hows mud riding in a Raptor , good, bad, ugly? i done workin on my 1999 xlt and wanna buy a new truck but im stuck between a Raptor and a FX4 which one is better for mild and light off roading? Im in mississippi and the mud around here is mainly clay and soupy mud so which would be better for me ?

 

of course, the raptor is going to be better off road. it what it was designed for. it's gonna be expensive though.

 

yeah, the raptor would be better since the suspension can take more abuse since thats what it was designed for. But i think as long as you are not doing any serious wheeling, the FX4 would be just fine, as long as it has a locker in the rear like the raptor does. Getting through mud has more to do with tires and driving ability.

 

The raptor is designed for sand and airborne. It doesnt sit high enough to clear mud holes

 

it sits higher than a stock FX4.

 

Yea a stock fx4 isnt meant to hit mud right away either. Thats why u buy a lift. A raptor has a very soft, very long travel suspension. You need a stiffer suspension with a lift for mud

 

i mean im not like boggin just the casual mud run very now and again and alot of the trails around here are sandy clay

 

i would say just get the FX4. You can get it cheaper and have money left over for some mud terrains.

 

The raptor will be fine for what you are doing but if you want to lift a truck eventually go with a FX4 or XLT, Lariat.

 

i plan to swap out for mts rather than keep the ats

 

hey man wat part of mississippi u from? Im from Bville.

 

i'd go with an fx4, raptor will probably be too wide in trails.

 

Exactly. The raptor's bread and butter is high speed, desert, baja type off roading; not really mud. Most owners who have used it in mud/trail/crawling situations report it made it through, so-so performance in these maneuvers, and a laundry list of changes that would better suit the needs of these type of maneuvers.

That's negligible, side by side it is hardly noticeable and certainly nothing to brag about off road. The raptors bragging rights come in suspension travel, something that is worthless in a mud hole.


To the OP, your best bet is an FX4 with some type of full suspension lift to gain ground clearance. I am not saying to not get a raptor, but if you did I think you may be disappointed in its performance in mud bogging.

 

raptor hands down

 

buy a powerwagon they got lockers and they come with a winch