Mid Travel Suspension Installer Phoenix AZ — What It Is and Why It Matters
Mid Travel Suspension — What It Is and Why Phoenix Area Truck Owners Are Choosing It
Mid travel suspension is the fastest-growing truck suspension category in the Phoenix area — and for good reason. It delivers genuinely meaningful off-road performance improvement for daily driven trucks without requiring the commitment and cost of a full long travel conversion.
Schmidty Racing Suspensions in Mesa, AZ installs mid travel suspension systems for all major truck platforms. Here's everything you need to know about what mid travel actually is, what it delivers, and whether it's right for you.
What Is Mid Travel Suspension?
Mid travel suspension refers to aftermarket suspension systems that add 2-4 inches of additional front suspension travel beyond what the factory suspension provides.
The key word is travel — not lift. A mid travel system doesn't just lift your truck taller. It actually allows your front wheels to move further up and down relative to the chassis than they could with stock or basic lifted suspension. That additional travel is what makes your truck more capable off-road.
How Does Mid Travel Add More Travel?
Factory truck suspension is constrained by the geometry of stock control arms — the upper and lower arms that control how the wheel moves. These arms were designed for a specific range of motion at stock or mildly lifted height.
A mid travel kit extends these constraints by using longer aftermarket upper control arms, modified lower control arm geometry or extensions, and repositioned shock mounts that allow longer travel shocks to be used in the system. The result is a suspension that can move 2-4 inches further than stock before hitting its limits — either at full droop or full bump.
What Mid Travel Suspension Actually Feels Like
Arizona desert riders who upgrade from stock or leveled suspension to a mid travel system consistently describe the same experience:
- The truck tracks straighter at speed — more travel means the suspension is actively working over terrain rather than skipping off the surface
- Big hits feel smaller — 4 extra inches of travel means 4 more inches of absorption before you run out
- The truck feels more planted — especially on rocky or uneven terrain where more travel keeps the tires in contact with the ground
- High-speed capability increases meaningfully — mid travel is the difference between a truck you have to slow down for terrain and one you can carry speed through
Mid Travel vs Long Travel — How to Decide
The most common question we get: should I just go long travel instead?
Honest answer — it depends on three things:
How You Use Your Truck
If your truck is a daily driver that you take to trails and desert on weekends, mid travel is almost always the right call. It maintains street drivability while delivering meaningful off-road performance. Long travel builds can compromise street ride quality and require more maintenance — reasonable trade-offs for a dedicated off-road machine, harder to justify for a daily driver.
Your Budget
A quality mid travel install runs $4,000-$8,000 depending on vehicle and components. A quality long travel install runs $8,000-$20,000+. If budget is a constraint, a well-executed mid travel build outperforms a budget long travel build every time.
Your Terrain
If you primarily ride relatively fast desert terrain — Lake Havasu, Parker, Arizona Strip — mid travel handles this terrain very well. If you're regularly running Johnson Valley or pushing your truck at race pace on serious desert terrain, long travel starts to make more sense.
Popular Mid Travel Builds We Install in Phoenix AZ
Toyota Tacoma Mid Travel
The most popular mid travel install in our shop. Dirt King MT Trail Runner Kit with 2.5 DCA coilovers — a complete transformation of what a Tacoma can do on Arizona desert trails.
Toyota 4Runner Mid Travel
The 4Runner mid travel build is ideal for Phoenix area riders who use their 4Runner for serious trails in the Superstitions and surrounding desert.
Ford F-150 Mid Travel
F-150 mid travel builds have become increasingly popular as more Phoenix area F-150 owners discover what the platform can do with proper suspension. Read our F-150 suspension install guide.
Chevy Silverado Mid Travel
Silverado mid travel builds with Dirt King components and Fox or King shocks are some of the most capable everyday trucks we build at our Mesa shop.
Mid Travel Shock Service — What Makes Schmidty Racing Different
Most shops that install mid travel kits don't understand shock setup and service at the level we do. At Schmidty Racing, shock service is our core business — which means every mid travel install we do includes:
- Correct shock preload for your vehicle weight
- Verified nitrogen pressure on all shocks
- Compression and rebound set for your intended use
- Shock rebuild if your existing shocks need service alongside the install
Browse our truck shock rebuild seal kits for DIY service or contact us about professional rebuild alongside your mid travel install.
Buy Through Us or Bring Your Own Kit
We install mid travel kits both ways:
- Buy through Schmidty Racing — we help you select the right mid travel kit for your vehicle and budget, order it, and install when it arrives
- Bring your own kit — already purchased your mid travel kit? Bring it in and we install at labor-only rates with no markup on your parts
Schedule a Mid Travel Consultation
Call us at (602) 920-1337 and let's talk through whether mid travel is right for your truck. We ask the right questions, give you an honest recommendation, and help you understand exactly what you're getting for your investment. No pressure. No obligation.
Schmidty Racing Suspensions
8150 E Germann RD, Suite 104
Mesa, AZ 85212
(602) 920-1337
Sales@schmidtyracing.com
Mon-Fri 8:00am - 4:30pm MST
Get directions: Google Maps
Serving Mesa, Phoenix, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Queen Creek, Tempe, and all of the East Valley for mid travel suspension installation.
