It looks like a Hollywood prop that could hold a weapon-wielding biker gang at speed, but the real purpose of this crazy-looking setup is to test the 2017 Ford Super Duty's suitability for slide-in campers. Less exciting, sure, but the video above gives us a look behind the curtain of how Ford tests its biggest pickup for recreational use.
The skeletal rig simulates a loaded aftermarket camper and helps make sure the vehicle has sufficient stability even when its center of gravity is raised by the load. It targets the truck's roll stability control system, which uses sensors monitoring roll and other movements and modulates the brakes to keep a loaded truck upright. Those intense outriggers are attached front and back just in case.
The test rig stands in for a slide-in camper weighing more than 7500 pounds, as that's roughly the weight of a camper loaded with all the necessary supplies. The video provided by Ford shows all the usual moves a camper truck has to handle with composure, including emergency lane changes and slalom runs. It looks like a fun way to abuse a pickup, too.
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The skeletal rig simulates a loaded aftermarket camper and helps make sure the vehicle has sufficient stability even when its center of gravity is raised by the load. It targets the truck's roll stability control system, which uses sensors monitoring roll and other movements and modulates the brakes to keep a loaded truck upright. Those intense outriggers are attached front and back just in case.
The test rig stands in for a slide-in camper weighing more than 7500 pounds, as that's roughly the weight of a camper loaded with all the necessary supplies. The video provided by Ford shows all the usual moves a camper truck has to handle with composure, including emergency lane changes and slalom runs. It looks like a fun way to abuse a pickup, too.
Related Video:
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