Custom truck ground effects allow truck owners to add custom fenders, hoods, spoilers and grills to their trucks to change the appearance and make them look fast or sporty. Most trucks are intended for work use; however, those who put ground effects on their trucks typically do not use them for work. Instead, they are known as street trucks.
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History
No one is quite certain when truck ground effects became popular; however, truck and car clubs began cropping up in the 1980s around large cities such as Los Angeles. The members of these clubs shared the same enthusiasm about their vehicles and would add aftermarket options to their cars or trucks to make them look different from everyone else’s.

Function
The purpose of truck ground effects is to make their truck look like a “low rider.” This can be done in one of two ways. Either the truck’s suspension system has to be redone, which includes cutting the springs in the system, or outfitting the trucks with smaller, low-profile tires and wheels. By doing this, the truck will be lowered without the costly expense of redoing the suspension system. Once the truck is lowered, the ground effects can be added, which add to the appearance of the truck being lower to the ground.

Features
Buying a body kit to achieve the look you want is considerably cheaper than buying the pieces separately. A ground effects kit for a Chevy S-10 or GMC Sonoma will cost you around $725 plus shipping and handling. This kit includes the quarter flares, the front air dam and the side skirts. However, this is a low-end ground effects kit. If you are looking for a high-end kit, it will run you about $760 plus shipping and handling. This kit will include the roll pan, front air dam, quarter flares and side skirt. The more you add to your truck, the more of a desired effect you will get.

Considerations
When ordering a ground effects kit, keep in mind that the parts you are ordering do not come pre-painted. Most of them will come with the manufacturer’s mounts and holes already in place to make installation easier, but you will eventually have to repaint your vehicle so that all your parts match.

Expert Insight
Installing the ground effects kit can be a chore. Unless you have knowledge of how to do body work, it is not advised that you attempt to install the parts of the kit. While most kits come with a replacement warranty covering normal wear and tear of the parts, companies will not replace the parts if you mess them up while trying to install them. Most parts are made out of fiberglass; however, this does not ensure that installation is foolproof. Let a professional install the kit if you are unsure of your abilities.
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