Independent Rear Suspension for Raptor?

[K223]

When Ford slapped the IRS on the SVT Mustang, they reverted back to solid axle. It was great in theory, only good in practice, and had several drawbacks on the street, drag strip and road course. I’m sure that things have advanced now, but an IRS on a Raptor would need to be orders of magnitude stronger than the Mustang unit.

If road ride is the target then Ford would be wise to consider IRS for the limited/platinum platform.

I think Ford made a solid effort to produce the Raptor in volume so that it wasn’t so much of a niche truck as a serious off road option that was exclusive, but attainable. The new interior goes a long way to address shortcomings in the marketplace, honestly, I don’t find the interior lacking. I think the massaging seats from the other models of Ford/Lincoln are an obvious choice to upgrade the truck.

Suspension is like Alchemy; part art, part science, part supernatural. When you get it right, don’t screw with it. Look at motorcycles - for years - decades, someone has been trying to come up with a front suspension option other than forks and springs; The most successful has been bmw’s tele lever / para lever. You don’t see any of them winning races. They’re big, heavy, lack adjustability and precision, and road feel is significantly compromised. IRS would be one of those mods that would need to be spec’d by engineers as a take it or leave it option, because if some cost cutter comes in and undercuts the tested platform it will have serious negative consequences for the way the truck performs, which the press will pick up on as well as end users.

This would add a lot of cost to the truck and require a lot of engineering testing. The truck would have to perform better in several areas without “giving up” anything in other areas.

I see a lot of potential cost add, for a relatively low return on investment in the Raptor platform, if any.

I would have to agree. IRS for on road purposes would surely yield improvement in a lot of ways. Is it still as bullet proof as a solid axle? Still probably not if it’s going to take abuse in a heavy vehicle even just on road.

Our trucks while not really comparable to a TT is built to run in its domain or at least try to in more limited ways. What rear suspension does a TT have? A solid axle with trailing/torque arms etc.

Would you want to mess with off road performance for better on road performance in something like the Raptor platform? I would say not. Also there is more to break with IRS in the rear. But doing what FCA did with the TRX certainly makes good sense. Multi link and coils can enhance performance.

If that truly is an F-150 with an IRS then it could be for the electric version. I would think the limited and other high end versions of the F-150 would go to coils as well to compete with other brands already doing this.

 

[TCR 223]

When Ford slapped the IRS on the SVT Mustang, they reverted back to solid axle. It was great in theory, only good in practice, and had several drawbacks on the street, drag strip and road course. I’m sure that things have advanced now, but an IRS on a Raptor would need to be orders of magnitude stronger than the Mustang unit.

If road ride is the target then Ford would be wise to consider IRS for the limited/platinum platform.

I think Ford made a solid effort to produce the Raptor in volume so that it wasn’t so much of a niche truck as a serious off road option that was exclusive, but attainable. The new interior goes a long way to address shortcomings in the marketplace, honestly, I don’t find the interior lacking. I think the massaging seats from the other models of Ford/Lincoln are an obvious choice to upgrade the truck.

Suspension is like Alchemy; part art, part science, part supernatural. When you get it right, don’t screw with it. Look at motorcycles - for years - decades, someone has been trying to come up with a front suspension option other than forks and springs; The most successful has been bmw’s tele lever / para lever. You don’t see any of them winning races. They’re big, heavy, lack adjustability and precision, and road feel is significantly compromised. IRS would be one of those mods that would need to be spec’d by engineers as a take it or leave it option, because if some cost cutter comes in and undercuts the tested platform it will have serious negative consequences for the way the truck performs, which the press will pick up on as well as end users.

This would add a lot of cost to the truck and require a lot of engineering testing. The truck would have to perform better in several areas without “giving up” anything in other areas.

I see a lot of potential cost add, for a relatively low return on investment in the Raptor platform, if any.

Mustangs now have IRS.... full size Ford GM SUVs now have IRS. they can do it but they wont. a 4 link 9" rear end with coil overs would be the right upgrade... fingers crossed for that!