Help a newb : Rear Frame Gusset Kit or Bump Stop Kit

Hey All,

Had my Raptor for about 2 years and about to hit the 36k mile mark. Haven't had too many issues with the truck and coming from a 06 E55, I will have to say I love my truck.

But about 2 months ago I noticed that my bed wasn't level. So if your looking at the bed ( from the back of the truck ):

the front of the bed - left side of bed is slightly higher then the right

the rear of the bed - right side of the bed is slightly higher then the left


And after two weeks at the dealers ( two different dealers for a week ), I have been told that the frame is straight but the bed is "slightly" off. And being that its "slight" its within the tolerance of Ford so they will not warranty it.

The truck has been off road a handful of times but mainly in the desert, no jumps no high speed runs etc.

Anyways, enough of the background info..

What I am looking to figure out is how to protect the rear frame and the bed from future issues.

Im trying to decide between:

ADD Rear Frame Gusset Kit

or

RPG Offroad State 2 kit ( 2.5" Fox airbumps)

Any help in point me the right direction will be greatly appreciated. And sorry for the long read.

I was going to say you are just experiencing the Raptor lean but it's leaning the opposite way. With the suspension and a full tank of gas, they tend to lean on the drivers side. So that ain't it.

In regards to your bump stop question and if those are the only two you want to compare and only those two, then I would recommend the RPG one. They work even on a slightly bent frame (even though you stated yours is not)

My RPG Stage 2 will be up for sale eventually as I am moving to the ICON bump stop with the RXT system.

@pat'sRAPTOR

Start with a set of deavers or WSI leaf springs.

This is my truck with a full tank of gas and a set of WSI SD leaf springs.

You got some weight on the right side to balance out that tank. Nice

Well I had the ADD kit for over 2 years with the National HD springs and ditched it recently. I ended up with Fox 3.0's and Deaver +3 and wish I would have done it sooner. The ADD kit was good and did it's job, but with 300lbs or so in the bed at all times, there was only 1inch from the bottom of the pad and the strike plate on the axle. That was before after the spring and shock swap. I was constantly hearing it hit on the street.

I got tired of it and took it off. I ordered the SVC adjustable kit, haven't put it on yet. If it was an option a few years ago I would have definitely considered it. I want the protection off road but I don't want to know it's there on the street.

I did mine in stages, spent 3 years with just the reinforcement kit before adding the bumps and rear leafs. You'll be fine either way, but I wouldn't do bumps without leafs so wait until you can do both before and add the reinforcement kit first.

Your frame is most likely fine. I had the same issue and Ford actually fixed it by shimming the bed. It was within tolerance but the body shop had already started to fix it when Ford came back and said it wouldn't be covered due to being in tolerance.

Also, if you're going to do it, just do it all the way and get the RPG Stage 2 kit with bumps. There are other kits which are just as good. SVC, ICON, Alpha 1 to name a few. I have very, very rarely hit the bumps on the street with my RPG kit. Usually it's when I hit a big dip in the road at speed. During normal driving, even hitting potholes, I haven't hit the bumps much at all.

Whatever direction you decide to go, give @RaptorAddict.com a shout. Kirk can set you up right and is a wealth of knowledge.

If you have any questions dont hesitate to ask me. Our kit is heavier than most on the market but it also offers the most protection. North south and east west protection for all ways it could twist and bend. Also you can use stock or upgraded springs, we would recommend deavers for an upgraded set.

I like this design. Wish I would have seen it or paid more attention years ago

ADDJake said:

If you have any questions dont hesitate to ask me. Our kit is heavier than most on the market but it also offers the most protection. North south and east west protection for all ways it could twist and bend. Also you can use stock or upgraded springs, we would recommend deavers for an upgraded set.

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