Even the Raptor R’s Suspension Is Different From the Base Ford F-150 Raptor
It’s strange to refer to a “base F-150 Raptor.” But with the debut of the Raptor R supertruck, there are now multiple F-150 Raptor trim levels. The $100k Raptor R supertruck rides on very different suspension than the base F-150 Raptor. But the Raptor R’s suspension is nearly identical to the 2021 Raptor “37.”
The regular Ford Raptor is rich with suspension upgrades
The Ford Raptor is a factory supertruck inspired by off-road desert racers. The latest Ford F-150 based Raptor features rear coil springs and five-link suspension with epic travel.
Every generation of the Ford F-150 Raptor has featured Fox Racing shock absorbers. The third generation of the F-150 Raptor boasts Fox live valve internal bypass shock absorbers. The truck also has live electronic damping.
The regular F-150 Raptor rides on 35-inch tires and long-travel springs. Its wheels are set on spacers and wrapped in fender flares so wide, its signature yellow corner markers are actually required by law. It has an incredible 12 inches of ground clearance.
If you order a regular F-150 Raptor, Ford fits it with the 3.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6. The truck puts this 475 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque to the ground through a unique full-time 4WD system.
The Ford Raptor 37 pushes the envelope for factory-built trucks
Ford’s new F-150 Raptor 37 gets its name from its 37-inch tires. This factory option is a first for the light-duty pickup truck segment and required a whole slew of specialized suspension components.
Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT) had its work cut out making room for the new BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A 37s. The Raptor 37 rides on 24-inch rear coil springs. It offers 14.1 inches of suspension travel in rear and 13.0 inches up front. This new Raptor also has 13.1 inches of ground clearance.
One impressive aspect of the new Raptor suspension is its electronic damping. According to MotorTrend, the truck’s electronic damping actually tunes itself to wheel position on the fly–even while the truck is flying through the air after hitting a jump.
Tires as large as 37 inches can be unwieldly on-road. And while MotorTrend admits the Raptor 37 isn’t perfect, its reviewers conclude, “Ford has done a commendable job adjusting the damping to compensate.” While you can lift any truck and upgrade its tire size, there may be a benefit to a truck factory-tuned to roll on 37s.
The Ford F-150 Raptor R comes with 37-inch tires standard
The Ford F-150 Raptor R features a major engine upgrade: a 700-horsepower supercharged V8. But it also comes standard with the tires and suspension of the Raptor 37 option.
By the 2021 release of the third-generation F-150 Raptor, many Ford fans were waiting for the rumored supercharged V8. But instead of a V8 truck, Ford unveiled an F-150 Raptor on 35-inch tires and a 37-inch tire upgrade.
The Raptor 37 served two purposes. Firstly, it was the first factory-built half-ton truck on 37 inches and thus a desirable option package. Secondly, engineering the 37 brought Ford much closer to launching the Raptor R.
The all-new F-150 Raptor R features all of the suspension modifications Ford engineered for the Raptor 37. In addition to 37-inch BF Goodrich tires, long-travel 24-inch rear coils, and electronic camping, the Raptor R also has stiffer front springs. These springs compensate for the weight of the pickup truck’s supercharged V8 engine.
Ford also beefed up the Raptor R’s full-time 4WD drivetrain. Specifically, SVT improved the front driveshaft and front axle to better withstand the increased torque of the supertruck’s V8 engine.
Next, learn about the engineering behind the F-150 Raptor’s V8 or watch an early Raptor R review in the video below:
