Top 10 Ford F-150 Mods & Upgrades for 2021

By Garrett Davis - February 5, 2021

Come one, come all to the Ford F-150 Modification Station! Did you just get a new truck, or are looking to beef up an older one? Either way, you’re in the right place. The F-150 is one of our favorite platforms out there because there are just so many parts and directions you can do with them that the possibilities are endless! So come on in out of the cold, weary traveler, you’re home now.

1) Add Some Versatility to That Big Truck Bed With a Tonneau Cover

The best thing about that big, wide-open space back there is also sometimes the worst. Sure, you can fit an insane amount of gear and cargo back there, but then when it comes to stop to “evacuate fluids” at a rest stop, your gear is out in the open, exposed to Mother Nature and maybe some less than scrupulous onlookers with sticky fingers.

The good news is that you can have the best of both worlds with a solid tonneau cover. Roll, fold, or retract is when you need the space to haul something big, and then you can cover everything up when you just need to keep your stuff safe and dry. Plus, being that you have the most popular truck in the world, you have an insane amount of options to choose from in every style and price point you can imagine.

2) Squeeze out Some Extra Ponies With a Performance Tuner

EcoBoost people, this is where things get really fun. Ford left a lot on the table with these turbo motors, opening up massive potential for tuning companies to be able to package some serious horsepower in a little device smaller than your smartphone. The V8 crowd can expect some smaller gains, but still have access to all the great performance monitoring and digital dash features of some of the higher-end tuners.

For almost any factory turbo car, a performance chip or tuner is by far the best bang for your buck when it comes to getting more power and efficiency out of your truck — this is especially true with Ford’s EcoBoost motors. These are already quick trucks from the factory, and can tow an impressive amount stock, but once you slap a tune on one, it’s a whole other ball game. Pair one of these with other mods on this list, and you’ll be breathing fire in no time.

3) Let Your Engine Breathe With a New Air Intake

These engines pull in a ton of air, and while the factory airbox does a great job, it’s built very conservatively compared to what you can get out of your intake. Luckily, like with everything else, the aftermarket has responded and you have your choice of cold air and short ram intakes to fit your truck’s needs.

Letting in more air means more fuel to burn along side it, and more fuel means spinning those tires even harder. It’s kind of crazy to think that these trucks are as fast as the Mustang GT used to be, and getting faster and faster all the time now thanks to mods like these!

4) Get a Little Bark to Go Along With That Bite With a Performance Exhaust System

With all the sound deadening, NVH improvements, and quality materials these days, it’s getting harder and harder to hear these trucks. Last time I drove a 2.7 Ecoboost, I had to look down at the gauge cluster to make sure the engine was running because it was so quite and smooth. That’s great if you’re looking for something unobtrusive, but some of us want to hear the power we’re putting down.

OK, so the Ecoboost guys had their time with the tuners, so now here’s where the V8 guys get the most out of a mod, because sorry everyone, but the V8 is still the reigning champ in terms of sound. The Ecoboosts can sound pretty decent with a good exhaust, but that 5.0 Coyote really roars like no other. So from loud and intimidating to subtle and rumbling, we’ve got good exhaust choices for you.

5) Keep Your Interior Protected and Rugged With a Set of Custom Floor Liners

One almost universal truth of trucks is that they tend to see a harder life than your average commuter car. That’s OK, because that’s what they’re designed for! But that doesn’t mean you won’t be doing yourself (and your resale value) a favor but keeping your carpet protected and covered with a set of custom fit all weather floor mats.

With muddy boots, leaky kids, and morning commute coffee spills, your carpet has its work cut out for it. That’s why companies like Husky Liner and WeatherTech make custom solutions to cover you for the worst case scenario. Also, we have options for some plush and luxurious carpet mats, and also some cheaper options that are still custom cut for your truck without breaking the bank.

6) Try out a Set of Custom Fit Seat Covers

No matter what you do with your truck, as long as you’re driving it, the seats are taking a hit — even more so if you’re using it for work or to transport those little tasmanian devils we call children. Well again, the quality of life and resale value play here is to keep them covered up — but that doesn’t mean they can’t still look and feel nice!

Didn’t opt for factory leather seats? Well you can get a quality set of genuine leather seat covers that look like factory upholstery. We also have options for tough canvas, OEM looking cloth, and cushy, water-resistant neoprene and neosupreme covers as well in just about every pattern and color you can imagine. All available in your choice of fabric and in custom, semi-custom, or universal fitments, depending on your needs and budget.

7) Get a Step up in Life With a Solid Set of Nerf Bars

OK, we can all agree that trucks have gotten insanely big in the past few decades, right? Even an average 2WD F-150 these days sits way up over traffic, it’s crazy! So whether you’re on the vertically challenged side, have hip/knee issues, or have young kids needing to climb up into the truck, we have you covered. Also, there is something to be said for working smarter and not harder, right?

You have your choice of nerf bars, drop steps, running boards, rock sliders with built in steps, and even power running boards that drop down when the door opens to give you a step up, and then tuck back up out of the way once you close the door again. No matter what your needs are, you again have plenty of choices depending on your budget and needs.

8) Deck out Your Truck With These Truck Bed Accessories

From bed liners to truck bed tents, and tool boxes to chase racks, your truck bed is basically a building platform for whatever you could possibly need to do with your truck. Whether you’re using it for work, doing the weekend warrior thing, or traveling all over the country offroad, this is where you can really make your truck yours.

Need some good, secure and organized storage? Grab yourself a Decked bed storage system! Need a comfortable and reliable place to sleep when out in the wilderness? Snag a truck bed tent and a specially shaped air mattress to keep you off the cold, uneven ground. These trucks are like legos at this point.

9) Give Your Suspension a Rework for What You Use Your Truck For

Needing a little bump to your offroad prowess? Bring your truck on step closer to a Raptor? Or maybe you need to take your Raptor to the next level? Or even if you just need to get your suspension back up to where it used to be, we’ve got you covered. With all the best brands like Bilstein, Fox, Belltech, King, and Air Lift, you have options.

Whether you’re lifting, lowering, replacing worn out components, beefing things up for towing, adding air leveling suspension, or just want a softer ride, you’re in the right spot. We have more than plenty lift kits especially, from mild leveling kits to others that match your average highrise, and ranging from high-performance desert running to stable street driving while fitting big tires.

10) Stare Down the Competition With a Tough Grille Guard or Bull Bar

Whether you need to fend off deer on a mountain road or just deflect rogue shopping carts at the grocery store, you can go as mild or wild as you want in protecting your front end. At minimum, they are designed to absorb as much impact as possible to preserve your radiator enough to get home. You can also go even beefier with a tough, steel full bumper replacements that can mount a winch and as many off-road lights as you can dream of.

You can even get yourself a bull bar with a built-in LED light bar, or easily add one after the fact, as many have light mount tabs, or can be drilled for them. Available from all the biggest names, like ARB, Aries, Westin, Ranch Hand, and Iron Cross at every different purpose and price point you can imagine, you won’t have to worry about front end damage much anymore.

So there we go, that should be plenty for you to get your F-150 build started and rocking! If you have any questions or need any advice on what route to go, you can give us a call or hop into a chat with one of our Gearheads. You can also leave a comment below, and I’ll help you find what would work best for your truck!