2021–2026 Ford F-150 Upgrades, Ranked: 5 Mods in the Order to Buy Them

Floor liners go first because they are the cheapest upgrade on this page and they protect something that is expensive to replace: the cab carpet. A full SuperCrew set runs about $110–$220 in our guide, and a front pair alone is about $70–$100. On a 14th-gen F-150 the fit question isn't the model year. Husky, LASFIT and Weize list the same SuperCrew liners for 2015 through 2025 or 2026 because the cab floor carried over. What decides fit is under the rear seat: a plain floor, bins or a lockable box, or the fold-flat load floor. A second-row liner cut for a plain floor won't sit flat around the fold-flat hardware, so lift the rear cushion before you order. The Lightning is a SuperCrew and most listings name it, but the frunk needs its own liner. The trade-off is feel versus documentation: Husky's WeatherBeater is firm, made in the USA and carries a lifetime crack warranty, while softer TPE sets grip wet boots better but publish less. Either one beats the factory carpet mat, which should come out completely rather than sit under the liner.

A tonneau cover ranks second because an open F-150 bed is both a theft problem and a weather problem, and it's also where the most fit mistakes happen. The 14th-gen truck has three beds, about 67.1, 78.9 and 97.6 in at the rail, and covers are sold by bed length, not cab. A SuperCrew can have either the 5.5 or 6.5 ft box. BAK, Retrax and Gator sell separate 2021+ part numbers for their hard covers, while a few soft covers, such as TruXedo's Lo Pro 597701, span 2015–2026. Prices in our guide run from about $229 for Tyger's soft tri-fold to about $549 for the Gator EFX, about $1,050 for the BAKFlip MX4 and about $1,850 for the RetraxPRO MX. The hard covers separate on load rating: 300, 400 and 500 lb respectively. Security still depends on locking the tailgate. Before buying, decide whether a bed rack is coming, because most folding covers leave nowhere for one to mount. On 2024+ trucks with the Pro Access tailgate, the covers seal on the tailgate top rather than attaching to it, but ask about the rear seal if you use the swing-out door daily.

Running boards rank third because the F-150 is a tall full-size truck and the step-in height affects everyone who rides in it, every trip. The case is strongest on a 4x4 SuperCrew that carries kids or older passengers. On a truck that left the factory with fixed or power-deployable boards, skip this slot: aftermarket boards replace factory ones rather than adding to them. Fit is simpler than for a cover. Boards are cut to cab length, every pick in our guide is a SuperCrew part, and many carry over from 2015 because the 13th- and 14th-gen SuperCrew share rocker mounting points. Westin's PRO TRAXX 5 lists 2015–2026 and names the Lightning. Prices run from about $150–$220 for 6 in aluminum boards to about $250–$400 for Westin's oval nerf bar and about $450–$600 for Go Rhino's galvanized RB20, or about $600–$750 with drop steps. The trade-off is side clearance, worst with drop steps, which hang lowest. On a Tremor or Raptor that sees rocks, sliders protect the rocker better. One side benefit: fewer boots drag mud across the sill.

A bed rack ranks fourth because it has the narrowest audience and the biggest bill: rooftop tents, kayaks, ladders and overland gear. For those owners it may be the reason they bought the truck, so read this as 'after the basics', not 'optional'. Fit on the F-150 has three layers. Bed length comes first: the one-piece racks in our guide (Putco's Venture TEC 184100, the RealTruck GoRack and Rough Country's 10406) are 5.5 ft parts, and 6.5 and 8 ft owners are mostly pointed to Yakima's clamp towers. Then the anchor: stake pockets on every truck, BoxLink cleat points (owners on F150gen14 report the Bed Utility Package became optional for 2022, leaving unthreaded holes on trucks without it), or a bed utility track. Last comes the aluminum bed, which rewards torque specs and stake-pocket mounts over hard clamping on the rail edge. Prices run from about $500 for the Rough Country rack to about $1,050–$1,090 for Putco's Quick Rack or the GoRack and about $2,069–$2,399 for the Venture TEC. Keep tent plus gear under the dynamic figure: 600 lb on the Putco and GoRack, 400 lb on the Rough Country.

Lighting comes last on the F-150 because it has the most fit traps and the fewest uses you can make of it on public roads. Most add-on light bars and spot pods are off-road equipment in most states, so they must be switched off, and in some states covered, while driving. The front end splits kits several ways. Baja's Squadron SAE/Pro fog pocket kit, from about $1,033, is listed for 2021–2023 trucks with daytime running lights only, and non-DRL trucks need a separate kit. Wikipedia says the 2024 refresh brought revised grilles and headlights, so 2021–2023 grille and fog kits need a listing that names your year. The Raptor has its own bumper and fog pockets: Baja's S2 SAE/S2 Pro Raptor kit is about $736 and its 39.16 in linkable bumper bar starts at about $1,853. The smartest first step is a set of SAE J583 fog lamps in the factory pockets, which you can use on the road. Check the overhead console too: owners report upfitter switches on the Tremor, which make wiring cleaner. Most other trims need a toggle harness with relay and fuse.