Donk Cars: Upgrading Your Suspension For Large Wheels & Tires

JEGS Tech Specialist

Pete Mitchell

The term “donk car” originated in the 1970s when car enthusiasts started customizing their Chevrolet Caprices and Impalas with oversized wheels. Since then, this modification has grown in popularity, with various manufacturers trying to seize the market by offering wheels with up to 36-inch diameter. In some extreme cases, car modders even go as far as using 50-inch donk car rims.

However, such changes are difficult to implement because standard shock absorbers, control arms, and other components are not made to be used with oversized rims. Given that, producers now offer donk lift kits, which are specifically made to allow a car to accommodate such large wheels.

If you want to learn more about the parts and kits required to transform your ride into a donk, read along and learn all you need to know.

Getting the Right Lift Kit for Your Donk

Before getting a donk kit lift, consider how significantly you want to modify your car. In general, if you want to fit 22-inch wheels on a car equipped with 19-inch wheels from the factory, only small modifications will likely be required. However, replacing your factory 15-inch wheels with 32-inch donk car rims will require a much larger effort—a comprehensive donk lift kit and modifying the wheel wells.

A lift kit may include the following:

Lift spacers—Lift spacers are the most basic components in donk lift kits. They are placed between the vehicle's chassis and coil springs. This way, you can raise the body and ground clearance without altering the suspension, making it popular among the Donk community and off-roaders. Spacers may also be placed between the rear axle housing and leaf springs on older vehicles to achieve the same effect.
Extended shock absorbers – To accommodate the increased distance between the axles and the body that results from fitting a vehicle with oversized rims, longer shock absorbers are often included in suspension lift kits. These are important for maintaining acceptable ride quality and handling characteristics after the lift.
Extended springs – A rather basic modification, extended suspension springs go hand in hand with extended shock absorbers. For older vehicles using a leaf spring setup, lifted leaf springs might be part of the kit. Both modifications aim to achieve the desired lift while maintaining a functional suspension.
Extended brake lines – Since fitting a donk lift kit increases the distance between the vehicle's frame and its wheels; longer brake lines may be necessary to fit on the vehicle. In another case, you may risk overstretching the brake system lines, leading to the lines failing over time.
Steering extensions—In some cases, especially with significant lifts, the steering column may need to be extended because of the adjusted construction of the front axles and suspension resulting from the lift.
Other suspension components – In more advanced donk lift kits, other components may be included, such as alignment bushings, spindles, and ball joints.
Control arms – In many cases, especially with more extreme donk builds, replacing the control arms is often necessary. These upgraded control arms are typically included in the more comprehensive donk kits and help maintain proper wheel alignment and suspension geometry after the vehicle is lifted.

Before you order your lift kit, decide on the size of the rims you‘ll use. If you target only a small increase in the wheel size, it might be more economically viable to order a few individual parts from the list above instead of a full-on donk lift kit, which might be overkill in such a case. Conversely, using a pre-made kit will simplify your shopping and the time you spend researching the correct parts.

Remember that the larger the donk rims you decide to use, the larger the investment into the modification will be. Even more importantly, the larger the rims, the less usable the car will become in comfort and handling.

As another consideration, you’ll likely need to have the lift kit installed by a professional because work on the suspension and axles can require specialized tools. Moreover, the vehicle geometry must be realigned after fitting a lift kit and larger rims.

Donk Kit Prices

Based on their complexity, donk lift kits can range in price from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. Even a hundred dollars may be enough if your mod requires only minor modifications, such as lift spacers. On the other hand, in extreme cases, and if you are after an extensively customized donk build, you might be paying tens of thousands of dollars. As you can see, it's not easy to estimate the price of a donk lift kit without providing detailed requirements.

However, in most cases, if you are looking for a premade kit that will allow you to accommodate 24 - 32 inch rims and includes all the necessary components for the modification, expect to pay between $1,500 and $4,500. Of course, you also have to factor in the cost of the donk rims.

Other Considerations: Performance & Brakes

When installing donk car rims and a lift kit on your car, you need to consider a few considerations that come with this modification.

First, vehicles are not engineered to perform with such giant rims from the factory. Even relatively minor modifications, such as replacing factory 15” wheels with 17” aftermarket ones, can significantly alter acceleration, braking, and comfort. These effects are far more amplified when opting for donk rims, and that is in a negative way. The main reason for this is the increase in unsprung weight. Because of this, you may also consider upgrading your brake system when installing a donk lift kit on your car. You should also know that large donk rims will significantly worsen handling and stability in corners and at high speeds.

Of course, there are other implications beyond performance and brakes, such as reduced practicality and the legality of this modification in some states. As the bottom line, consider only this type of modification for a show car. If you think this is the right path for you, JEGS has a variety of parts that will help transform your ride into a proper donk.