Sorry if this is a stupid question but what's the benefit you get from changing out these leaf springs and bump stops? FWIW, I bought my Raptor to be more of an overlanding base and not a baja racer but I'm still curious ...
Thanks for the video!
Not a dumb question. From the factory, the leaf springs must be balanced between unloaded vs loaded, on-road and offroad performance, and of course cost. Just like the shocks, they have the full gamut of conditions they must cover, which makes them jack-of-all trades, master of none.
Many people complain about the back end jitteriness our trucks have over small bumps, and rather then reduce tire pressure or add weight, they jump to buying new springs. Aftermarket springs (Deaver and Icon, at least) have more leafs, which translates to better handling over the range of conditions you encounter, of course at added cost (hence why Ford doesn't do it). Having ridden in several trucks with upgraded springs (two of which I have comparison videos on) I personally think the difference is marginal - not nearly as much as people will claim, and generally not worth the price (IMO, true of many upgrades you find people buying here).
WITH THAT SAID, there are situations where new leafs make sense, one of which is when you are frequently carrying heavy loads offroad. In this case, Deaver (and I think ICON) offer HD springs, which allows for you to carry more weight while also improving ride quality for those conditions (with the drawback unloaded ride will suffer). So for people like you that plan to overland, springs may make sense to help with sag and general compliance with a loaded bed over rough terrain.
As for bump stops, once the shock passes through its full range of travel it hits your stops, which from factory, are just rubber blocks. This means when you've hit an obstacle too fast and max out your suspension, the bump stops serve as a direct transmitter of the remaining force to your frame, causing your truck to buck and even break (the 2010-2011 would have frames bend in extreme cases). Not ideal.
For those who continually push the limits of their suspension, or just in situations where something crops up unexpectedly, aftermarket bump stops serve sort of as a secondary shock, helping dissipate the force transferred to the frame. They are considered a fundamental upgrade for Gen 1 trucks, and have carried over to the Gen 2 for that reason. I do think they serve a good purpose in Gen 1 trucks, from research anyway (never ridden in a stock Gen 1), but I have noticed very little difference on Gen 2 trucks. I'm sure many others will claim otherwise.