Truckers love to modify their trucks. The latest trend is to squat them. No, it is not a typo – squatted trucks are not the same as the squared trucks. When you do an aftermarket upgrade to make the your ride “squatted”, you lift front part and lower rear end. In this case, the “upgrade” is not the most precise word, but we’ll explain it later.
The “Carolina Squat” is a modern trend – people share photos of such modified trucks. But, it is not Carolina’s product. Yes, many people from South and North Carolina tuned their rides this way, but the setup originally comes from California. In a matter of fact, due to safety issues, those upgrades are banned in Carolinas.
Squatted Truck: Not an Upgrade, but Downgrade
When you lift the front end, the visibility over the hood is worse. That is the first safety issue with the squatted truck. Then, you need to revisit lights, since the headlamps point to the sky, not to the road. So, those are big concerns that lead to the ban of such customization in some states. What’s more, by lowering the rear end, you are losing the possibility to tow, since the body is almost on the ground.
Another downside makes the squatted pickup idea more ridiculous. But, in the internet era, when we saw almost everything, the only way to draw the attention is to make something without too much sense. Well, squatting the trucks and SUVs did it, since you can find a lot of posts showing photos of those modifications. In the past, when the lower end was squatted, it was a sign of worn-out springs. Those can be replaced, but the un-squatting the vehicle is a difficult process.
…But it Looks Cool!
If we just take an exterior look and the first impression, before thinking deeper, those upgrades really make trucks look special. Plus, if you use some huge wheels, the impression is even more striking. Anyway, this is just for the show off, since you can drive squatted truck only on a smooth surface, without any bumps. Because of the safety issues, the customization is not allowed in some states. Still, it makes the squatting more exclusive. Unlike some other banned stuff that only gained popularity from the fight against it, this way of truck-tuning will slowly fade away and disappear in the near future, since it is a complete waste of money.
Squatted Truck Origins and Other Similar Modifications
In general, the squatted truck is a truck or an SUV with lowered rear end and raised front suspension. The first appearance it had in California, but many call it “Carolina Squat”. Other states are also included, like the “Tennessee Tilt”, but you will find “California Lean” being used more often. So, it all depends with whom you are talking about the squatting.
Factory trucks usually have raked bed, so it can take more cargo. So, if you want to make the pickup tow less, then you squat it with a leveling kit, torsion-bar adjustment, or ball-joint lift.