Gen 3 Raptor Suspension

Most people asking about a Gen 3 lift do not want a race truck. They want the front to sit level, a bigger tire to clear, and the factory ride to survive.

Two ways to do it, both keeping the factory shock:

• Front leveling spring collars — the simplest and cheapest option, available up to 3".
• Billet shock top hats — a direct replacement for the factory upper shock mount, machined in-house. Available in black anodize, FOX orange and raw billet.

Each is offered in standard and heavy-duty. The heavy-duty version uses a larger uniball and is the right choice on a truck that lands hard.

Rear spring spacer lift kits in 1/2" and 1" level the back to match.

The parts that fail first on a stock Gen 3 are not the shocks. They are the joints and the steering links.

Billet upper control arms

Stock length, CNC-machined billet aluminium, with a serviceable uniball instead of a sealed factory ball joint. Separate versions for Gen 3 and Raptor R.

Fabricated lower control arms

Stock length replacements for trucks that have bent or cracked a factory arm, with a skid-plated option.

Billet tie rods

Full length and half length kits, covering Gen 1 through Gen 3.5. The factory tie rod is the part that bends first once you run a bigger tire, and a bent tie rod is an alignment that walks and eventually a steering failure. A 16mm jam nut support sleeve is available as well.

Rear arms and panhard bars

Billet aluminium rear upper and lower arms with Ultra-Flex joints, plus adjustable panhard bars in heim and Johnny Joint form to recentre the rear axle after a lift.

If the budget is small, this is where it should go first — ahead of arms, ahead of shocks.

A bump stop controls the last few inches of compression. A limit strap controls the end of extension. Get them wrong and you either slam the frame on big hits or let the suspension droop past what the joints were designed for.

Available for the Gen 3: front limit strap kits for stock suspension, combined front limit strap and bump stop kits, rear limit strap kits, rear bump stop kits, and a front bump stop for fabricated lower arms.

Almost everyone skips this and goes straight to shocks. It is the single change that alters how the truck feels most per dollar.

Gen 3 sway bar kits split two ways, and getting either wrong means the kit will not bolt on.

• Engine — the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 and the 5.2L supercharged V8 Raptor R take different kits.
• Lower arm — stock and fabricated lower arms are not interchangeable.

That is four combinations, and all four are listed. Look under the front of the truck before ordering, or send us a photo and we will tell you.

Bolt-on protection for the suspension itself:

• Full-length and extended aluminium rear shock guards, including a version cut for the FOX 3.2 Live Valve internal bypass shock.
• Rear shock guard mud flap kits — an 18" x 7" heavy-duty rubber flap on a steel bracket, stopping the grit the front tire throws at the shock body.
• Shock module sensor guard for the Live Valve wiring.
• Lower arm pivot reinforcement brackets — bolt-on, no welding.
• Front shock tower support ring kit and coil bucket reinforcement plates.

A skid plate stops one hard impact. A shock guard stops slow attrition — the constant abrasion that scores the shock body, eats the seal, and kills the shock a season early without anything dramatic ever happening.

Will a leveling kit ruin my factory ride?

No. Collars and top hats change where the shock sits, not how it damps. The factory Live Valve shock keeps doing its job.

Do I need an alignment afterwards?

Yes. Any change to ride height changes camber and toe. Budget for an alignment with any lift.

Top hats or spring collars?

Collars are cheaper and simpler. Top hats replace a factory part that wears, use a serviceable uniball, and are the better answer on a truck that gets used hard. If you are choosing on price, collars. If you are choosing on durability, top hats.

Why do billet top hats need servicing?

They use a replaceable uniball, which is a wear item by design. Standard top hats use the FK FKS12T; heavy-duty use the FK WSSX14T. Both are low-cost replacements — see Serviceable Parts.

What is the biggest tire I can run?

It depends on lift, wheel offset and how much trimming you will accept, so there is no single answer. Call (480) 718-9800 with your wheel specs and intended tire and we will tell you what it takes.

Where do I go for long travel?

See the full Gen 3 suspension catalog, which covers mid travel and long travel front kits, 5-link rear conversions and race shocks.

Gen 3 Suspension (full catalog) · All Gen 3 Raptor Parts · Heavy Duty Billet Top Hats · Standard Billet Top Hats · Bump Stop Kits · Sway Bar Kits · Rear Shock Guards · Serviceable Parts