Ask five riders the difference between a big wheel kit and a lift kit and you’ll probably get five different answers — and a few of them will be wrong. Both upgrades change how much room you have for a larger tire, but they go about it in completely different ways. Understanding what each one actually does, and why riders often run both, makes it a lot easier to plan your next build.
What a Tire & Wheel Kit Really Changes
A tire & wheel kit swaps your factory tire and wheel for a larger-diameter tire mounted on a wheel built to match it. That larger diameter is what buys you more ground clearance, along with a different footprint and traction profile on the trail — more aggressive tread for mud and rock, or a wider stance for stability, depending on what you choose. Wild Boar’s own house-brand OUTLAW BIG WHEEL KIT is built around exactly this idea: a matched tire-and-wheel package rather than a random pairing of parts.
High Lifter’s Outlaw 2 and Outlaw 3 packages follow the same formula, in sizes ranging from 28-9-14 and 29.5-9-14 up through 32.5×10.5×14, 33-9-18, and 35x9x20. The size you pick changes both how much clearance you gain and how the machine handles, so it’s worth thinking about your terrain before deciding how big to go.
What a Suspension Lift Kit Really Changes
A suspension lift kit works on a completely different part of the machine. Rather than changing the tire, it raises the vehicle’s ride height at the suspension itself, which is what creates the physical clearance a larger tire needs to spin freely without rubbing on the fenders or frame.
Wild Boar carries lift kits from High Lifter’s Signature Series and APEXX lines, in 2″ to 6″ heights, across a wide range of Yamaha, Honda, Polaris, Can-Am, Suzuki, and Arctic Cat models. SuperATV covers that same 2″-6″ range for Can-Am Outlander, Renegade, Defender, Maverick, Maverick Sport, and Maverick X3, plus Polaris RZR models. If you’d rather add clearance through the drivetrain instead of the suspension, a portal gear lift is the other route — it uses a gear-reduction hub instead of lifting the suspension.
Why Riders Often Run Both Together
Here’s where the two categories connect: a bigger tire needs somewhere to go, and a lift kit is what gives it that room. Step up to a noticeably larger tire and wheel combination and you may need the added clearance a suspension lift provides to keep everything turning freely, especially at full compression or through hard turns.
That’s why so many builds pair the two. The tire and wheel kit changes what’s touching the ground; the lift kit makes sure it fits without a fight.
Wild Boar Carries Both, Sized for Your Machine
Wild Boar stocks both sides of this equation, in a wide range of sizes and lift heights, across most of the major brands riders run. Whether you’re chasing more real-world clearance, a different traction profile, or a specific look, our Tire & Wheel Kits selection covers everything from mild to aggressive, and our lift kit lineup gives you the room to back it up.
Not sure whether your machine needs a tire and wheel swap, a lift kit, or both? Head to wildboaratvparts.com and browse the fitment options for your make and model — it’s the easiest way to put together a combination that actually matches how and where you ride.
