need towing expertise

[Reptar]

This just seems crazy to me! Aren't you worried about bending the frame from hitting the bump stops?

I just recently went on a camping trip and had 2 big coolers, 1 in the bed and one in the back seat, probably combined weight of 300-350 I also had 3 15 gallon water tanks with a combined weight of 360, plus some other misc stuff maybe another 100lbs. My rear was squatting so bad I had only 1.5" between the axle and bumpstops. I had to pull the water off and load it in my brothers truck just to feel comfortable driving 100 miles.....

Im actually really sick of having to look at bump stop clearance everytime I haul anything in the bed and I've only had the truck a month. A bumpstop kit can't come soon enough!

Towing at or within the factory tow rating seems crazy? Nope, not worried at all. Guys will drive these things well BEYOND the factory intentions and not worry, there's no reason to worry towing them for what they're rated at, or even a little above. The frames aren't wet noodles that just bend. You do realize the bent frames came from guys hitting basically 8-12" tall mounds at near triple digit speeds. These aren't trophy trucks, but driving like one will bend a frame. Towing on flat road at highway speeds isn't going to bed a frame. Shit the frame is teh same as the f150 (or slightly upgraded for later raptors) and regular f150's can tow up to 11,300 lbs in certain configurations, on the same frame. ~1000 lbs tongue weight isn't going to bend the frame.

Also having the rear sagging a little and 1.5" bumpstop clearance isn't a big deal either. It's a bump stop, it's MEANT to be hit, that's why it's there. Now if you're desert racing, yeah you want more than 1.5" from hitting you bump stops hitting shit offroad at 100 mph. But if you're driving on the highway and hit a little dip in the road and hit the bump stop, it's not going to hurt absolutely anything. Most regular f150's have 1/2 the bump stop clearance that we do stock, and those guys will haul more crap than us, sometimes loaded up so bad it's riding on the bump stops, but you know what, driving on regular pavement, it's not a big deal. Not easy on the truck but not going to bed the frame.

Some folks are way too paranoid about the bent frame thing. You really don't need to check bumpstop clearance if you're just driving on the pavement and have the truck loaded up. It's still a TRUCK, you can use it like a truck, and you can overload it like most truck owners do here and there at some point. Offroading, little different story if you plan on driving it like a trophy truck. Onroad, it's worrying over nothing, you aren't going to bed the frame towing, or driving with 1.5" of bumpstop clearance.

 

[2014RubyRed]

LOL

 

[ZaneMasterX]

This just seems crazy to me! Aren't you worried about bending the frame from hitting the bump stops?

I just recently went on a camping trip and had 2 big coolers, 1 in the bed and one in the back seat, probably combined weight of 300-350 I also had 3 15 gallon water tanks with a combined weight of 360, plus some other misc stuff maybe another 100lbs. My rear was squatting so bad I had only 1.5" between the axle and bumpstops. I had to pull the water off and load it in my brothers truck just to feel comfortable driving 100 miles.....

Im actually really sick of having to look at bump stop clearance everytime I haul anything in the bed and I've only had the truck a month. A bumpstop kit can't come soon enough!

The SVC adjustable bumpstop kit might be good for you.

 

[Enigma94]

The SVC adjustable bumpstop kit might be good for you.

Thanks! Thats probably the kit i'll be going with.

Towing at or within the factory tow rating seems crazy? Nope, not worried at all. Guys will drive these things well BEYOND the factory intentions and not worry, there's no reason to worry towing them for what they're rated at, or even a little above. The frames aren't wet noodles that just bend. You do realize the bent frames came from guys hitting basically 8-12" tall mounds at near triple digit speeds. These aren't trophy trucks, but driving like one will bend a frame. Towing on flat road at highway speeds isn't going to bed a frame. Shit the frame is teh same as the f150 (or slightly upgraded for later raptors) and regular f150's can tow up to 11,300 lbs in certain configurations, on the same frame. ~1000 lbs tongue weight isn't going to bend the frame.

Also having the rear sagging a little and 1.5" bumpstop clearance isn't a big deal either. It's a bump stop, it's MEANT to be hit, that's why it's there. Now if you're desert racing, yeah you want more than 1.5" from hitting you bump stops hitting shit offroad at 100 mph. But if you're driving on the highway and hit a little dip in the road and hit the bump stop, it's not going to hurt absolutely anything. Most regular f150's have 1/2 the bump stop clearance that we do stock, and those guys will haul more crap than us, sometimes loaded up so bad it's riding on the bump stops, but you know what, driving on regular pavement, it's not a big deal. Not easy on the truck but not going to bed the frame.

Some folks are way too paranoid about the bent frame thing. You really don't need to check bumpstop clearance if you're just driving on the pavement and have the truck loaded up. It's still a TRUCK, you can use it like a truck, and you can overload it like most truck owners do here and there at some point. Offroading, little different story if you plan on driving it like a trophy truck. Onroad, it's worrying over nothing, you aren't going to bed the frame towing, or driving with 1.5" of bumpstop clearance.

I wasn't saying that the weight itself would bend the frame but that with my limited experience towing and hauling not even close to the factory weight limit has put me uncomfortably close to the bump stops. But it seems I've kinda blown the bent frame thing out of proportions at least for pavement driving as you've described, so thanks for curbing my fears a little bit!

 

[Reptar]

I wasn't saying that the weight itself would bend the frame but that with my limited experience towing and hauling not even close to the factory weight limit has put me uncomfortably close to the bump stops. But it seems I've kinda blown the bent frame thing out of proportions at least for pavement driving as you've described, so thanks for curbing my fears a little bit!

There's no such thing as "uncomfortably close" to the bump stops if you're driving on the street, even if you hit some bumps, and even if you *gasp* hit the bump stops lol. They're there to hit, it won't bend anything or hurt anything, even if you're loaded up so much that it's literally riding on the bump stops......so long as you aren't driving it like a baja 1000 trophy truck while loaded like that. For regular driving on the road, don't be afraid to use it like a truck, load it up, let it squat, and hit the bump stops from time to time. It won't hurt a thing.


Now hitting foot tall whoops at 100 mph when you only have ~6" of compression, yeah that may bend something. A pothole on the highway even riding on the bumpstops, won't do didly!

 

[TBONE21]

There's no such thing as "uncomfortably close" to the bump stops if you're driving on the street, even if you hit some bumps, and even if you *gasp* hit the bump stops lol. They're there to hit, it won't bend anything or hurt anything, even if you're loaded up so much that it's literally riding on the bump stops......so long as you aren't driving it like a baja 1000 trophy truck while loaded like that. For regular driving on the road, don't be afraid to use it like a truck, load it up, let it squat, and hit the bump stops from time to time. It won't hurt a thing.


Now hitting foot tall whoops at 100 mph when you only have ~6" of compression, yeah that may bend something. A pothole on the highway even riding on the bumpstops, won't do didly!

So you have towed that close to the bumpstop, hit it a few times, and everything was fine after a towing trip down the highway? No frame bend from the hits?

 

[Reptar]

So you have towed that close to the bumpstop, hit it a few times, and everything was fine after a towing trip down the highway? No frame bend from the hits?

Is that a serious question? Come on now. These trucks don't have wet noddle defective eggshell frames. Or did you think I went offroading while towing that weight hitting stuff? I'd have to hit full size curbs at 80 mph to even attempt to do damage like that while towing.

YES they will bend if you hit foot tall kickers at 100 mph as proven by guys who drive the trucks beyond what they were ever intended to do in factory form, when you hit something twice the height of your available compression at near or above triple digit speeds.

Towing around on paved highways, even hitting an occasional pot hole or bump in the road, even riding ON the bump stops, will NOT bend the frame.

I understand a lot of raptor guys are trigger shy of bending the frame after the trucks getting that stereotype from guys who over-abused theirs by taking them beyond their factory limits, but believe me, towing 8k lbs and USING the suspension for what it's rated to do is not going to hurt a thing, and surely not bend the frame, just because you hit a pot hole or a bump in the road at 80 mph.


Hit an 8" or 10" kicker at 80 mph while towing near the bump stops, yeah you may bend it, but you'd probably also rip the receiver off the *** end and rip the trailer axles clear out from under your trailer once that same 8" kicker reaches the trailer tires. It's not a realistic scenario.

These are the same frames (or slightly better in 13+) as the regular f150 rated to tow 11,300 lbs that have far less suspension travel than the raptors with far less sidewall height to also absorb impacts, and those guys aren't bending frames from towing within the truck's limits with higher tow loads than ours, with already riding closer to bumpstops than ours.

It's still a truck folks....it can still do truck stuff, especially within the ratings Ford publishes for it!

 

[TBONE21]

Is that a serious question? Come on now. These trucks don't have wet noddle defective eggshell frames. Or did you think I went offroading while towing that weight hitting stuff? I'd have to hit full size curbs at 80 mph to even attempt to do damage like that while towing.

YES they will bend if you hit foot tall kickers at 100 mph as proven by guys who drive the trucks beyond what they were ever intended to do in factory form, when you hit something twice the height of your available compression at near or above triple digit speeds.

Towing around on paved highways, even hitting an occasional pot hole or bump in the road, even riding ON the bump stops, will NOT bend the frame.

I understand a lot of raptor guys are trigger shy of bending the frame after the trucks getting that stereotype from guys who over-abused theirs by taking them beyond their factory limits, but believe me, towing 8k lbs and USING the suspension for what it's rated to do is not going to hurt a thing, and surely not bend the frame, just because you hit a pot hole or a bump in the road at 80 mph.


Hit an 8" or 10" kicker at 80 mph while towing near the bump stops, yeah you may bend it, but you'd probably also rip the receiver off the *** end and rip the trailer axles clear out from under your trailer once that same 8" kicker reaches the trailer tires. It's not a realistic scenario.

These are the same frames (or slightly better in 13+) as the regular f150 rated to tow 11,300 lbs that have far less suspension travel than the raptors with far less sidewall height to also absorb impacts, and those guys aren't bending frames from towing within the truck's limits with higher tow loads than ours, with already riding closer to bumpstops than ours.

It's still a truck folks....it can still do truck stuff, especially within the ratings Ford publishes for it!

Ok I get ya. You make alot of logic here. I was just checking. I dont want to hurt my truck at all. I love my Raptor. I value your opinion since you have towed with a raptor alot more weight than I ever have. I am headed to the 8000 to 8500 pound range with my camper thats 800 tongue weight. I will have a weight dist hitch and will only tow the camper every now and then. Just wanting to make sure my raptor will be ok. I know it has enough power.

 

[t_j]

Ok I get ya. You make alot of logic here. I was just checking. I dont want to hurt my truck at all. I love my Raptor. I value your opinion since you have towed with a raptor alot more weight than I ever have. I am headed to the 8000 to 8500 pound range with my camper thats 800 tongue weight. I will have a weight dist hitch and will only tow the camper every now and then. Just wanting to make sure my raptor will be ok. I know it has enough power.

It will be ok with an empty gas tank and one 200lbs driver or a full tank and no people in it.

 

[TBONE21]

It will be ok with an empty gas tank and one 200lbs driver or a full tank and no people in it.

Were going for it. I am not selling my raptor and Reptar has a good point. I am not buying a specific tow vehicle for 15% of my towing. Thats about my towing percentage as well. Im going to put a weight dist hitch on it and make sure our bags and cargo are in the camper. Actually the camper we want is 7600 dry so we will see. The dealer told me I can hitch up to the camper and see how the truck handles it before I buy it. Not tow it of course but hitch it up to see how much it squats.

Always remember...this is my identical truck. https://youtu.be/TeSFP7gyjnk