What is the best Silverado leveling kit?
A leveling kit can be desirable for a few reasons. You may want to eliminate your truck’s factory rake to make the front end level with the back.
Or, you may have added a new bumper, plow, or winch and the extra weight has caused sag in your front suspension. Perhaps you just want to add larger than stock tires to your Silverado truck?
Whatever the case may be, the good news is that a leveling kit for your Silverado is inexpensive and will allow you to do all of the above.
This article reviews the best option on the market for your Silverado because let’s be honest, only the best will do!
Read more about Best Engine Block Heater, Best High Lift Jacks, and best Silverado seat covers.
What does a Leveling Kit do?
To be clear,
Leveling kits are designed to lift the front of your vehicle, exclusively.
They don’t raise or lower the rear of the vehicle.
These kits are designed to raise the front of your truck to match the height at the back. Additionally, you can expect about 1-3″ in lift. This visual will aid your understanding and show what a leveling kit does and how it removes factory rake, improves ground clearance and creates space for larger tires:
Alternatively, if you want to raise both ends you can also look at coil spring spacer blocks for this purpose. However, from a definitions standpoint, any kit that raises both the front and back is considered a lift kit. However, the confusion lies in the fact that you can technically ‘level’ your truck with a lift kit.
If you would like to look specifically at lift kits to raise both ends of your truck, check out our article on the best lift kits for Chevy Silverados.
If you are confused about the difference between the two, this article on leveling kits vs lift kits will help.
Best Leveling Kit for your Silverado – Overview
If you want to improve your vehicle’s aesthetics and ground clearance, you should consider using a leveling kit. Here are the best leveling kits on the market at a quick glance before we get into the detailed reviews.
| Image | Leveling Kit | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
 | Rough Country 2″ Leveling Kit – Red | |
 | MotoFab 2.5″ Leveling Kit | |
 | Supreme Suspensions 3” Front Leveling Kit | |
 | YITAMOTOR 2.5″ Leveling Kit | |
 | MZS 3.5″ Front Leveling Lift Kit (Upper & Lower Strut Spacers) | |
 | Maxracing 2.5″ Front Leveling Kit |
Silverado Leveling Kit Reviews
Keep in mind that these kits are designed for specific Silverado years and other specs so it is best to double-check that it is compatible with your specific Silverado. A good way to do this is to load your truck details into amazons ‘garage’ and check fit from there.
Even if the options in this list don’t directly fit your truck, there will likely be one that does. Therefore, you can use this list as a guide on which brands are reputable and worth looking at.
1. Rough Country 2″ Leveling Kit – Red
Summary
Rough Country is a well-recognized brand when it comes to aftermarket automotive parts.
This lift kit will provide you with a 2-inch lift on the front of your truck but due to its design, it will not affect your factory ride. So, your truck will feel and drive like before but you will get the leveling your desire.
This is one of the easier kits to install as it is Bolt-on and does not require disassembly of your struts. The full installation should only take you around 1-2 hours.
This version is made from Fiberglass reinforced Nylon but you can also get the black Fiberglass reinforced Nylon option.
KEY FEATURES
- 2-inch front lift
- Can allow for up to 32″ tires
- Simple installation (1-2 hours)
- Maintains factory ride
- Lifetime Replacement Warranty
- billet aluminum with a red anodized coat
2. MotoFab 2.5″ Leveling Kit
Summary
MotoFab specializes in lift kits and manufactures their kits in the US, so you can be sure of their quality and reliability.
This kit will raise the front of your truck by 2.5-inches and this is the type that installs on top of your strut (the part of the suspension that connects to the chasse) so you don’t need to disassemble your suspension first.
The kit is made from billet aluminum that is CNC machined and powder coated in a rich black which will complement your factory suspension.
KEY FEATURES
- 2.5-inch lift
- 1-2 hours installation
- Maintain factory ride
- Billet aluminum
- Black Powder coat
3. Supreme Suspensions 3-Inch Front Leveling Kit
Summary
Supreme suspensions have been supplying aftermarket automotive parts since 1991 and all their products are lab tested and put through quality assurance testing for proven results.
These precision, CNC machined, front strut spacers are made from T6 aircraft-grade aluminum. This has been finished with a black hard-anodized coat for durability and longevity.
No special tool or equipment is required to install the kit. These bolt-on spacers take about 1 to 2 hours to install.
KEY FEATURES
- 3″ lift
- T6 Aircraft-Grade Aluminum
- 1-2 hour bolt-on installation
- limited lifetime guarantee
4. YITAMOTOR 2.5″ Leveling Kit
Summary
This kit should be the perfect height to level the Silverado trucks that are compatible with this product.
This is just as solid as the rest with T6 aircraft-grade aluminum construction and a hard-anodized surface. The installation will also be in the region of 2 hours with simple bolt-on installation.
Overall, this kit will resolve factory rake, without compromising on material quality, at a slightly cheaper price point than some of the others.
KEY FEATURES
- 2.5″ lift
- T6 Aircraft-Grade Aluminum
- Hard-annodized coating
- 1-2 hour bolt-on installation
- 5 years warranty
5. MZS 3.5″ Front Leveling Lift Kit (Upper & Lower Strut Spacers)
Summary
This kit will provide the highest lift out of any of the above kits and it has a unique construction.
The reason it can provide so much lift is that it separates the task into two parts. One goes on top of the strut and the other is fitted to the bottom.
This does mean you will need to completely remove your suspension system to install the hardware which may take longer but the difficulty level remains fairly simple.
The billet aluminum has been CNC cut to ensure a perfect fit and is a robust, durable material.
Furthermore, MZS offers multiple sizes if 3.5-inches is too high for your specific rake.
KEY FEATURES
- 3.5″ front lift
- CNC machined billet aluminum
- Anti-rust
- 1-2 hour bolt-on installation
6. Maxracing 2.5″ Front Leveling Kit
Summary
This is another solid leveling kit that will generally provide the perfect height to eliminate your truck’s factory rake.
Like the rest, it is made from durable materials (billet aluminum with a hard-anodized surface) and installation is bolt-on and relatively simple.
With this kit, you will get a quality kit to suit your leveling needs at a good price.
KEY FEATURES
- 2.5-inch front lift
- CNC machined billet aluminum
- Simple bolt-on installation
Buying Considerations
Type of Kit
There are a few different types of leveling kits and the installation of each kind will be slightly different.
Some of the different types include:
- Strut Extensions: Ideal for vehicles use a coil-over strut for the front suspension such as SUVs and late-model half-ton trucks. These kits use a spacer, so you can modify your rig without altering any factory parts.
- Coil Spacers: Resembles strut extensions, but the spacer is added to the top of a factory spring bucket, allowing you to maintain an OEM ride quality and factory stance as well as install cold spacer leveling.
- Torsion Keys: Factory pieces can be replaced with torsion keys, allowing you to lift your vehicle by controlling its torsion bar. If you are looking for a safe and efficient way to lift your vehicle, you can use aftermarket torsion keys as these components are more durable than factory units.
The types included in this article are strut extensions that are designed to go on the top or the bottom of the strut which is a component of your suspension system.
Tire alignment
This is included in buying considerations because it is generally recommended that you get your tires aligned after installing a leveling kit.
The reason is that installing a leveling kit requires you to remove and replace the top or bottom of your struts (or even take the suspension apart). This can cause the angle of your tires to tilt incorrectly and this is definitely something you should fix.
For more info on tire alignment, have a look at this article by bridgstone.
Lift height
The amount of lift you will require for a leveling kit will depend on the reason you are purchasing it.
If you want to eliminate factory rake then you need to make sure you know the difference between front height and end height. From there, you can pick the correct height to level the front.
If you simply want to add on larger than factory tires, you have more leeway in the height you choose. However, it is still a good idea to know what the back height is, compared to the front as the overall aesthetic is also important.
Installation
As far as modifications go, leveling and lift kits can be a bit more involved and can take some time to complete. This is due to the necessity to remove parts before the kit can be fitted.
The type of leveling kits in this article are all strut spacers so in order to install them you will have to gain access to your suspension system and potentially remove the whole strut. This is no simple task. However, if you already have some mechanical know-how it should not be too difficult.
If you want to get a sense of what the process is like for the leveling kits in the list above, the video below should shed some light. Keep in mind that you can remove all the parts using a good car jack.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Are leveling kits bad for a Silverado?
If you take the care to install your leveling kit correctly, you should not be worried about any damage to your Silverado truck.
Does a leveling kit affect mpg?
A leveling kit raises the front of your truck and in doing so it can cause more aerodynamic drag. Meaning air will not flow over it as easily and this can negatively impact mileage. The higher your truck, the greater the drag. However, the effect of a few inches with a leveling kit will not be dramatic so it is likely not worth worrying about.
Will the leveling kit affect the vehicle’s ride quality?
The leveling kit won’t have any effect on the ride quality of your vehicle, provided that it was installed correctly. If you do notice a change in the ride, it may be that your alignment has changed as a byproduct of removing and re-installing the strut.
This should be fixed with a tire alignment.
On a side note, if you start raising your vehicle with lift kits, replacing suspension parts, etc. you open yourself up to impacting the ride quality which is why some really high and advanced lift kits require modification to your driveshaft, steering system, etc.
Will a leveling kit wear down components faster?
A leveling kit can potentially place more strain on your suspension system, especially if you have not installed it well. To help mitigate this, make sure you install the kit correctly or get a professional to do it.
Does a leveling kit void the vehicle’s warranty?
It depends…As long as you install the part correctly and the dealer cannot prove that the part is what caused the damage, your warranty will remain intact.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to leveling kits for your Silverado, there are numerous options to choose from. However, not all of them are quality, reliable ones…
Therefore, this article has provided a list of the most reputable brands to consider and some of the best products they produce.
Our top pick is the Rough Country 2″. The reason for this choice is that the company is reputable, the design makes for the easiest installation, the warranty is great and the material is high quality. What more could you ask for.
Regardless, we stand behind every product on this list and each one is a good option. You may decide differently based on your height requirements, your budget, etc.