How bad are leveling kits for off road use?

I like the look of leveling kits but can't help but notice how bad people harp on the ride quality. Is it really that much worse than factory? Also do they do off road? Nothing technical, rather just deep mud and puddles on washed out back roads. Mudding I guess? I'm looking at putting 33s on it.

 

It’s not all “leveling kits” that are getting ragged on. Generally, its spacers and blocks people rage about.

 

Yes, exactly this.
Not all leveling kits are created equal.
I would recommend the 5100’s at a minimum.

 

I had pucks/blocks for a while. Ride got a lot stiffer and off road performance was fine, about the same as stock. You definitely don't gain any performance from it. I recently upgraded to a full suspension kit and it made a world of difference, both in looks and performance.

 

Maybe with quality new springs. With conpressed factory springs those billies ride 100% worse than a spacer lift.

 

I used them until I got my lift. Never had a problem, never broke a shock, nothing. I was rough on my trucks. I had it on 2 different trucks and nothing. People say that you will break a shock in half, well I seen fox and kings broken a lot as well.

 

Just do it, they are easily reversed. Just don't bounce off rocks and you'll be good.

 

This ^

 

you're probably replacing worn shocks with liftable 5100's anyway.
springs don't cost much more, $200. vs a $50 front spacer.
And an add a leaf can lift the rear; those are also cheap.
Kind of weird to drop $18k on a newer truck and then trip over cheap springs.

Spacers are good at announcing to the world "owner of this truck is dumb"
same goes for nerf bars