Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gets suspension explained by IL
2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor under the skin – Click above for high-res image gallery
In stock form, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is one of the most impressive bits of machinery available from any automaker extant. We've managed to snag some seat time in one a couple of times now, and each time we've walked away mightily impressed. But just what is it that makes the off-road-ready supertruck so good? It's not the powertrain, it's the suspension.
While we've offered a basic walkaround of what makes the Raptor tick, the chaps at Inside Line took it upon themselves to delve a bit deeper into the mystery of the truck's cushy pogo sticks. Chief among the updates that turn an ordinary mild-mannered F-150 into a fire-breathing desert runner are the beautiful cast aluminum lower control arms and the special inverted Fox Racing Shocks with remote reservoirs.
Also worth noting are the 13.8-inch ventilated brake rotors with dual-piston sliding calipers and the beefy 17-inch wheels wrapped in LT315/70R17 All-Terrain tires from BFGoodrich. Add it all up and you've got yourself $38,995 worth of eminently capable pickup goodness – and a hearty "attaboy" for Ford's SVT engineers.
[Source: Inside Line]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Stuka 9:42AM (10/14/2009)
It really is an impressive truck. Making a truck fast over the desert isn't hard really, but doing it in a production vehicle is a whole other story.
Its also a testament to the base F150, as the frames are almost identical. Full boxed, lots of cross members, and the most rigid in the industry.
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AM 8:04PM (10/15/2009)
As a former F-150 owner: So if I drive this off road really fast will the doors actually fall off? (or just sound like they will like mine did at normal speeds on gravel roads?)
EXP Jawa 10:21AM (10/14/2009)
So, how long before Matt comes along to tell us that a hillbilly could get the same result as this from the JC Whitney catalog?
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Chroma 10:28AM (10/14/2009)
Why are we even acknowledging him? Just wait for him to post and down vote him like we always do.
Matt 12:09PM (10/14/2009)
Oh noes...............they're gonna vote me down.......what am I going to do................because those three little star mean so much......
As for the ZR2 F-150.....yes....JC Whitney would be proud to see what Ford can bolt on and then charge for cheap parts.
Now, quick...vote me down!
Allen 10:26AM (10/14/2009)
The Raptor is extremely impressive. About the only other sub-$100K car that rivals the Raptor's level of impressiveness is the Nissan GT-R.
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PauloBecker 10:27AM (10/14/2009)
This is probably the first truck I've ever seen that I would want to buy if it was available in Brazil and if I had the money.
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Allen 10:28AM (10/14/2009)
You could build a truck that is just as good as the Raptor if you hit the aftermarket, it will just cost significantly more and not have any kind of warranty.
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Allen 10:29AM (10/14/2009)
That was directed at EXP Jawa
EXP Jawa 10:37AM (10/14/2009)
It also wouldn't have nearly the same level of development, sorting and vehicle system integration as one that was put together by vehicle development engineers...
Allen 10:43AM (10/14/2009)
It also won't have as good of resale value.
Mike 11:19AM (10/14/2009)
I'm with Stuka. The fact that it's a production truck is the amazing thing here. No doubt that you can achieve the same results in the aftermarket. But there a lot of guys that don't have the time or the inclination to do so. Me being one of them. I would be a candidate for a truck like this. I want to have piece of mind that there's a warranty as well.
My tow vehicle is a 2003 Dodge 2500, 5.9 diesel. Bully Dog controller, 4" exhaust, and K&N filter. It tows my 10,000 lb car trailer like it's not even their. I don't think the Raptor has that kind of towing capability. Have to look into it but I think it's less than 7,500 lbs. If it did tow 10,000 I'd be their.
Now there is another way yo get it done. My trailer is an all aluminium ATC but it's 26 ft long and has a lot of stuff in it that I could take out or micro size. 8 extra wheels. Could drop the wet weather tires and wheels. Nitrogen bottle, could reduce it to a 20 lb bottle and save 75 lbs. I also carry 900 lbs of fuel. I can get fuel at the track but it's usually twice as expensive. If I changed the trailer for a 20 ft. and drop the built in bench, tool box, generator and use a small Honda generator I bet I could save another 1,000 lbs. Still need to find another 500 lbs. by my thinking.
That would cost me at least $10,000 plus the Raptor. Is the cool factor worth it?
MikeW 12:32PM (10/14/2009)
The 5.4 raptor won't tow 10K unless you [crazy] shorten the axle ratio, 4.56 from 4.1
Matt 12:10PM (10/14/2009)
Mike, the Raptor, with it's boat anchor 5.4, can only tow a pitiful 6000 pounds.
izaerian 11:02AM (10/14/2009)
I have to say, having never been much of a truck person, if I had the funds I would definitely get one of these. The looks/performance of this thing are better than nearly any truck before.
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Greg 11:28AM (10/14/2009)
What a marvelous toy! This is an off-the-shelf off road race truck introduced with no apologies! I have to give props to Ford for building a vehicle that is so very politically incorrect.
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MikeW 11:44AM (10/14/2009)
The 5.4 V8 needs: shorter gearing say 4.3 instead of 4.1
or
taller gearing, say 3.73 AND a TVS supercharger on top of the 5.4 V8, >400hp
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Greg Aryous 12:33PM (10/14/2009)
or - you could just wait a few months (Mar '10) for the 6.2 Boss V8 making 400+ HP and 400+ ft-lbs torque in the Raptor at only $42K... could increase towing capacity too.
MikeW 12:40PM (10/14/2009)
So the people who owner the original Raptors are just going to put them into the crushers?
This advice might be for those who won't be upgrading, or second owners.
naturalyshocked 1:36PM (10/14/2009)
What the h*l.
when are american finaly becoming realist thinkers?
if you need to tow that much get a Mercedes Benz Vario Pritschenwagen.
netto load between 2.635 - 3.945 metric tons + 3.500 - 7.500 metric tons trailer capacity.
topspeed wel over 75m/h and it reaches it fast.
4.25L displacement, bluetect diesel.
500 - 675 Nm of torque @ 1.200 - 1.600 rpm.
95 - 177 ps.
2 or 4 wheel drive/electronic lockable differential.
Generator: 28volt / 80ampere.
resale value garanteed.