Check out our full fitment guide on the Gen 1 2010-2014 Ford Raptor 👇
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The Gen 1 Ford Raptor is pretty much a road-going, homologized prerunner. Between the Fox Racing shocks, factory beadlock wheels and 315/70 BFGoodrich KO2’s, it’s more than capable in stock form.
So, do you really need to do anything to it? Probably not… if you’re happy with it looking like every other 1st Gen Raptor that rolled off the showroom floor. But at Threepiece.us we’re all about making something your own, so that’s what we’re gonna help you do - build a one-off truck that looks and performs the part.
Basic fitment info
This article is all about the Gen 1 trucks, F-150 SVT Raptors, 2009-2014.
Factory SVT Raptor wheel and tire specs
Your Raptor will either come with alloy or forged beadlock-capable wheels; either way, they’re 17x8.5 +34 (6” backspacing). The tires are BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A K02 sized at 315/70R17, something between 34-35”.
Suspension upgrades - progressive springs, leveling, and beyond
In general, Raptors don’t get lifted in the traditional sense, as seen in other F-Series trucks. Besides perch adjustment, you may consider springs, leveling, or possibly more exotic systems.
Bodywork
For most 35” tires this doesn’t apply - no trimming or body panels need to be changed. However, if you wanna run 37s, at least expect some trimming, if not more.
To clearance for larger tires, the inner fender is the first area to look. Normal trimming involves cutting slits in the pinch welds between the factory spot welds. From there, the seams are pounded inward to give a few extra inches of clearance. Any trimming is irreversible, but a necessary evil for 37s.
Changing body panels is reversible and aftermarket panels look pretty sick in their own right. For example, the RPG Off-Road Trophy Front Bumper looks mean, gives additional functionality (winch mount and skid plate), and gives room for some thiccc tires. Fiberglass fenders give you more room vertically and horizontally. You could run a +2/+2 fender, giving 2 extra inches of flare, for low offset wheels, and 2 extra inches of rise, for those 37s. The only downside is that body panels don't solve the problem of clearance in the inner fenders.
Leveling springs - such as the popular kit from Eibach, level the truck will providing progressive spring rates. These run with perches in the lowest setting (stock). Compared with the stock linear springs, you’ll be less likely to rub when spiritedly ripping through the trails.
Leveling kits - are another option. Just like on other trucks, you can space the shocks out for a modest lift in the front, and use blocks to lift the rear. This isn’t the most popular option in the Raptor community, but some vehicles we’ll look at are using these with good results.