How do I measure the lift on my truck?, Insurance won't insure anything with more than 4 inch lift & I don't know how to measure it!!

Lurch Logan · Jan 8, 2022

I have a 2006 Ram 1500 Mega Cab 4x4 5.7 liter Hemi V8(1st time Ram owner). I just need to know the lift on it for insurance purposes. I can post a pic or measure it myself but I just need to know where to look or start. Btw... I am straight up beginner level,I just need to know from someone who has a lot more knowledge than I do. Any help would be appreciated!!

Fourbynut · Jan 9, 2022

Wow never heard of that before, not sure how you would tell other than comparing it to another truck that you know the lift amount.

usaf2006 · Jan 12, 2022

Have you shopped around for insurance? They've never asked about mine before, geico, AAA, USAA.

John Jensen · Jan 12, 2022

Low rate companies who only approve low risk customers will ask and will not insure an altered vehicle.
Some other companies also will not insure an altered vehicle if you declare it, they don't normally ask.

I had to drop a low rate company when I purchased a 4" lifted Jeep. When I sold the Jeep I went back to that same company.

Back to Lurch's question. Any lift installer can probably answer your question.

Brando_SLT · Jan 13, 2022

The correct answer is "It's Stock" and leave it at that.

CheechDogg.0n37s · Jan 13, 2022

Brando_SLT said:
The correct answer is "It's Stock" and leave it at that.

Exactly lol ... if they ever question you about it, "I ended up lifting my truck and didn't think anything of it" ...

rick16706 · Jan 13, 2022

You might want to be careful what you tell an insruance company. I'm a retired cop who's done guite a few traffic accident investigations in my career, and one of the things I learned was that insurance companies spend a lot of time and money trying to get out of paying claims. Many times I've seen where they would refuse to pay a claim because the insured claimed something like driving less than 10 miles each day to work, to get a particular rate, when it was actually like 11 miles or more. Even if the distance driven had nothing at all to do with why the person was filing a claim, the insurance company would refuse the claim.

If the truck is actually stock, then there would be no problem, but if a prior owner had lifted the vehicle then it could result in a claim rejection. Just saying.

CheechDogg.0n37s · Jan 13, 2022

rick16706 said:
You might want to be careful what you tell an insruance company. I'm a retired cop who's done guite a few traffic accident investigations in my career, and one of the things I learned was that insurance companies spend a lot of time and money trying to get out of paying claims. Many times I've seen where they would refuse to pay a claim because the insured claimed something like driving less than 10 miles each day to work, to get a particular rate, when it was actually like 11 miles or more. Even if the distance driven had nothing at all to do with why the person was filing a claim, the insurance company would refuse the claim.

If the truck is actually stock, then there would be no problem, but if a prior owner had lifted the vehicle then it could result in a claim rejection. Just saying.

Insurance companies will always find something to justify a claim rejection nothing new about that lol ..

18CrewDually · Jan 13, 2022

Actual lift height is measured at the bottom edge of the door to the ground on a level surface. You then take that measurement and subtract STOCK measurement height. That will give the actual lift measurement.

To add, this is how my state inspection does it and they have a book of stock height measurements to follow as a standard for the Altered/ Lifted vehicle inspection.

Ole Buck · May 17, 2022

Then what would one do if they bought a brand new truck from the dealer with an aftermarket lift already installed?

Daw14 · May 17, 2022

Go to the truck on the lot next to the one you just purchased and measure it or a few.

Oliver Closehauf · Jun 18, 2022

Umm, I kind of have a similar question. How would I know if my truck has a lift installed if I'm the third owner and didn't ask?

I was crawling around underneath the other day and noticed that between my rear axle and springs there are 3-4 spring width metal spacers. There is about 1-1/12" between the axle and the spring. I always thought it looked like it had a mild lift but I don't have a stock truck twin to compare.

I don't see them in the service manual but that might be a generic picture.

Phillyrube · Jun 18, 2022

When I was on the cops we measured from the ground to the bottom of the bumper, or to the frame rail.

18CrewDually · Jun 18, 2022

Phillyrube said:
When I was on the cops we measured from the ground to the bottom of the bumper, or to the frame rail.

Max bumper height is another part of the lifted vehicle inspection but does not designate a vehicles actual lift. Especially with all the aftermarket bumpers out there. Again this is based on laws in my state.

18CrewDually · Jun 18, 2022

Oliver Closehauf said:
Umm, I kind of have a similar question. How would I know if my truck has a lift installed if I'm the third owner and didn't ask?

I was crawling around underneath the other day and noticed that between my rear axle and springs there are 3-4 spring width metal spacers. There is about 1-1/12" between the axle and the spring. I always thought it looked like it had a mild lift but I don't have a stock truck twin to compare.

I don't see them in the service manual but that might be a generic picture.

Picture would be easier to follow.
Some factory spring packs, mine for example, come with spacers to get to the factory set height. I moved the spacers from the bottom of the pack to the top, which lowered the back approximately 1.5".

tallfetcher · Jun 18, 2022

as a safety inspector in my state i can say that we measure them much the same way that 18CrewDually has mentioned. and just like his truck mine with the factory suspension has spacers under the springs in the rear and a factory leveling kit that raises the front end 2". I had to look at the build sheet to find that out. Easiest way to measure your lift is to measure from bottom of door to ground or top of the wheel well to ground and compare to a truck that you know is not lifted. Or you can take it to somewhere that installs lift kits and ask them to look at it!

Oliver Closehauf · Jun 18, 2022

18CrewDually said:
Picture would be easier to follow.
Some factory spring packs, mine for example, come with spacers to get to the factory set height. I moved the spacers from the bottom of the pack to the top, which lowered the back approximately 1.5".

I'm only interested in case I want to add something like a sway bar and the manufacturer has one for lifted trucks that's different from the others.

18CrewDually · Jun 18, 2022

That is typical from factory.
I moved the 2 that you see on the top from the bottom to lower the back so it is closer to level. Mine use to look like yours. This has no effect on sway bar or the mounts.

How do I measure the lift on my truck?, Insurance won't insure anything with more than 4 inch lift & I don't know how to measure it!!

Junior Member

Junior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Banned

Member

Banned

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Similar threads

Forum statistics

Share this page