CLOSED: SVT Engineers Roundtable: 07/24/10 - Chat Live with SVT Engineering!

[BigJ]

What can you tell us regarding the decision to put the 5.4 into the Raptor? Was this a "save the project" sort of decision? Or was the 5.4 'the right engine' for the Raptor when it was still on the drawing board?

Basically, I'd like to know your/SVT's thoughts on the 5.4L Raptor. Was it your/SVT's intent from day one to sell it with the 5.4, or was that decision made later in the process? If later, why?

 

[Bojangles]

I have 1 question and 1 question only. One burning question that definitely deserves an answer.
My backseat off-road passengers requested that I ask Ford about this if I ever had the chance, so here we go......

When every street queen truck out there has 6 or 8 grab-handles throughout the cabin, WHY did you elect to only put 1 grab handle in a purpose-built off-road truck?

Seriously..... why??
It doesn't really matter to me from the driver's seat, but my backseat passengers, who have conked their heads into each other and into the windows, and who have had their arms/wrists/hands slam into the ceiling of my truck when running fast desert trails (and have the injuries to prove it) who now literally sit on their hands or raise the front headrests so they can hold on to the metal bars when they ride with me are begging to know...... why? WHY FORD???

I've never seen a factory truck that needed grab handles as badly as this one does.

 

[MarkT]

First, as everyone else here does, I greatly appreciate this opportunity!

1. The Raptor is a limited production vehicle and going through all the emissions/mileage certifications from scratch would certainly not be cost effective... that said, is it possible that Ford might have used a slightly more "aggressive" engine tune with the 5.4 Raptor vs. the 5.4 engine tune used in other model trucks? (A simple "it's possible" or "no" would be good enough if you can't elaborate on any specifics)

2. What is the warranty on the Fox Shox? Are rebuild/spare parts going to be available through either Ford or Fox? Or will the shocks only be serviced as an assembly?

Thank you!

 

[SVTRay]

I'll re-phrase my question if that helps, have the SVT team ever thought about making a unique key for their SVT vehicles similar to that used on the Harley trucks.

 

[BigJ]

Ford and SVT are monitoring this thread carefully. Don't worry... if there's something that crosses the line, they'll let me know and I'll delete it and say why it was deleted (this is pretty much the ONLY time any staffer of SVTO will moderate like this.)

Or it will stay they just won't answer when the time comes. We need to be understanding and accepting of the fact that there's going to be stuff they just can't touch. But don't let that stop you from asking... within the general guidelines laid out above.

Make sense?

Conversational posts deleted.

 

[bstoner59]

There was a recent situation where a Raptor was involved in head-on "grazing" accident. According to the other vehicle involved the Raptors airbags deployed. I have read that the airbag sesors are less sensitive in offroad mode. Is this true? If so, can you elaborate on the sensitivity in offroad mode and give us an idea of what types of situations would cause the airbag to deploy in offroad mode. It would be a nightmare to hit something "just right" in the desert and have those bad boys come fying out at me!!

Thank you again for giving up some of your time for us!!

 

[MarkT]

I'd expect that the wheels on the Raptor have to be pretty strong. Many people like to change wheels. Are there any minimum load ratings or recommendations you can share for those who are interested in replacing their stock wheels with something from an aftermarket supplier?

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Do you know the status of the videos taken at the Raptor Roundup especially the ones taken from the helicopter? We've seen teasers - when and where will the video(s) be uploaded to the Internet?

 

[BentToast]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xfrbk3jovE
How far into development was the Raptor when this video was taken?

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Speaking of Anza-Borrego, we want to drive the "test loop" you guys (and gals) drove the Raptors on. Can you or someone at Ford help us find it (GPS coordinates? Directions?) so we can run it?