November 2017 Customer Spotlight: Kody's Ruby Red 2017 Raptor!

This month's Customer Spotlight features a Ruby Red 2017 Raptor with a backstory. A shopper and friend to Stage 3, Kody is having a blast working on his "bucket list dream build," and we think his journey is more than worth sharing. Hit the jump for a deep dive into this one-of-a-kind Raptor build!

First and foremost, that front bumper. What you see there is Fab Fours' Vengeance Front Bumper beefed up with a unique, angular pre-runner hoop. The bumper is housing quad LED off-road cube lights to help Kody find his way back to the trails once the sun sets. The Vengeance front bumper successfully distinguishes Kody's Raptor from the rest with its unmistakably aggressive design and heavy-duty lighting setup.

The building process is all the fun for Kody, which is why he does most of the installs on his build himself. That being said, he does have a local shop he uses for the tricky stuff. Judging from the above picture, that Fab Fours front bumper is right on the verge of "tricky."

Now for a little backstory. This is actually Kody's second Raptor build, the first being a Blue Flame Gen 1 crew cab he was forced to sell due to life-threatening health issues. Understandably, he was devastated. Devastated, yet hopeful. Kody vowed that if he could get himself back on two feet he would build another Raptor just the way he wanted. This stunning Gen 2 Raptor is the product of his determination and the build of his dreams, in every sense of the phrase.

Kody ditched his Raptor's factory wheel & tire setup for something a little different. He went with 17x9" KMC XD wheels wrapped in 35" BFG KO2 tires. The pragmatic setup leaves more than enough sidewall for hardcore off-roading, and thanks to the KMC wheels' distinctive styling, it'll clean up real nice for the car show.

The stock 2017 Raptor benefits from 13-inch front and 13.9-inch rear suspension travel, plenty for most off-road applications. Thankfully, Kody doesn't know the meaning of the word "stock," and beefed up his suspension setup with an extra 2.5" of lift. The aftermarket suspension completely eliminated the Raptor's factory rake, an improvement that's arguably as dramatic as any of the other upgrades.

We want to thank Kody for hooking us up with the great shots and details of his build. Stage 3 wishes you the best and looks forward to seeing where you take your dream build next! Check out the YouTube channel for Kody's Raptor build for install videos, useful tips and more!

Partial Upgrades List:

• KMC XD Holeshot 17x9" Wheels -12mm Offset
• 35" BFG KO2 Tires
• Fab Fours Vengeance Front Bumper w/ Pre-Runner
• Off-Road Cube Lights
• Line-X Bed Liner
• Full Clear Bra
• Resonator Delete
• HO EcoBoost Pedal Commander PC-18 Throttle Response Controller
• Raptor-Lined Wheel Wells
• 2.5" Suspension Lift