One of the things holding me back from buying a new Raptor is the size of the bed. I actually want to use it as a truck, so I don't want anything less than a 6½' bed. Anybody know if there are plans for a larger bed? Otherwise, the new FX4 looks like a great truck. The only thing missing is the 6.2 liter engine.

I'm hard set on an off-road (not necessarily race-ready) truck with an electronic locking differential. I do plan on towing (probably no more than 3,000-4,000 lbs.) on occasion, but primarily, it will be my bad weather and work vehicle that I'll use to tow jetskis to the beach and take off road in the mountains of western Maryland for some camping trips.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to take a Raptor off road and race all over the place. I just don't know of any places in MD that have that kind of terrain, so I'm trying to think logically.

 

You can do plenty with a 5 1/2ft bed I've owned a 2001 F150 Supercrew with one and now I bought a brand new a brand new 2009 FX4 Supercrew with a 5 1/2ft had it for 2yrs. I've moved from PA to KY to NY and then moved family back to MI while I'm deployed from NY. Worst comes worst just buy a bed extender fold down tailgate there is your extra room. The raptor would be well worth it since the price is not that much different. Trust me the Raptor seems so badass I'm trying to see about trading in my 09 FX4 with 12000 miles for the Raptor Supercrew just to have one. If not then the 4" Rancho lift, RS 9000xl shocks, 33 12.50 R18 Kumho Road Venture MT KL71 tires with Moto Metal 951 rims, and about $2000 more in additions will be ready on my FX4 before I get back from deployment. Out of all this don't sell yourself short for what the truck is capable of if the need was ever there nothing can match it.

 

I do like the new bed extenders more than the old ones. They fold down a lot more and you can keep them in the truck without much of a hassle. The one I had for my 2006 was easy to put in and take out, but it was never there when I needed it and in the way when I didn't.

How are Raptors in the snow with stock tires? Not that changing them is a huge concern, just curious.

 

senfo, check this out:

http://www.motortrend.com/av/roadtes...deo/index.html

Also, I have had a few Supercrews with the 5 ft. bed and never had a problem hauling the toys, wood, or landscape materials. With the bed extenders, it really is a useful sized bed.

 

the virtues of the Raptor can be appricaited on the street, too. Potholes that got fixed in a good economy are put on the back burner. Our roads are getting worse and that won't change any time soon. Those bumps that hit hard in a normal truck are soaked up in a Raptor. But that long, soft travel seems akward to some drivers who can't get used to the nose-dive when they hit the brakes. You can precompress the front end and make that go away, but then you also lose some of your travel.

The longer, softer suspension also does not have the payload capacity or towing capability of a normal truck. Keep that in mind.

 

the main reason I'm going to vote NO, is because you can start with an XLT model, and then add some suspension and motor upgrades, and have a fully capable half ton

 

This was debated in a thread about the differences between a Raptor and a lifted F150.

Anybody who thinks that a "simple" lift kit gives them actual performance, as defined by wheel travel, is mistaken. To turn an XLT into something that comes close to the performance of a Raptor would cost well over $10,000.

 

if you had a clue what I was talking about when I was talking about towing suspension and towing performance and how it has has nothing to do with wheel travel, I never once mentioned a lift kit and I never said it'd out perform a SVT Raptor off road...



thanks for getting yourself added to my ignore list

 

I'm sure I'm in good company.

The OP wants to know if the Raptor is right for him. He wants a capable off road truck, he does some light towing and he uses the bed for hauling stuff.

"Capable off road truck" is not defined, but I think we can agree that the standard IFS on the rest of the F150 trucks is less than ideal for off road use. I don't know what you meant by "some suspension and motor upgrades", but I took it mean a lift kit. Since the OP is considering the Raptor because he wants the performance of it, what do you mean?

 

I am also going to say no, it is not right for you. BUT that is a call you ultimately have to make. If you really want it then get it, but from what you mention it seems like something else would fit your needs better like the FX4.

Also there are no plans for a long bed on a raptor. That would be certain death for that type of truck... a supercrew is pushing its limits on length. A true off road raptor is the supercab/5.5 for the avid raptor owner, the crew cab is very capable don't get me wrong and it fits a market niche very well! Pick up the Truck Trend April issue (march 28), it has the details on the 2012 raptor

 

Hey, it's a really good looking truck

 

Have you guys seen the american top gear episode where they test it out?

 

I might get flamed but for the same price you could get a power wagon. they are well equipped for off road stuff from the factory. winch and electronic disconnecting sway bars. but yeah xlt with mods is good too

 

The Raptor and the Power Wagon are completely different animals. Each one very good for it's designed purpose.

The PW is for crawling slowly through extremely rough terrain. You can carry a large payload in it.

The Raptor is ideal for going fast over big bumps. It's long travel independant front suspension soaks them up and keeps the truck under control. But the suspension is tuned to the unloaded weight of the truck. Anything other than a relatively light load is going to degrade the handling of the truck.

The solid front axle Power Wagon also has good travel, especially with the sway bar disconnected. But it's for slow speed crawling. If you tried to keep up with a Raptor through the desert bumps, it would beat you up.

I was a bit quick to tell the OP that the Raptor was right for him, as I did not consider other vehicles such as the PW. He said that he was "hard set" on doing some offroading, something that the regular F150 is not expecially good for. Unfortunately, you can't give the regular F150 the attributes of a Raptor for a reasonable amount of money.

When people say "off road" they have to define the term. The trucks that have won the Baja 1000 for the last few years would not make it through the first 100 yards of the Rubicon Trail. And a vehicle set up for the trail would not get you from Ensanada to Cabo very quickly or comfortably.

 

absolutly correct define the term! the raptor is very nice for high speed stuff but if your going trail riding the power wagon is B.A.

the raptor is awesome but if your going to spend that much money, consider all things!