Kentucky.
You can read more about the limits here.
What to Consider Before Choosing a Lift Kit
The Function of the Truck
Before choosing a lift kit, you must consider the primary function of your truck.
If your truck spends a lot of time on off-road terrain, a 6-inch lift kit might help the vehicle clear more stones, tree stumps, and rocks. A 6-inch lift kit will also reduce the likelihood of getting high-centered (stuck).
Contrarily, if you spend more time commuting with your truck, a 4-inch lift kit would be better.
Besides, raising your vehicle so high may not be ideal if you do a lot of towing or hauling. The higher the truck is, the higher its center of gravity. With a higher center of gravity comes less stability.
The Fit of the Lift Kit
Before getting a lift kit, confirm how much it will affect your truck.
The more expensive kits are typically designed to fit your truck, so you won’t have to modify some parts of your vehicle to accommodate them.
But with some other kits, you will have to get exhaust modifications, new driveshafts, axle shims, and other items you did not prepare for.
How High Your Truck Will Be Afterwards
Getting a 4-inch or 6-inch lift kit does not mean your truck will go higher by 4 inches or 6 inches on the dot. Sometimes, the lift of the kits is not precisely as advertised – but most times, it is.
Apart from the kit, other factors like tire size can affect the overall height of the truck after lifting. You will require new, bigger tires after lifting. Of course, since they are bigger, the tires will add even more height to what the lift kit provides.
Unfortunately, if the tires raise the truck beyond what you expect, you may be unable to fit the vehicle in your garage or a car wash.
You can think of it this way: When you install bigger tires after a 6-inch lift, the frontal part of your truck might become 8 inches higher. On the other hand, the rear part might gain up to 5 inches. So, if you expect just a 6-inch gain, your estimation might be off.
This video explains how to estimate your truck’s height after lifting.
Ensure you get a rough estimation of what your vehicle’s gain might be after you lift it. This way, you can plan accordingly and stay within the limits of the law.
The Cost
There is a marked difference between the cost of a 4-inch lift kit and a 6-inch lift kit.
Lower scale lifts range from a 2-inch lift to a 5-inch lift, costing around $500 to $12,000. So, if you are looking to get the 4-inch lift kit, you may have to spend anywhere within that range.
A 6-inch lift, on the other hand, falls under higher-scale lifts, which cost around $1,400 to $15,000.
The Driving Experience
It is easy to imagine driving a taller vehicle and thinking you can adjust to it without any issue. But you may end up realizing that reality and your imaginations are divergent.
One difference you may notice when driving a taller truck is that you have to move at slower speeds for your safety.
Taller trucks have a higher center of gravity. So, if you go too fast with them, there is a higher chance of toppling them.
When lifting your truck, start out with lower heights and work your way up gradually. This will save you from wasting money and time on a lift that doesn’t work for you.
You may find that the perfect height for you is lower than you expect.
Final Thoughts
The primary factor in choosing between a 4-inch lift kit and a 6-inch lift kit is the function of the truck. If you use your vehicle off-road a lot, go for a 6-inch lift kit. But if you mainly commute in it, a 4-inch lift kit should work for you.
Resources
- https://knowhow.napaonline.com/lifting-a-trucks-suspension-why-how-and-whoa
- https://theirtrucks.com/4-inch-vs-6-inch-lift-kit/
- https://www.versusking.com/4-inch-lift-vs-6-inch-lift/
- https://beyondtheraptor.com/4-vs-6-lift-kit-f150/
- https://fourwheeltrends.com/should-i-lift-my-truck-4-or-6-inches/
- https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/how-to-choose-the-right-axle-ratio-for-your-pickup-truck.html
- https://superlift.com/lift-kit-laws-by-state