The Ford Raptor comes from the factory closer to a prerunner than any other truck you can buy. But anyone who drives one hard in the desert finds its limits: shocks that fade on long whoop sections, rear ends that buck, and upper control arms that need attention once you add lift. Here's where to start, in the order most owners upgrade.
1. Shocks: the biggest single upgrade
On a Raptor, shocks make the biggest difference you'll feel. The good news is that the options below are direct bolt-on replacements for 2017–2020 trucks, so there's no cutting or welding.
Front coilovers (2017–2020):
- King 3.0 Coilovers with compression adjuster: fully adjustable internal bypass, with up to 2.5" of lift.
- FOX 3.0 Internal Bypass Coilovers with finned reservoir: Dual Speed Compression adjusters and improved cooling for long runs.
Rear bypass shocks (2017–2020):
- King 3.0 4-Tube Bypasses with finned reservoir: two levels of compression and rebound to tune, with up to 1.5" of rear lift.
- FOX 3.0 Triple Bypasses with QAB adjusters: quick-adjust knobs and extra cooling, with up to 1.5" of rear lift.
First-generation Raptor (2010–2014): the King 3.0 3-Tube Rear Bypasses are a bolt-on rear upgrade with two levels of compression tuning.
King or FOX? Both are excellent and both are race-proven. Many owners simply pick the brand they've had good experience with, or match what's already on their truck. The real decision is how much adjustability you want.
2. Upper control arms
Once you add lift, the factory upper control arms throw off alignment and limit travel. The Dirt King 4130 Upper Control Arms for the 2010–2020 Raptor are chromoly arms built to fix squeaky bushings, joints that need constant service, and geometry problems after a lift.
Pair them with the Dirt King Alignment Cam Kit. Raptors don't come with alignment cams from the factory, and this kit adds up to 1.5 degrees of caster and 1 degree of camber adjustment.
3. Rear suspension and bed cage
For more rear travel and a calmer rear end:
- Dirt King Long Travel Shackles replace factory shackles that are prone to failing and allow more down travel with long travel leaf springs.
- The Dirt King Bolt-On Bump Stop Kit helps prevent harsh bottom-outs and adds a frame support. Check the product pages for the exact years each one fits.
- A Dirt King prefab bed cage mounts rear bypass shocks for serious builds: 2017–2020 Raptor or 2010–2014 Raptor.
A sensible upgrade order
- Front coilovers and rear bypasses
- Upper control arms and alignment cams
- Long travel shackles and bump stops
- Bed cage, for a full prerunner build
Shop all Ford parts or email sales@bajaracingparts.com with your Raptor's year, and we'll help you plan the build.