Lifting your truck isn’t just about bigger tires and a tougher stance—it completely changes how your suspension and steering geometry work. That’s why a proper alignment after installing a lift kit is one of the most important steps many shops overlook. At Cowboys Customs, we see it all the time: trucks rolling into our Dallas shop with uneven tire wear, shaky steering, or suspension damage because the original installer skipped the alignment or didn’t set it up correctly.
What Happens When You Lift a Truck
When you add a lift kit, you’re changing the angles of the suspension, steering, and drivetrain. This affects how the wheels sit on the road, known as camber, caster, and toe. If those aren’t dialed in with a professional alignment:
- Your tires wear unevenly and wear out faster.
- Steering feels loose or pulls to one side.
- The suspension takes unnecessary stress and wears out sooner.
- Fuel efficiency can even drop from added resistance.
Why Alignment is Non-Negotiable After a Lift
A brand-new lift kit without a professional alignment is like wearing custom boots without breaking them in—it looks good at first, but problems show up quick. Getting an alignment ensures your truck drives straight, tires last longer, and all those expensive upgrades perform the way they should.
The “Fix-It” Jobs We See in Dallas
Cowboys Customs has repaired plenty of trucks where other shops cut corners:
- Lift kits installed with no alignment at all, leaving the owner with ruined tires in just a few thousand miles.
- Cheap alignment jobs that didn’t account for aftermarket suspension parts.
- Suspension wear and steering damage because geometry was never corrected.
By the time owners get to us, they’re frustrated—and usually spending more money than if it had been done right the first time. That’s why we take every lift install seriously, making sure alignment and aftercare are part of the package.
Aftercare: Protecting Your Lift Investment
Even with a perfect alignment, lifted trucks need a little extra attention. We recommend:
- Rechecking alignment after the first 500 miles post-lift.
- Regular suspension inspections for worn bushings, shocks, or brackets.
- Tire rotations and balancing to keep everything running smooth.
Lift kits are an investment, and proper aftercare is the difference between a truck that feels sloppy and one that drives like it’s factory-built.
Why Cowboys Customs is the Trusted Shop for Lifted Trucks
We don’t just install lift kits—we stand behind them. Our Dallas team makes sure every build leaves the shop with proper alignment, steering geometry corrected, and aftercare guidance for long-term performance. When you trust Cowboys Customs, you’re not just getting a lift—you’re getting peace of mind that it’s done right.