Full Rebuild Advice: Engine, Drivetrain, Suspension $60k budget

[Jayford]

Is the truck at Livernois already?
Who are you dealing with there?
Couple of the guys there own Raptors.

No still working out the details with them now. I'm in AZ so I will ship the truck in looks like January.

 

[Canuck714]

I assume you have done plenty of research on the 6.6 before dropping the $$ for it, but I personally would be saying 6.2 and just have the engine rebuilt with forged internals and plopping the Whipple up there. Not throwing stones at Livernois but the gain of the strokes 6.6 does not outway the reliability and cost. One of our Raptor brothers here in TX had a nightmare with his and it broke, then never ran right. (Livernois build, Livernois tune)
Take a look at Cody Dawson or Bobbelheads builds if you need to see what parts you need.

Having had a supercharged 6.2 with a good tune, I had no issue making the 6.6 look like a ****.

 

[Raptor 2014]

Better brakes to stop it - before making it faster.

 

[Muchmore]

Coming from boy's experience also, you should plan on the first vehicle they drive to be a crash test dummy. It WILL NOT survive no matter how hard they try My kids are very, very good as well and both have been driving for years on motorcycles or gravel roads growing up but, mix testosterone with peer pressure and crap happens. Just pick something slow enough at first that crap doesn't happen at supersonic speeds. Get something expendable at first for practice, then move up. When my son had his first accident no one was hurt and I wasn't mad, he had been driving for years and honestly, I expected it much sooner but I thought he was safe and out of the clear. So, we got him a much nicer car for a graduation present and shortly thereafter it was wrecked.

I wasn't mad because it was his first accident but he was devastated because he thought "mom and dad gave me this beautiful car and I wrecked it". If it would have been some POS he wouldn't have been nearly upset but he thought he had let us down

 

[GordoJay]

Coming from boy's experience also, you should plan on the first vehicle they drive to be a crash test dummy. It WILL NOT survive no matter how hard they try My kids are very, very good as well and both have been driving for years on motorcycles or gravel roads growing up but, mix testosterone with peer pressure and crap happens. Just pick something slow enough at first that crap doesn't happen at supersonic speeds. Get something expendable at first for practice, then move up. When my son had his first accident no one was hurt and I wasn't mad, he had been driving for years and honestly, I expected it much sooner but I thought he was safe and out of the clear. So, we got him a much nicer car for a graduation present and shortly thereafter it was wrecked.

I wasn't mad because it was his first accident but he was devastated because he thought "mom and dad gave me this beautiful car and I wrecked it". If it would have been some POS he wouldn't have been nearly upset but he thought he had let us down

The first time I caught air in a pickup I was 16. I came very close to going end over end. Just sayin' ...

 

[Raptor 2014]

Boys will be boys - When I was 12 I stole my father's 289 Cobra - real one and spun it out on the freeway - 2:00AM Stalled it, flooded it, backward facing the wrong way. Finally got it fired up and drove it home. For some reason, it didn't flip and I didn't wet the seat. I didn't drive again until 15. My father could never figure out how all his wheels got flat spotted. Kids will be kids - The Raptor is a large vehicle so in most collisions your kid will be safe. Keep it stock engine wise and put bigger brakes on it.

 

[HORN HIGH ACES]

I guess I'm in the minority since I think you would be better off buying a Gen 3 37" pkg. The Gen 1 will be 14 yrs old with over 200k miles by the time your son gets it and all of the mods won't really be that beneficial to a new driver. Better tech and safer with a Gen 3 as well.

If you stick with the Gen 1, I'd add a Sync 3 upgrade to the list.

 

[Jayford]

I assume you have done plenty of research on the 6.6 before dropping the $$ for it, but I personally would be saying 6.2 and just have the engine rebuilt with forged internals and plopping the Whipple up there. Not throwing stones at Livernois but the gain of the strokes 6.6 does not outway the reliability and cost. One of our Raptor brothers here in TX had a nightmare with his and it broke, then never ran right. (Livernois build, Livernois tune)
Take a look at Cody Dawson or Bobbelheads builds if you need to see what parts you need.

Having had a supercharged 6.2 with a good tune, I had no issue making the 6.6 look like a ****.

I am also talking with a well known local builder to see what options he has. Any weak parts in the transmission that I should look at? Either way I'm having the transmission refreshed and was considering a 3000 stall converter.

 

[bubblehead93]

once you understand your engine build and power adder specifics, talk with a converter manufacturer, recommend circle D, about your specific goals and motor/truck specifics, and see what they recommend for a torque converter... i think you'll find they'll recommend a 2500-2700 (at most) rpm stall assuming your going to run big boost on a low compression motor with aftermarket/regrind cams...

 

[Canuck714]

Yup... what Bubblehead said.
I believe you want to talk to Brian at Circle D.. he is a Raptor guy and knows our trucks pretty well.
Look at the drag race parts for the 6R800 if you think you will be makinging over 800 hp. Outside of Xedey HD clutch packs the trans doesnt need much.
I rebuilt mine with all the HD clutch stuff but at the time didnt know about the Circle D. Ran it hard for 4-5 years without issue and I was making 640hp (at the crank)