Ford made the Raptor R by putting a 700-horsepower supercharged V-8 engine under the hood of the F-150 Raptor. The 10-year-old in all of us loved this decision. But what did Ford change to make room for the bigger engine? In our most recent suspension test video, Dan Edmunds looks at the front and back suspension of a 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R to find out. He also puts the Raptor R through our Ramp Travel Index test to see how it bends compared to other Raptor models and the Ram 1500 TRX. As it turned out, the extra weight didn’t mean that the suspension had to be changed in any way. The front spring rates are higher, but the rest of the suspension system is the same as any other Raptor. We can also find out how heavy the 37-inch wheels are. Edmunds talks about the Raptor’s independent suspension, and rear shocks turned upside down. We learn that the center of the Panhard rod was flattened to make room for the 37-inch spare tire. The active Fox Live Valve Shocks are also explained. The RTI test emphasizes the 33.1-degree approach angle of the Raptor R. You might be surprised to learn that the Raptor R has a lower rating than any other Raptor model, even the Ram 1500 TRX.
