2021-2024 Ford Raptor Lift Kit: ICON Stage 2 Snow Review

The 2021-2024 Ford Raptor lift kit question gets loud the second the first snow falls: the third-generation Raptor is a factory desert weapon, but its stock stance leaves clearance and tire size on the table when the trails turn to deep snow and salted two-lanes. The ICON Stage 2 Suspension System (K93172) is a bolt-on 2 to 2.25in front and 1in rear lift built specifically for the 2021-2024 F-150 Raptor and Raptor R that keeps the factory FOX Live Valve 3.1 shocks fully functional while adding billet upper control arms and ICON's sealed Delta Joint PRO. In plain terms: more room for aggressive 37in winter tires, corrected geometry so a lifted truck still tracks straight through snow ruts, and a ball joint engineered to survive road brine. At our Tampa, FL shop we treat this kit as the honest winter upgrade for owners who want clearance without gutting the electronics they paid for.

What Is the ICON Stage 2 Raptor Suspension System?

The ICON Stage 2 (part number K93172) is a complete lift and geometry package for the 2021-2024 Ford F-150 Raptor that raises the truck 2.25in in front (2in on the heavier Raptor R) and 1in in the rear while keeping the factory FOX Live Valve 3.1 shocks in place. It is built from three assemblies: ICON’s 95232 linear-rate front coil springs, the 98564DJ billet aluminum upper control arm kit with the Delta Joint PRO, and the 95230 triple-rate rear coil springs. Because the system is engineered for OE shock absorbers, it "maintains electronic shock functionality" — you keep the truck’s GPS-and-sensor-fed adaptive damping instead of throwing it away for a static coilover. That single fact is why we recommend it for a daily-driven winter Raptor.

For context, the third-generation Raptor ships with 3.1in-diameter FOX Live Valve internal-bypass shocks and roughly 14in of front travel (14.1in on the 37in package) over a five-link coil-sprung rear axle. That is a phenomenal high-speed desert setup, but it is tuned for stock ride height. The Stage 2 kit lifts the nose and levels the stance so you can fit taller, more aggressive winter rubber, then uses billet control arms to put the front-end alignment back where it belongs.

Why Does a Raptor Need More Lift for Winter?

A Raptor already has clearance, so the winter case for a lift is not about looks — it is about tire size, geometry, and corrosion. The stock 2021-2024 Raptor runs 35in tires (37in on the optional package), and there is limited room to go bigger without rubbing at full stuff. Adding 2.25in of front lift and 1in of rear lift opens the wheel wells so you can step up to a taller, more aggressive 37in all-terrain or Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) winter tire — the single biggest traction gain you can make on snow and ice. More static ride height also means the front air dam and lower control arms sit farther from packed berms and plow ridges.

The corrosion angle is where ICON’s Delta Joint PRO earns its keep in the salt belt. It is a patented (U.S. Patent 10,731,700) heavy-duty ball joint with a full 90 degrees of articulation, a chromoly ball and shaft hardened to Rockwell C55, and 56% more bearing surface than the standard Delta Joint. Critically, it uses a zinc-plated housing and a tough grease seal — unlike an exposed motorsports uniball, which allows articulation but packs with brine, grit, and slush and seizes on a daily-driven winter truck. In our Tampa shop we see uniball front ends come apart from contamination; a sealed, serviceable joint is the right call for anyone who drives through winter rather than parking for it.

ICON Stage 2 for the 2021-2024 Raptor: The Featured Kit

The Stage 2 is the kit we point most Raptor owners toward because it corrects what a spacer or coil-only level cannot. The billet aluminum UCAs restore camber and caster after the lift, add on-vehicle adjustment, and improve clearance around the larger front components. The linear-rate front coils hold a consistent ride height, and the triple-rate rear coils add an inch out back without hurting the loaded ride. You keep the FOX Live Valve electronics, so the truck still stiffens under braking and softens over washboard — it just does it 2.25in taller with room for winter tires. It also comes in Standard and Overland (+300 lb) spring configurations for trucks carrying extra front-end weight.

Stage 1 vs Stage 2 vs Overland Coils: Which Raptor Kit?

ICON builds a tiered Raptor lineup, and picking the right rung saves money and matches your winter build. Stage 1 is the entry level: linear-rate front coils that deliver the same 2.25in front lift while reusing the factory upper control arms and shocks — ideal if you only want clearance and tire room on a budget. Stage 2 adds the billet UCAs, Delta Joint PRO, and triple-rate rear coils for full geometry correction. The Overland Triple-Rate coil kit is a spring-only option tuned to hold ride height with roughly +300 lb of front accessory weight — the pick if you run a steel winter bumper and winch. Here is how they line up:

Installation, Alignment, and Winter Tire Setup

The Stage 2 system installs with no cutting or frame modification, and most competent shops complete it in a day. Two winter-specific steps matter. First, the truck requires an ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) recalibration afterward — the front radar and camera sit lower on a lifted truck, and the pre-collision, adaptive cruise, and lane systems need to be re-aimed. Second, get a full alignment; the billet UCAs give you the camber and caster range to dial it in, which is exactly what keeps a lifted Raptor from wandering in plow-carved ruts. Do not combine the kit with coil spacers, and remember it is engineered for the factory shocks, not aftermarket coilovers.

Be honest with yourself about what a lift does and does not do. It buys clearance and tire fitment; it does not replace winter tires. The traction that stops you on ice comes from a Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) compound and siping, not ride height. Our advice: use the Stage 2’s new room to run a 37in 3PMSF all-terrain, keep the factory Live Valve tune, and add the Overland coils only if you hang a steel bumper and winch off the nose. A Raptor is not a plow truck from the factory, so skip the plow fantasy and build it as the deep-snow, salt-belt daily it is meant to be.