SVTPerformance.com : SVT Comments on Raptor Frame Bending

[kaution9876]

what happen is people don't get off the gas in the air after a jump .

if you dont get off the gas the suspension can not do a full droop in the air.

leaving you with no suspension travel . the axle hit the frame with the power of a car crash.

i see it all the time . hot shots flooring it in the air .

losing travel and/or nose diving ..

[jeepjoker1]

I like how they cover up that 3 inch tooling hole in the in the frame with the number 17, RIGHT WHERE IT BENDS. You think MF are dumb, ford sucks when there is a problem, case in point their 6.0 diesels. I BET that hole in the frame is machined smaller in a year or two.

[Svtperformance]

@jeepjoker1 The access hole you're thinking of is actually on the inside of the frame rail. The number plate isn't covering it. The problem is with the driver, not the truck.

[EatmyDust1311]

@jeepjoker1 Lets think (a novel concept to many), 5 inches of uptravel at reast, lets hit a 12" bump going 70 and see what happens! The truck is stock, not a tube frame trophy truck with 3 feet of travel. You go so far over the limit, something will break. At least it is a safe, engineered in failure and not something expensive that will send the truck out of control and leave it undriveable.

[defergerth]

the whole problem here is people with too much money thinking their professional drivers

[workshop77777]

Lol, ive seen videos of people driving this thing at 80mph off road, its a production truck, do people not get this 

[fullymental307]

@workshop77777 It's meant to do that......

[workshop77777]

@fullymental307 Naw, surely not. Rally cars would have seem welded shells and that sort of thing. Does this truck have like a seperate chassis and body? Its a nice wagon but I wouldnt be trying to run Dakar pace with it off road.

[EatmyDust1311]

@workshop77777 Sue Mead drove a Raptor at Dakar in Open Production class and won the class. That truck was pretty close to stock.

[fullymental307]

@workshop77777 Ford did the baja 1000 with it.Not only did Raptor finish the race, but it sped through the finish line in 25.5 hours, placing third in its class in what was originally supposed to be only a development drive.

[Montblanc1986]

the camera is an option and the MPG is just a sticker mod no actual engine work was done

[EatmyDust1311]

@Montblanc1986 The camera is a useful option that is not available on other similar trucks and the mpg comes from a new transmission calibration

[Montblanc1986]

Sadly this sick truck is totally messed up from the day it leaves the factory. Try again Ford!

[Svtperformance]

@Montblanc1986 Did you forget to watch the video? The truck isn't the problem, it's the inexperienced drivers who are the issue.

[Montblanc1986]

@Svtperformance The frame is weak, it has design flaws such as the holes that are simply there so they can bolt the bump stops on. The frame should be the strongest part of the truck and this is a standard F-150 frame. The aftermarket bump stop kits and frame supports can help prevent this issue. Ford could have made this truck right but instead they deny coverage when it happens and refuse to fix the issue on new models. The SVT Raptor has been scrapped and 2013 will be the last model year

[Svtperformance]

@Montblanc1986 The F-150 frame is the strongest 1/2 ton frame made. Had the frame not yielded the energy would still have to be dissipated. The other ways for that excess energy to dissipate could lead to a severe loss of control. I would rather have a bent frame than a totaled truck and a trip to the hospital. Then again it probably wouldn't be an issue for me because I wouldn't hit a cross ditch at 80mph.

[Montblanc1986]

@Svtperformance you clearly have no idea what i am talking about. re read my post and search around for the fixes. it is happening on almost all of the trucks and cannot be detected until you measure the frame. every case is different but the frame will bend or be hit everytime you bottom out the shocks and use the bump stops. these trucks have a soft suspension designed for going fast in the dirt and will bottom out easily.

[Svtperformance]

@Montblanc1986 If you bottom out the suspension enough to bend the frame you are driving beyond the truck's design limitations, it's as simple as that. You can't blame Ford for an owner's driving errors.

[Montblanc1986]

@Svtperformance LOL! the truck is pretty much discontinued anyhow. The unfortunate owners will just get stonewalled by ford if they need any support for it. With this many frame issues in two years it will really get bad

[Svtperformance]

@Montblanc1986 You information about the Raptor being discontinued is simply incorrect.  If by getting "stonewalled" you mean denial of warranty claims resulting from owner misuse, then yes that is likely to continue. And the number of truck suffering from being improperly driven is fairly small. If you don't try to drive a production vehicle like a full tube-chassis trophy truck you won't have a problem.

[Montblanc1986]

@Svtperformance SVT never makes vehicles for very long 2013 is the last year look it up!

You sure drink alot of coolaid, the truck has major design flaws and everyone knows about it

[Svtperformance]

@Montblanc1986 Why would I look up false information? I don't try to glean information from unreliable third party sources. And the only major flaw the Raptors with yielded frames had were sitting in the driver's seat.

[Montblanc1986]

@Svtperformance The truck is garbage, it gets 12 miles to the gallon and the frame bends when you drive it how it was made to be driven nuff said!

[Svtperformance]

@Montblanc1986 And the truth comes out, you're just a sad hater. Thanks for demonstrating to all your complete lack of knowledge and credibility.

[Montblanc1986]

@Svtperformance I looked hard at the Raptor but it is not the truck for me. Between the all of the issues the truck has besides the frame, it is just a F 150 with extra marketing. I understand your position as you have this ford channel on youtube. But as a serious truck buyer I actually have to look into what the best way to spend my hard earned $. This truck just has too many issues right now and sadly since its not going to be around for long they will never get fixed.

[Svtperformance]

@Montblanc1986 Yeah, I'm sure that's exactly the case chief.

[EatmyDust1311]

@Montblanc1986 The last thing I heard about the Raptors production is that it was just increased by 50% for 2012 to keep up with demand. Troll harder, or just admit you can't afford it.

[Montblanc1986]

@EatmyDust1311 When they only made around two thousand trucks 50% isnt a very big increase. The reason for the increase was because many people dont know about the truck until they see it on the lot or driving around and it perks up sales slightly. The trucks last year is 2013. Maybe in 2015 it will be brought back but it is doubtful.

[EatmyDust1311]

@Montblanc1986 I have the production numbers for 2010, over 10k in 2011 over 12k trucks. They just upped production and updated thier 2012 MY truck. The Raptor isn't going wnywhere soon.

[Montblanc1986]

@EatmyDust1311 I am glad it is staying, I hope they improve a few aspects. 

[EatmyDust1311]

@Montblanc1986 They added a Torsen front diff and a front view camera for 2012, as well as increasing fuel economy.

[ilikedirt35]

@Montblanc1986 i bet u couldnt drive this thing hard enough for it to bend...IGNORANT

[KevinMcClelland1]

Does the Raptor have so much downforce the leaf springs take all the sag at speed ?

[KevinMcClelland1]

The "engineer" did a really crappy job explaining

1. He first claims that the shock is now the bump stop with after market springs. Then damage would be at the shock mount points or the shock rod, the failure still bends the frame at the exact same location.

2. When running at really high speed the spring is all the way up - thus very little to zero susp travel left for bumps.

Build a Ford GT40, a Ford Focus and a Ford Raptor the same then expect them to have the same Mall shopping run.....

[dtofq]

This guy is terrible at explaining something that is his field apparently....incorrectly as well. FORD is crap, most of us knew that already...

[TheStig1314]

I could have said that it was owner fault.

[OkieDragRacing]

Yeah..accusing Ford of a fault in the Raptor during excessive offroading is like accusing Ford of producing a mustang that wears out back tires too fast

[Gcal1956]

Was this video in response to the Raptor forum?