Raptor Front Suspension, anyone done a conversion?
03-01-2013, 08:30 PM
#21
Senior Member
Going with a coilover setup and possibly a UCA is my fallback position. In other words If I can't find a way to do the it better and or cheaper...
As far as your suggestion. I think RPG's stuff is heinously overpriced. And the camburg setup is nice, but they use Fox, and Icon is actually my favorite when it comes to coilovers.
However the interest in the Raptor component comes in their internal bypass abilities. Do you even know what a Bypass shock is? Suffice it to say it's one step above a coilover, and usually _very_ expensive. I was trying to get that functionality on the cheap.
RPG is middle of the road on prices.
ICON makes a quality piece but they are more expensive than even Kings. Budget and ICON don't belong in the same sentence.
I fear you might be a little confused on bypass/coilover tech. Bypass is simply the method the shock uses to route fluid for dampening 'shock' or bumps. Coilover means that the body of the shock is threaded and the coil is mounted to the shock. One has nothing to do with the other.
I'm not trying to stir the pot, I'm trying to help.
Spend the money - you absolutely will not regret it.
03-01-2013, 08:31 PM
#22
Senior Member
You did originally ask if anybody had thought about this and why they backed out of it. It's because there are kits out there to give you longer suspension travel that are cheaper, require no special modifications, and require no engineering. Everything has already been engineered and tested to have the perfect fitment, you just have to install it.
03-01-2013, 08:55 PM
#23
Senior Member
Yes Unwieldly. You got a problem with that?
The Raptor is 7 inches wider than a stock F150. On normal roads I drive everyday in my 2012 Regular Cab F150, the Raptor felt so wide as to be clumsy. And let me put this in context for you, too wide for me
It's a personal observation. Not sure why you have a problem with it?
The Raptor is 7 inches wider than a stock F150. On normal roads I drive everyday in my 2012 Regular Cab F150, the Raptor felt so wide as to be clumsy. And let me put this in context for you, too wide for me
It's a personal observation. Not sure why you have a problem with it?
Perhaps you would be more comfortable in a Ranger or SportTrac?
03-01-2013, 09:45 PM
#24
Senior Member
Thread Starter
You did originally ask if anybody had thought about this and why they backed out of it. It's because there are kits out there to give you longer suspension travel that are cheaper, require no special modifications, and require no engineering. Everything has already been engineered and tested to have the perfect fitment, you just have to install it.
03-01-2013, 09:48 PM
#25
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I am perfectly comfortable in my F150
You do realize the Raptor is noticeably wider than a stock F150 don't you?
03-01-2013, 10:05 PM
#26
Senior Member
Thread Starter
A UCA set and Raptor shocks will be the cheapest option but certainly not the best. The factory Fox shocks on the Raptor leave a lot to be desired WRT hard off road use. Part of that is mass manufactured economics part is because the front of the Raptor is so heavy. They will perform a little better on a truck that is lighter, but still lacking compared to an aftermarket set.
RPG is middle of the road on prices.
ICON makes a quality piece but they are more expensive than even Kings. Budget and ICON don't belong in the same sentence.
I fear you might be a little confused on bypass/coilover tech. Bypass is simply the method the shock uses to route fluid for dampening 'shock' or bumps. Coilover means that the body of the shock is threaded and the coil is mounted to the shock. One has nothing to do with the other.
I'm not trying to stir the pot, I'm trying to help.
Spend the money - you absolutely will not regret it.
RPG is middle of the road on prices.
ICON makes a quality piece but they are more expensive than even Kings. Budget and ICON don't belong in the same sentence.
I fear you might be a little confused on bypass/coilover tech. Bypass is simply the method the shock uses to route fluid for dampening 'shock' or bumps. Coilover means that the body of the shock is threaded and the coil is mounted to the shock. One has nothing to do with the other.
I'm not trying to stir the pot, I'm trying to help.
Spend the money - you absolutely will not regret it.
What the bypass does, and what I am interested in, is it changes damping characteristics based on the shock position, not just on the shock shaft speed.
The Raptor guys that really push the limits of their trucks find the stock Raptor shocks lacking. There are aftermarket replacements, but they are about double the price of the components for the F150s.
As a comparison, I called up Icon the other day and asked them straight up if I would be better served in buying their product, the UCA's and coilover set, to install on my F150, or in buying a Raptor. After all it's still cheaper to go with all of the parts they have for an F150 than to get a Raptor. They told me the stock raptor is heads and tails above what they could sell me for my truck. Kudos to them for being honest, and it does say something about the stock Fox Raptor shocks.
Therefore I think the Raptor stock shocks are gonna be awesome pieces.
But they are still too long for my application. I am not putting a lift kit, or the Raptor A-Arms. Therefore they'll be too long. So I'm going to have to go for one of the Coil-overs.
As far as why I like Icon's product. twofold:
They use digressive damping, versus linear or progressive. And I have had great luck with digressive shocks in the past.
And they offer the IVD coating, which will help to keep my coilovers from rusting up here in the rustbelt.
And one final note. What I'm trying to do is get more wheeltravel up front so that when I take it into the mountains on vacation I'll be able to keep both front wheels on the ground. And I'm trying to get lockers for when I do lift a wheel. It's the same plan I used to great effect on my Tacoma. I do not plan on going at high speeds in the desert like the Raptor, as there are no deserts near me. So my intended usage is different than a Raptors. Where I am going it's closer to rockcrawling. I have owned Jeeps and Toyota Tacomas. My regular cab F150 is going to be like a hippo on some of those trails. But I think I can make it. Even the smallest Raptor has a four feet larger turning radius. That's huge up in the mountains where I go for vacation.
03-01-2013, 10:10 PM
#27
you will have to do somthing with the rear after the front is that wide.i forget how much wider the raptor suspension is. 2 inch on either side i believe. but i suppose it could be done. there is a guy on here that has done some raptor conversions. bright green one, You might want to ask him he might have some more info for ya.
Front wheels would have a different backspace to than the back wheels. That would work if you could find some rims that match with the proper amounts of backspacing you'll need
What do you guys think, Would it work ?
It's just a thought.
03-01-2013, 10:16 PM
#28
Senior Member
I do understand what Bypass means, and that it's not mutually exclusive to coil-overs. Thanks though. However the Raptor stock shocks are internal bypass shocks. Triple if I remember right. Whereas the $1300 Icons, and the $1000 Fox shocks made for the F150 are not internal bypass. That is the differentiation I was trying to make.
What the bypass does, and what I am interested in, is it changes damping characteristics based on the shock position, not just on the shock shaft speed.
The Raptor guys that really push the limits of their trucks find the stock Raptor shocks lacking. There are aftermarket replacements, but they are about double the price of the components for the F150s.
As a comparison, I called up Icon the other day and asked them straight up if I would be better served in buying their product, the UCA's and coilover set, to install on my F150, or in buying a Raptor. After all it's still cheaper to go with all of the parts they have for an F150 than to get a Raptor. They told me the stock raptor is heads and tails above what they could sell me for my truck. Kudos to them for being honest, and it does say something about the stock Fox Raptor shocks.
Therefore I think the Raptor stock shocks are gonna be awesome pieces.
But they are still too long for my application. I am not putting a lift kit, or the Raptor A-Arms. Therefore they'll be too long. So I'm going to have to go for one of the Coil-overs.
As far as why I like Icon's product. twofold:
They use digressive damping, versus linear or progressive. And I have had great luck with digressive shocks in the past.
And they offer the IVD coating, which will help to keep my coilovers from rusting up here in the rustbelt.
And one final note. What I'm trying to do is get more wheeltravel up front so that when I take it into the mountains on vacation I'll be able to keep both front wheels on the ground. And I'm trying to get lockers for when I do lift a wheel. It's the same plan I used to great effect on my Tacoma. I do not plan on going at high speeds in the desert like the Raptor, as there are no deserts near me. So my intended usage is different than a Raptors. Where I am going it's closer to rockcrawling. I have owned Jeeps and Toyota Tacomas. My regular cab F150 is going to be like a hippo on some of those trails. But I think I can make it. Even the smallest Raptor has a four feet larger turning radius. That's huge up in the mountains where I go for vacation.
03-01-2013, 10:32 PM
#29
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The light blue one? Yeah I loved that truck. I was reading all about it before I bought this truck, and it was part of what made me choose Ford over Ram and Chevy
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RES4CUE (03-01-2013)
03-01-2013, 11:06 PM
#30
Senior Member
Yep, they did some custom work on that but you may be able to find the series and see what parts they used. I know they built custom A arms but I think most other stuff was off the shelf.