Any raptor F150 owners?

Justin Crossley

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
7,549
Location
Buckley, WA
Love that blue color!

Owning my 20’ XLT outright vs a $300-400/month payment for a raptor is hanging me up. Not because that’s not affordable, just hard to pay monthly for an item that is also losing value

But man would it be cool/fun to hit whoops/rough roads at speed


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If your current truck meets your needs and is paid off, I would not finance a Raptor. Rates are way too high right now.

Spend a few thousand on suspension upgrades like Fox Shocks, coils, and leaf springs. You should be able to get an exceptionally smooth ride on rough desert roads.
 

fatlander

WKR
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
2,140
If your current truck meets your needs and is paid off, I would not finance a Raptor. Rates are way too high right now.

Spend a few thousand on suspension upgrades like Fox Shocks, coils, and leaf springs. You should be able to get an exceptionally smooth ride on rough desert roads.

This X2

Raptors are cool. Paid off anything 4x4 with decent off-road capability is cooler.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
3,533
Location
Somewhere between here and there
If your current truck meets your needs and is paid off, I would not finance a Raptor. Rates are way too high right now.

Spend a few thousand on suspension upgrades like Fox Shocks, coils, and leaf springs. You should be able to get an exceptionally smooth ride on rough desert roads.
This.

No, it won’t be the same as a Raptor, but for under $5k you could do some pretty amazing stuff.
 

Justin Crossley

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
7,549
Location
Buckley, WA
One more thing to consider. You will get less fuel mileage than your current truck if it also has the Eco Boost.

The Raptor comes with approximately 35" tires stock and gets decent mileage. I average 16-18 mpg with mine, but most of the people I know with the standard F150 get 20 mpg or more.
 
OP
T
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
Messages
1,384
If your current truck meets your needs and is paid off, I would not finance a Raptor. Rates are way too high right now.

Spend a few thousand on suspension upgrades like Fox Shocks, coils, and leaf springs. You should be able to get an exceptionally smooth ride on rough desert roads.

This.

No, it won’t be the same as a Raptor, but for under $5k you could do some pretty amazing stuff.



I was leaning toward the Bilstein 6112 or the ebiach pro truck (2” not a 2.5” body diameter). Little worried the 2.5” (body diameter not lift) and larger shocks would be rough on the road. Was also looking at new upper control arms since I would actually be using the truck offroad.

You guys or anyone else have experience with any of the level coilover for the 15+ F150s?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Braaap

WKR
Joined
Jul 10, 2018
Messages
500
Location
NV
I was leaning toward the Bilstein 6112 or the ebiach pro truck (2” not a 2.5” body diameter). Little worried the 2.5” (body diameter not lift) and larger shocks would be rough on the road. Was also looking at new upper control arms since I would actually be using the truck offroad.

You guys or anyone else have experience with any of the level coilover for the 15+ F150s?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have the bilstein 6112 on my tundra and they’re really good on and off road (with the 5160 rears). Quite a bit better than a stock truck on big hits offroad. However my raptor makes it look silly. If you haven’t driven a raptor I bet you would be very happy with the 6112 and 5160 rear. I say definitely go 2.5” shocks if you can.
 

180ls1

WKR
Joined
Apr 19, 2020
Messages
1,163
If your current truck meets your needs and is paid off, I would not finance a Raptor. Rates are way too high right now.

Spend a few thousand on suspension upgrades like Fox Shocks, coils, and leaf springs. You should be able to get an exceptionally smooth ride on rough desert roads.
This.

I would double that budget to $700/mo when you consider *everything* also wears out quicker and costs more to replace. You also have insurance, gas milage and other "Raptor Tax."

Also, take that $700/mo, divide by your hourly pay then multiply by 1.30 (for taxes) and see if those hours worked is worth it to you.
 

Kenn

WKR
Joined
Nov 3, 2019
Messages
328
Location
Oregon
Now for the downside. I wanted a Raptor badly (and still do) but the turning radius is significantly more than a standard F-150, it takes up more room in the garage, it's harder to park at the local supermarket, it gets considerably less gas mileage, and it's considerably more money. I bought my Tremor at a 3% discount from invoice and the Raptor was something like 5% over MSRP. Still want one, but it doesn't fit for my needs.
 

JakeSCH

WKR
Joined
Jun 14, 2020
Messages
1,001
Location
San Diego, CA
Raptors are nice but in reality buying a base model and putting money into it will give you the same thing but at a cheaper price.

Raptor is like buying a Gunwerks CLYMR rifle while baseline with mods is like getting a tikka with rokstok build from UM.
 
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
3,533
Location
Somewhere between here and there
I was leaning toward the Bilstein 6112 or the ebiach pro truck (2” not a 2.5” body diameter). Little worried the 2.5” (body diameter not lift) and larger shocks would be rough on the road. Was also looking at new upper control arms since I would actually be using the truck offroad.

You guys or anyone else have experience with any of the level coilover for the 15+ F150s?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have the Eibach on my Tundra. For the money, they are a great value. They improved the ride considerably and gave me 2” of lift in the front.

If I had the budget and didn’t mind needing to rebuild shocks, I’d buy Dobinson IMS or Fox 2.5”.

I still have stock UCAs. If I was dropping the coin in the upper end shocks I would absolutely upgrade UCA.

You looking at leaf springs as well?
 
OP
T
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
Messages
1,384
I have the Eibach on my Tundra. For the money, they are a great value. They improved the ride considerably and gave me 2” of lift in the front.

If I had the budget and didn’t mind needing to rebuild shocks, I’d buy Dobinson IMS or Fox 2.5”.

I still have stock UCAs. If I was dropping the coin in the upper end shocks I would absolutely upgrade UCA.

You looking at leaf springs as well?

I wasn’t planning on changing anything on the rear other than shocks. I didn’t think the leafs made much of a difference? I have the max tow setup on this truck which I assume the leafs are slightly more beefy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Braaap

WKR
Joined
Jul 10, 2018
Messages
500
Location
NV
Now for the downside. I wanted a Raptor badly (and still do) but the turning radius is significantly more than a standard F-150, it takes up more room in the garage, it's harder to park at the local supermarket, it gets considerably less gas mileage, and it's considerably more money. I bought my Tremor at a 3% discount from invoice and the Raptor was something like 5% over MSRP. Still want one, but it doesn't fit for my needs.
I don’t think the turning radius statement is true. My tundra has a shorter wheelbase than my raptor and has a noticeably better turning radius. Also on the parking thing, yes the raptor is wider by around 7” but my wife drives mine all the time around time and loves it!
Raptors are nice but in reality buying a base model and putting money into it will give you the same thing but at a cheaper price.

Raptor is like buying a Gunwerks CLYMR rifle while baseline with mods is like getting a tikka with rokstok build from UM.
Base model would need a huge amount of money put into it to try to be comparable. A long travel front suspension kit costs thousands, plus regearing, wheels and tires, rear 2.5” shocks, Torsen front diff, 35” spare tire, wide body work etc.
I wasn’t planning on changing anything on the rear other than shocks. I didn’t think the leafs made much of a difference? I have the max tow setup on this truck which I assume the leafs are slightly more beefy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Max tow leaf’s are heavier duty and will ride stiffer. You won’t have to change them out but there are options that will ride smoother.
 

Braaap

WKR
Joined
Jul 10, 2018
Messages
500
Location
NV
I don’t think the turning radius statement is true. My tundra has a shorter wheelbase than my raptor and has a noticeably better turning radius. Also on the parking thing, yes the raptor is wider by around 7” but my wife drives mine all the time around time and loves it!

Base model would need a huge amount of money put into it to try to be comparable. A long travel front suspension kit costs thousands, plus regearing, wheels and tires, rear 2.5” shocks, Torsen front diff, 35” spare tire, wide body work etc.

Max tow leaf’s are heavier duty and will ride stiffer. You won’t have to change them out but there are options that will ride smoother.
Sorry that was confusing. My raptor has a longer wheelbase and has a shorter turning radius than my tundra.
 

Cubby

WKR
Joined
Jun 21, 2019
Messages
338
If your intended load is light the Raptor is the way to go. It will do it with no mods in comfort.

If you need to carry some weight (I'd think a hunter would if he's not by himself all the time) a Ram Power Wagon or Ford Super Duty with a Thuren or Carli Suspension on 37s will be the way to go. Anyone that doubts that an HD truck with one of those suspensions can't handle fast dirt extremely well has no idea what they are talking about.

The other thing to consider is if you sleep in the bed. Hell no doing that with a 5.5ft bed.
Going to a Super Duty goes to solid axles and there's no way solid axles ride as smooth as IS does.
 

Marshfly

WKR
Joined
Sep 18, 2022
Messages
1,263
Location
Missoula, Montana
Going to a Super Duty goes to solid axles and there's no way solid axles ride as smooth as IS does.
It doesn't but if you have never ridden in a moderately well set up Ram or Super Duty you can't appreciate how well they work at speed in the dirt. It's insane. They will ride well faster than any sane person will drive them.

 
Joined
Nov 27, 2023
Messages
318
I have a super crew 2018 XLT F150, 6.5ft bed, and 36 gal tank. I have an Eibach coilover kit with new upper control arms (which have better ball joints) and a marginally bigger block in the back.

I was able to put 35” BFG TA/KO2’s on the factory 20” rims.

We don’t have to talk about the $30k in warranty work it needed or the fact that the doors freeze and won’t shut in cold, damp weather because that’s not the topic at hand.

Is a Raptor cooler? Yeah maybe, but I like the 6.5’ bed and bigger fuel tank and this setup was many thousands less than a raptor.

IMG_1569.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

arwhntr

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Messages
256
Location
Nevada
Considering trading in my 2020 F150 XLT with 37k miles and going to a Gen 2 (2018-2020) raptor.

Wanted to see if there was any raptor owners that could comment on what to look for when buying a second gen? Or what years to avoid? Likely will be buying a ford certified preowned one or will get an extended warranty through Zeiger or Flood ford

Also, any regrets going with a raptor? I don’t care about the looks, just the performance offroad at higher speeds (think desert)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I went from a 2018 XLT to a 2022 Gen 3. The difference in performance off road is substantial. One ride in the Raptor off-road at high speed and you won't think twice or have a single regret about it.
 
OP
T
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
Messages
1,384
I went from a 2018 XLT to a 2022 Gen 3. The difference in performance off road is substantial. One ride in the Raptor off-road at high speed and you won't think twice or have a single regret about it.

Only regret is the approx $20k extra over my truck (for a second gen raptor) and $30k+ for a gen 3 lol

Wish I could find a way to test drive one offroad, but dealers won’t let them leave the pavement which I completely understand


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

gbflyer

WKR
Joined
Feb 20, 2017
Messages
1,734
What is the tell when the front shocks are done? Mine drives great but is a little saggy up front. Wears the inside of the tires.
 
Top