Raptor R - the ultimate V8 equipped off road Truck

The Raptor R is the top of the Ford Raptor line: a supercharged 5.2L V8 making around 700 horsepower, on the same Gen 3 chassis and FOX Live Valve suspension that already made the Raptor the most capable production truck of its kind.

The name is older than the street truck. In 2008 Ford and Foutz Motorsports built the original Raptor R race truck as a skunkworks project during the birth of the Raptor program, and campaigned it at the Baja 1000 that year — before any Raptor had reached a dealer lot. The build and the race were documented in the film Raptor Born in Baja.

When Ford brought the Raptor R name to the street in 2023, we already had a decade and a half under the platform. That is the short version of why this page exists.

Control arms and spindles

Raptor R billet upper control arm kit at stock length, Gen 3 fabricated lower control arms at stock width, and the Gen 3 fabricated ultimate strength front spindle kit for trucks that are breaking things.

Top hats and ride height

Billet top hats in stock height and heavy duty versions. Front leveling collar kits at 1.5" and 2" for 2021–2023 trucks, and a 1.5", 2" or 3" front leveling kit for 2024–2026. All of it keeps the factory Live Valve shock and its function.

Steering

Billet tie rod kit and billet half tie rod kit, both covering 2010–2026 Raptors. The factory tie rod is the part that bends first on a heavy truck with big tires.

Travel control

Front limit strap kit for the stock lower A-arm. Controls the extension end of travel, which is the half most people forget about.

The Gen 3 platform is coil-sprung on a 5-link rear from the factory, so the work here is strength and geometry rather than conversion.

• Billet aluminium rear upper and lower suspension arms with Ultra-Flex joints, sold separately or as a kit.
• Billet rear arms in a uniball version — upper, lower, or the complete rear suspension kit.
• Adjustable panhard bars in Johnny Joint and heim joint versions, plus a billet panhard bar with Ultra-Flex joint. Adjustable matters after any ride height change, because moving the truck up or down moves the axle sideways.
• Adjustable 41.5" heim joint panhard bar for long travel setups.
• Long Travel Rear Suspension Kit built for 19 inches of rear wheel travel.

Springs

Geiser rear spring kit at stock height for the Raptor R specifically, Geiser +2.5" front and rear springs, and Geiser rear springs sold on their own.

Brakes

The Alcon Big Brake Kit for the 2021 and up Gen 3 Raptor (front). A 700 hp truck on 37s asks a lot of factory brakes, and the place it shows up is fade on a long descent rather than a single panic stop.

Protection

Rear lower shock skid kit, full length aluminium shock guards in pair and single, and a dedicated rear shock guard kit for the FOX 3.2 Live Valve internal bypass shock — that shock has a different body than the base unit, so it takes its own part.

Bed and interior

5-Link Rear Bed Organizer sized for a 3.0x16 coilover or 3.5x16 bypass, dual tire carrier quick release organizer, side jack mount add-on, rear cargo slide tray, a simple bed cargo organizer, PACKOUT mounting plate, Adapt-A-Panel behind-rear-seat kit and dash centre panel.

Lighting

Front light mount kits for both the stock bumper and the 2024 modular bumper, built to take any light.

Do Gen 3 Raptor parts fit a Raptor R?

Almost always, yes. The Raptor R shares the Gen 3 chassis and suspension; the differences are the engine and the badge. Parts listed for the 2021+ Gen 3 Raptor are the parts you want. Check each product page for year ranges, since the 2024 Gen 3.5 changed some fitments.

Will a lift kit break the Live Valve suspension?

No. Our leveling collars and billet top hats retain the factory FOX Live Valve shock and its electronic function. They change ride height by adding preload or by relocating the top mount, not by replacing the shock.

How much front lift can I run?

1.5" or 2" on 2021–2023 trucks. On 2024–2026 there is a kit offering 1.5", 2" or 3". Get an alignment afterwards either way.

Do I need an adjustable panhard bar?

If you change rear ride height, yes. Raising or lowering the truck shifts the rear axle laterally, and the panhard bar is how you put it back in the middle. On a stock-height truck it matters less.

Johnny Joint or heim joint?

Heim is more precise with less deflection and is what we run on race trucks, at the cost of noise and shorter service life on the street. Johnny Joint style is quieter and lasts longer in daily use. Both adjust.

What breaks first on a hard-used Raptor R?

Tie rods, then rear arm joints, then whatever is lowest under the truck. That order is why the billet tie rod kit is the most common first purchase on this page.

Was there really a Raptor R in 2008?

Yes — a race truck, not a production model. Ford and Foutz Motorsports built it as a development and skunkworks project and raced it at the Baja 1000 in 2008, well before the Raptor reached showrooms. Ford revived the Raptor R name for the supercharged street truck in 2023.

Gen 3.5 Raptor & Raptor R (2024+) · Gen 3 Raptor (2021-2023) · Rear Suspension Kits · Lift Collars & Leveling · Rear Shock Guards & Mud Flap Kits · All Ford Raptors