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Ford fans probably scratched their heads when they found out that the latest F-150 Raptor will not have Independent Rear Suspension (IRS). Of course, he made the transition from leaf springs to coil springs, which led many customers to believe the IRS would be a cinch. This is not the case however, as the new Raptor shares the same solid axle design as the previous model.
As disappointing as it may be for many Ford purists, we would be remiss not to mention that the Ram TRX uses a very similar setup; both share a very similar five-link setup with the Blue Oval, offering extra-long swingarms, a Panhard rod, and 24-inch coil springs – a paltry 0.378-inch taller than the TRX’s if you keep the score.
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While many would say that a solid rear axle would be a big drawback for the F-150 Raptor, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In addition to offering more towing capacity and payload, the new rear suspension design brings even more to the table; it also allows better articulation over obstacles, reduces friction and tips the scale much lighter than any leaf spring configuration.
Semantics aside, Ford’s new setup allows for 15-inch rear suspension travel when fitted with 35-inch tires. It might sound like a jumble of numbers, but to some it’s 25% more than the original F-150 Raptor and a whole two inches longer than the Ram TRX.
However, the most important benefit of coil springs – from a mile to the country – is the superior ride quality. Therefore, it is very likely that this configuration will carry over to other F-150 models in the not-so-distant future.
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