If you are driving a Ford F-250 then you may well have considered adding a lift kit to your pickup, whether for improved styling or better off-road capabilities. One thing though, lift kits can be expensive and are not always DIY tasks when it comes to installation.

How much does it cost to lift a Ford F250? At the lower end, levelling kits offer the cheapest alternative for around $100 to $500. Opting instead for a suspension lift kit may cost somewhere in the range of $1,000 to $5,000.

There are also additional expenses, especially if you need to get a mechanic involved and this should be factored into the overall cost as it can take between seven to fifteen hours to fit a lift kit.

Another option is to go the DIY route although you will need to make sure you have the tools and lifting equipment available but it’s certainly something a competent DIY-er could manage.

If you have a Ford F150, then we have an article that looks at the cost of lift kits on these trucks.

Can you lift a Ford F250?

In short, yes you can. There are many advantages to raising the hight on your F250 including more ground clearance which has the additional benefit of allowing you to fit larger tires and also assists with shielding your truck’s underside from rocks on the trail. Getting out on the trail will allow you to take full advantage of your F250’s capabilities.

There is also the fact that lifting a truck does give it a more aggressive look, and this is certainly the case with the Ford F250.

What are my options when it comes to lifting a Ford F250?

One of the main options when it comes to lifting your Ford F250 is the lift height, which we go into detail below. One thing to consider though is what are you wanting to achieve with the increased ride height? Is it purely for show or do you intent to do some off-roading? The larger lift kits can get very expensive so it’s worth giving this some serious thought, especially if you only plan on minimal recreational use.

1-2” Lift Kits

A 1″ to 2” lift will allow you to fit a marginally larger diameter tire under your F-250. These units are relatively simple to install and will immediately help with levelling the suspension and provide some (modest) ground clearance.

3-5” Lift Kits

If you plan on tackling moderate terrain, then a 3” to 5” lift kit is worth a look due to the increased ground clearance. These lift kits will also allow you to increase your tire size to 35”. These kits do cost more though due to the number of extra parts included and might be more challenging for the novice home mechanic to fit.

6-8” Lift Kits

For the most challenging terrains, you should look at a more substantial lift kit. A 6 to 8-inch lift kit is ideal for some serious off-roading. These kits will also allow you to fit much larger tires (for example, 37” to 38”) underneath. This, however, will change how the truck handles on-road and is something that should be considered. Again, you are looking at a higher cost and it’s probably also safer to go with a professional kit installation.

What is the best lift kit for a Ford F250?

As there is plenty of choices when it comes to F250 lift kits, which ones would we recommend as offering the best in terms of on- and off-road handling and improved looks?

Rough Country 4” Lift Kit

This kit costs around $800 and includes everything that you would need to lift your F250 by 4”. As well as improving ground clearance it also helps out with the front to rear levelling of your truck. Fitting this kit allows you to fit 35” tires.

As this is a bolt-on installation, it could be tackled by a competent DIY-er and would take around eight hours to fit. Included in this Rough Country 4″ lift kit are Premium N3 shocks for both the front and rear and front lift leaf springs.

Rough Country 2″ Suspension Levelling Kit

This is a basic kit that allows you to not only raise the ride height of your Ford F250 but also helps to level the front and rear. You can also look at fitting 33” tires once you have this kit in place. Priced at $70, this kit will not break the bank.

As the Rough Country 2″ Suspension leveling kit itself is fairly simple and contains two coil seat spacers and bolts it’s relatively easy to fit, with installation time quoted as between three and four hours.

Conclusion

When considering the cost of lifting your Ford F250 truck, you need to factor in whether you need to tackle off-road terrain or simply want to fit larger tires for an improved street look. If it’s just a case of levelling up your F250 and fitting slightly larger tires, then a basic 2” lift kit will do the job as they are easy to fit and relatively inexpensive.

You can always go the complete opposite and get a 6” lift kit, although these are probably best reserved for extreme off-roaders.

A good balance in our opinion between increased ride height, off-road ground clearance and road manners would be a 4” lift kit similar to this one from Rough Country. With the right tools and equipment, this is also something a DIY-er could tackle at home to save on the professional fitting costs.