Ford Ranger Raptor Suspension Deep Dive and RTI Test | Car and Driver
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Published 2024-04-15
Today, we finally got the Ranger Raptor we’ve deserved for some time. It’s a right-sized Raptor that might just catch the eye of overlanders and people who actually go out into the bush. It’s 6.8 inches narrower than the big Raptor at the fender flares, and the difference is even more stark from mirror tip to mirror tip, where the Ranger Raptor is a full 9.3 inches skinnier than the big guy. Meanwhile the junior Raptor’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 makes 405 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to make the Ranger Raptor as quick as its big brother – as long as we’re not talking Raptor R.
But we’re here to see the chassis, and here the Ranger Raptor is mighty impressive. It’s wide stance suspension has Fox Live Valve shocks with variable compression damping, and the rear ones have remote reservoirs for extra cooling. But the big news is the coil-sprung rear axle, which is unique to the Ranger Raptor (regular Rangers have rear leaf springs). Four trailing links hold the axle in position, while the coil springs are mounted coil-over style around the rear dampers. The axle is not located laterally by the usual Panhard bar, because the Ford Australia engineering team that took the lead on chassis development went with a Watts linkage, just like the forbidden-fruit first-generation Ranger Raptor that was never sent here.
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00:00 Intro
01:08 Front suspension
02:46 Upper ball joint
04:05 Knuckle, lower arm, steering stop, shocks, bump stop
06:35 Front travel
06:52 Anti-roll bar
07:38 Brakes
08:36 Front suspension summary
08:59 Rear suspension
10:01 Rear shocks
11:04 Watts-link
13:43 Acorn nuts
14:22 Jack point
14:47 Trailer hitch
15:18 Brakes
15:42 Wheels, tires, and weight
16:36 Rear suspension summary
18:01 Ramp Travel Index test setup
19:49 Forward-facing camera shortcomings
22:56 Trigonometry crash course
24:34 Results
All Comments (21)
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Came to see Raptor driving up a ramp, left with a degree in trigonometry. Thank you sir, stellar effort.
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That board makes me think you're an old-school top gear fan. Awesome.
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I believe if you put it in rock crawl mode the camera will show the tire travel so you could go up that ramp a lot easier.
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Superb video. This was a much needed video. Thank you for making it.
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Great vide, actually learnt some good stuff in this video thanks!
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Amazing vid! I love detailed vids! As for the front camera you hit the baja button (that's the furthest south one in line with the e-parking brake. It's the long rectangular button with a ranger on tilt with cactus etc drawing. It's under the parking sensor/traction control/auto start buttons) that actually gives you a guidance line for where your front tires are going.
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Great stuff, Dan!
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Pretty trick rear end, and love the beefy truss on the rear axle.
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First time viewer - GREAT VIDEO!! I also like how you share the actual math to calculate the climb score and explain it for everyone to understand. Keep it up! You’re doing it right!
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Good video
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Mr. Edmonds. Good to see you reviewing the vehicles. 💪👍
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Always love the suspension dives Dan! Thanks The rear suspension reminds me of the old dodge Durango’s. Watts links are pretty awesome
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what a specefic review, thos is the first time i come across a review with mathematical computation and its very technicaly enlighting!👍
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I like coil-overs front and back.
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Great video! I wonder if they make an aftermarket sway bar disconnect that could bring that number up?
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Going forward, please unbolt one side of the sway bar so we know how well the suspension's geometry articulates without limitation. It'll also let us know how much is to be gained by replacing it with the disconnecting unit.
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On your cam view press the + button and you have options to ‘zoom’
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212 miles and that rear sensor you mentioned already came unplugged by itself 😅. Looks like we’re gonna have to use some heavy duty duct tape and find a better solution.
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The second generation of the Dodge Durango also has a watts system in the rear suspension
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My ranger raptor has wheels guides on the front facing camera. Try the ‘off-road button’ behind the gear shift
