What to do with my K02 tires???

Thanks Lou,

You bring up some very good points, and I understand your point of view.

Here’s the story, however, which I’ve not shared on this site...

Although I used to work for Ford, and had more F-150s than I can count, it was our 19 year old daughter that was urging me to get a Raptor. Unlike most 19 yo female neuroscience majors, she had a thing about high performance cars and oddly, trucks too.

While I use my truck as a truck a lot, I really don’t need a high performance suspension or significant off-road capabilities. We do get a lot of snow in NH, so it’s nice to have a truck that can handle the big storms, but in reality a good F150 4x4 usually is enough.

I bought my 2018 Raptor for our daughter, not to drive it herself, but just so she could drive around in it with me when she came home from school, or when we would take her friends to the movies.

In August, she was hit by a car while at school. She was in a coma for six weeks, and then passed away from complications of brain injuries. It was, and continues to be devastating.

Earlier this winter, I asked her brothers and friends what she would want her dream truck to look like. So, I sold the ‘18 and bought a ‘19, equipped the way everyone said she’d like it, all black and ready to be tricked out.

Before our daughter was hit, she tried to talk me into lifting the ‘18 truck, with bigger tires and wheels. Naturally, I resisted, for all the good reasons that you mentioned. However, good reason and appropriateness is no longer important. Instead, this truck will be customized in a manner that she would have wanted it, given her earlier feedback to me, as well as that of her siblings and friends.

So, I hear you, but for her, I will create a vehicle that is a tribute to what she would want, not what makes sense. Thankfully, she wasn’t looking for chrome wheels and neon lights, but if that’s what she would have liked, that’s where the truck would end up.

After the lift, tires and wheels, I’ll have to think of bumpers, lights, and anything else that she may like.

This week, I’ll order the license plate “Baylie” from the DMV, and I have some folks that are looking into some subtle graphics that would be a nice tribute to her.

When it’s done, I’ll send you a picture, and you can tell me if I’ve captured her spirit in this crazy thing called a Raptor.

If your spending the money as it sounds you are willing and to do this right your recipe:

1. Icon or Deaver +4 leaf springs.
2. Bump kit or relocate factory bumps(sounds like relocate is best for you and save the $)
3. Shocks: Fox Factory, King or Icon. You may have to wait as you have a 19 with the live shocks.
4. 37” tires will now fit properly with proper clearance for your needs.

The truck will ride better and outperform stock with the above set up and gain the lift your looking for.

If it’s a RC 4” lift It must be a 6” block! I would hope it doesn’t stack blocks especially at that height. You will be way out of range for your stock shocks will be amplified with the live shocks your 19 has.

It’s still your truck and your money do as you wish! Have fun with the mods




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As a parent that has lost a child way too young I am deeply sorry this happened. I like that you choose to honor her with something you know she would have loved. It is your truck, your memories and your future! What a great license plate as well!

I think what others are saying is, lifting it is acceptable. They are just trying to communicate that there are other ways. It will retain what a Raptor is and give Baylie what she wanted, a bad ass truck with bigger tires. I am not sure on the '19s what will work but sure others do. I know on the '17 & '18 you could do the Fox 3.0 and Deavers to gain at least two inches in addition to what the 37s will give you. Might not be the 4" lift, but it will be far more capable and "badass", I think it would make her proud which ever direction you go!

NH Raptor, so sorry about the tragic loss of your daughter, my condolences.

I have gotten lots of comments from, and conversations with women who come up to me in the parking lot to tell me they just love my truck and ask about it. There are lots of Raptor girls out there!

Make your daughter proud!

Aloha, RT

NH-Raptor.....

I hope I can speak for the community here and say we are all sorry for your loss. I’ll agree with everyone here and also recommend lifting the truck by means other than the RC lift. It will just take away from what the truck was designed to do. If you want to build something for your daughter, a tribute, don’t skimp on the project. It will still be a lifted truck, look bad ass and keep its functionality.


But if your mind is made up, look at the other options for lifts out there. I was never a fan of RC’s components. I ran a BDS lift on my tundra prior to the raptor and loved it. Great customer service and lifetime warranty. Either way, please keep us updated on the build! I for one can’t wait to see the finished project.

So sorry for your loss NH Raptor.

To give some perspective on selling tires. Just went from a 17 to a 20 on my raptor. Listed the stock ko2's on ebay with ~1000 miles on them. The winning bid for 4 tires ended up being $702 + $300 shipping. Honestly lucked out that the winner was local and we ended up doing a local pickup, when I got a shipping quote from UPS it was $150 a tire. The UPS store told me that their size hit above some threshold and qualified for oversize shipping which added a fairly large surcharge.

Not sure if you have the bead locks or not but I have been watching their used market on ebay and it seems that the best you are doing on them is less than $1,500. A lot of sets are listed on ebay for much higher but they have been sitting.

Back to your original question about what to do with your tires. Are you looking to sell with the wheels and what wheel package do you have.
I’m interested message me. Rob


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Sorry to hear about your daughter. I have 1 daughter and 2 boys. I would be a basked case if something happened to one of my kids.
Thanks for sharing...

NH-Raptor said:

Thanks Lou,

You bring up some very good points, and I understand your point of view.

Here’s the story, however, which I’ve not shared on this site...

Although I used to work for Ford, and had more F-150s than I can count, it was our 19 year old daughter that was urging me to get a Raptor. Unlike most 19 yo female neuroscience majors, she had a thing about high performance cars and oddly, trucks too.

While I use my truck as a truck a lot, I really don’t need a high performance suspension or significant off-road capabilities. We do get a lot of snow in NH, so it’s nice to have a truck that can handle the big storms, but in reality a good F150 4x4 usually is enough.

I bought my 2018 Raptor for our daughter, not to drive it herself, but just so she could drive around in it with me when she came home from school, or when we would take her friends to the movies.

In August, she was hit by a car while at school. She was in a coma for six weeks, and then passed away from complications of brain injuries. It was, and continues to be devastating.

Earlier this winter, I asked her brothers and friends what she would want her dream truck to look like. So, I sold the ‘18 and bought a ‘19, equipped the way everyone said she’d like it, all black and ready to be tricked out.

Before our daughter was hit, she tried to talk me into lifting the ‘18 truck, with bigger tires and wheels. Naturally, I resisted, for all the good reasons that you mentioned. However, good reason and appropriateness is no longer important. Instead, this truck will be customized in a manner that she would have wanted it, given her earlier feedback to me, as well as that of her siblings and friends.

So, I hear you, but for her, I will create a vehicle that is a tribute to what she would want, not what makes sense. Thankfully, she wasn’t looking for chrome wheels and neon lights, but if that’s what she would have liked, that’s where the truck would end up.

After the lift, tires and wheels, I’ll have to think of bumpers, lights, and anything else that she may like.

This week, I’ll order the license plate “Baylie” from the DMV, and I have some folks that are looking into some subtle graphics that would be a nice tribute to her.

When it’s done, I’ll send you a picture, and you can tell me if I’ve captured her spirit in this crazy thing called a Raptor.

Click to expand...

Sorry for your loss...
Friend this is precisely why each individual should mod his / her truck as desired... Ford built the truck to be driven and could care less if someone didn't "baja" the truck.

People buys cars for different reasons, I build race cars with no intention of racing them. its a hobby, learned through an apprenticeship with me old grandpappy...

continue your research, as you are doing. make the best decision based on your particular needs / wants. have fun with your build. GOOD LUCK!