You may have seen some images of this 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor floating around on the internet and social media. It’s popular because this Ranger Raptor is running around on 37-inch tires which is quite a jump from the 33-inch tire that came on it. How is that possible?
This Ranger Raptor of 74Weld uses their new portal kit (one at each wheel) which provides a 1:22 gear reduction and 3.88-inches of lift and increased ground clearance. That and a little trimming to the front fenders made room for the 37×12.50×17 Nitto Trail Grappler tires on 17×8 (+45 offset / the stock wheel is +55) forged Bead Grip Method Wheels.
The portals 4 gear design provides a 22% reduction at the hub which allows you to run a bigger tire without the extra stress on drivetrain components. This means you run a 37″ tire on the Ranger Raptor without having to regear axles, and without putting more stress on your factory front CV axles. The portal is your lift, the portal is your re-gear, and unlike conventional kits, it gives you ground clearance. A portal lift is widely recognized as the absolute best solution for an independent suspension system.
What is a portal and how does it work?
A portal axle uses a hub-mounted gearbox to offset the centerline of the axle above or below the wheel’s center. For off-road vehicles, the axle is raised to provide significantly more ground clearance at the lowest point of the vehicle, which is typically the differential.
Instead of a direct connection, a set of gears housed within the wheel hub transfers power from the axle shaft down to the wheel.
- Axle height: The axle tube and differential are positioned higher up in the chassis, away from the ground.
- Gear reduction: The power travels through the axle shaft to a smaller gear inside the wheel hub’s gearbox.
- Hub rotation: This smaller gear drives a larger gear that is connected to the wheel, turning it at a slower speed. This final gear reduction at the wheel hub provides extra torque where it is needed most.
Portal Specifications
- 1.22 Reduction
- 3.88″ Lift
- 35 Spline Final Drive
- Factory ABS Compatible
- Billet 7075 Knuckle With Steel Inserts
- Billet 6061 Portal Box
- Larger Brake Rotors Front And Rear Included
- Converts Your Rear Semi Float Axle To A Full Float
- 4340 Heat Treated Rear Full Float Shafts Included
- Optimized Width And Scrub While Maintaining Stock Suspension Components
- 17″ minimum wheel diameter required with a recommended 5″-6″ backspacing for optimal scrub
What Comes With The Portal Kit
- Billet Aluminum Portals Front and Rear
- Fully machined billet aluminum uprights integrated into front portals
- Larger front and rear rotors
- 4340 Heat Treated Rear Full Float Axle Shafts
- All Necessary Hardware and Detailed Instructions
- Maxima Full Synthetic Oil
Other Details
The Ranger Raptor still uses its stock upper and lower control arms.
The steering rack was replaced with a custom rack that uses an off the shelf rack & pinion that’s been installed in a 74Weld case with Apex Chassis tie rods.
A Foutz Motorsports Ranger Raptor skid plate protects the bottom of the truck back to the transfer case, and there’s also a Foutz skid plate under the rear differential and rear shock mounts. The Ranger Raptor also uses Foutz lower links.
A custom light bar is home to (4) Baja Designs LP4 LED lights
A set of frame mounted rock sliders were built that retains the factory side steps on top of it to give it a factory look but function as a true slider.
The bed received a GFC (Go Fast Campers) V2 PRO Camper which is basically a bed shell with a rooftop tent built into it.
The top of the camper has a 200-watt solar panel that charges a batter bank carried in the bed of the truck
At the time of this writing, the portal kit is $17,000. That sounds high, but I recently saw a Grenadier with a portal kit, and that was a $50,000 upgrade. Just remember that a portal kit is like getting a suspension lift and having your axles re-geared all at the same time.
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Jim Oaks is the founder of TheRangerStation.com, the longest-running Ford Ranger resource online since 1999. With over 25 years of hands-on experience building and modifying Ford Rangers — including magazine-featured builds like Project Transformer — Jim has become one of the most trusted authorities in the Ford Ranger off-road and enthusiast space. In 2019, he was loaned a Ranger FX4 by Ford Motor Company to test and document across the TransAmerica Trail. Jim continues to inspire and guide Ranger owners around the world.
