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Pickup Trucks built at Ernie's Custom Shop in Vernon Hills, IL

F-150, Silverado, Sierra, Ram, Colorado, and EV trucks

Pickup Truck Leveling, Lifts, and Wheel Packages

Most truck owners want the rake gone and a better wheel and tire package, not a tall lift. Getting the offset and the load rating right is most of that job.

Covers Half-ton and mid-size pickups, including Rivian R1T and Hummer EV.

Setups people go with

Setups we build on this platform. Tell us which one you are after and we will price it with the labor.

Leveling kit with a rear block
What the GMC Sierra in our gallery runs, with off-road wheels, a light bar, and an exhaust.
Wheel and tire package on a factory off-road trim
What the Colorado ZR2 runs on Fittipaldi wheels. Trim-specific fitment, no suspension change.
Long-travel suspension on beadlocks
The SEMA 2025 F-150: long-travel suspension, performance shocks, skid plates, fender flares, and a chase bar.
EV truck wheel and tire fitment
The Rivian R1T and Hummer EV in our gallery. Weight and range make load rating and tire choice the whole conversation.

What affects fitment

Year, make, and model on their own do not settle whether a part fits. These are the things that change the answer.

  • Bolt pattern by make. F-150 is 6x135mm; GM half-tons are 6x139.7mm.
  • Factory off-road trims already carry a different ride height and gearing.
  • Payload and tow rating, which set the tire load rating you can use.
  • Wheel offset and backspacing against the flares and the sensors.
  • EV curb weight and range, which change the honest tire recommendation.
  • Bed rack, liner, or rail systems that a cover has to work around.

A manufacturer's fitment list gets us close. We check it against your actual vehicle, including the trim and anything already changed on it.

What goes with it

Specified alongside the main parts rather than discovered afterward.

  • An alignment after any leveling kit or lift
  • A tire load rating that still covers your payload and tow numbers
  • Fender trimming or flares on aggressive offsets
  • Gearing or a tune once tire size has changed the effective ratio

What we install on a pickup truck

See all services →

Suspension

  • Leveling kits, rear blocks, and spacer kits
  • Full lift kits and long-travel suspension
  • Performance shocks and skid plates

Wheels and tires

  • Axe, Fuel, Method, and Fittipaldi wheels, including beadlocks
  • All-terrain and mud-terrain packages from BFGoodrich, Nitto, Falken, and Toyo
  • Mounting, balancing, TPMS, and a re-torque at 50 miles

Bed and exterior

  • Bed covers and tonneaus, fitted around racks and liners
  • Bed racks, grille guards, and fender flares
  • Chase bars, light bars, and auxiliary lighting on fused circuits

Performance

  • Cat-back and axle-back exhaust
  • Cold air intakes and tuners
  • Post-install testing and code checks

5 pickup truck builds from our shop

What went on each one, not a stock photo.

See the gallery →
GMC Sierra 1500 custom build by Ernie's Custom Shop

GMC Sierra 1500

Off-Road Edition

Suspension

  • Leveling Kit
  • Rear Block Kit

Wheels & Tires

  • Off-Road Wheels
  • All-Terrain Tires

Exterior & Performance

  • LED Light Bar
  • Performance Exhaust System
2020 Ford F-150 custom build by Ernie's Custom Shop

2020 Ford F-150

SEMA 2025 Show Build

Suspension

  • Custom Long-Travel Suspension
  • Performance Shocks
  • Skid Plates

Wheels & Tires

  • Beadlock Wheels
  • Off-Road Tires

Exterior

  • Custom Fender Flares
  • Chase Light Bar
  • Bed Rack System
Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 custom build by Ernie's Custom Shop

Chevrolet Colorado ZR2

ZR2 with Fittipaldis

Wheels & Tires

  • Fittipaldi Off-Road Wheels
  • All-Terrain Tires

Exterior

  • Custom Stance Adjustment
  • Off-Road Trim Package
Rivian R1T custom build by Ernie's Custom Shop

Rivian R1T

Electric Adventure Build

Wheels & Tires

  • Fuel Off-Road Wheels
  • All-Terrain Tires
  • Yellow Caliper Accents

Exterior

  • Front Grille Guard
  • Bed Rack System
  • Integrated Lighting
GMC Hummer EV custom build by Ernie's Custom Shop

GMC Hummer EV

Electric Supertruck

Wheels & Tires

  • Gloss Black Off-Road Wheels
  • Mud-Terrain Tires

Exterior

  • Blackout Trim Package
  • Fender Flare Accents

Pickup truck questions we get

What is the difference between leveling and lifting?
A leveling kit removes the factory rake, usually 2in or less, with no driveline work. A lift is taller and brings alignment, gearing, and clearance work with it.
My truck feels slow on bigger tires. What do I need?
That is usually gearing, not power. Send the tire size and the axle and we will tell you whether a re-gear, a tune, or both is the fix.
Do you modify electric trucks?
Yes. The Rivian R1T and Hummer EV in our gallery are ours. Weight and range make tire choice and load rating the first decision.
Will a tonneau cover work with my bed rack?
Sometimes, and it depends on the cover style and the rack. Send a photo of the current setup and we will confirm.

Plan a pickup truck build

Tell us the year, the trim, and the tire size you are after. We check fitment against your vehicle and quote the parts and the labor together.