Ford F-150 Raptor Functional Bead Lock Ring Kits Now Available

December 16, 2021 10:04 am

When the all-new 2021 Ford F-150 was revealed early this year, it also introduced a number of interesting new features, including a first for the rugged off-roader – optional 37-inch, specially-designed BFGoodrich all-terrain T/A K02 tires that actually required Ford to modify its assembly line to accommodate. The 2021 F-150 Raptor and the 2021 Ford Bronco also share a beadlock-capable wheel design. Thus, shortly after a Ford Bronco functional bead lock ring kit launched in FoMoCo’s catalog, a pair of similar kits for the new F-150 Raptor have followed.

The first Ford F-150 Raptor functional bead lock ring kit is sold under part number M-1021K-BL1 and fits 2021 F-150 Raptor models equipped with the factory bead lock wheel option (64D) and 35-inch tires, or 2017-2018 F-150 Raptor models equipped with factory bead lock wheels. The kit includes four functional bead lock rings, as well as the required 24 fasteners per ring.

Those that have 37-inch tires on their 2021 F-150 Raptor can purchase the same kit under part number M-1021K-BL2, which fits 2021 F-150 Raptor with the factory Raptor 37 Performance Package (68R) or 2019-2020 F-150 Raptor models with the factory bead lock wheel option. This kit also comes with four functional bead lock rings and 24 fasteners per ring. Both kits retail for $845.

Bead locks lock the bead of a tire to the wheel, which offers a number of advantages for off-road applications. Bead locks allow owners to drop the air pressure in a tire to a very low level without having to worry about the tire slipping off the wheel, increasing the tire’s contact patch, and improving traction on a variety of slippery surfaces such as rocks, sand, and snow.

On the flip side, bead locks are not DOT-approved and, subsequently, are not legal for road use, are heavier than non-bead lock wheels, and are more expensive than conventional wheels. Regardless, for hardcore off-roaders, bead locks offer a number of distinct advantages that have made them a popular upgrade in recent years.

We’ll have more on the F-150 Raptor soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford F-150 Raptor news and continuous Ford news coverage.

By Brett Foote

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.