Ford Ranger and F-150 get a bit of Raptor suspension tech
The Blue Oval is offering an official suspension upgrade kit with Fox Shocks and, importantly, a sweet warranty.
Modifying your truck's suspension to either improve its function off-road or just improve the way the truck looks is not a new idea. It's been going for pretty much as long as there have been trucks to modify. What's less common is a vehicle manufacturer offering its own suspension modification kits to customers, but that's exactly what Ford's doing for the Ranger and F-150, according to an announcement made by the company on Wednesday.
The kits are being referred to as the "Ford Performance Off-Road Leveling Kit with Tuned Suspension." Catchy, right? Well, aside from having arguably one of the least exciting names ever, it's actually a pretty interesting kit of parts.
The kits include new front coilover shocks from Fox -- which you may know as the supplier for the suspension on the totally amazing Ford Raptor -- that provide your truck with a 2-inch lift in the front, thereby removing the factory rake of the suspension. Sounds pretty simple, right? So what does the kit's lift translate to in off-road ability?
Well, both the Ranger and the F-150 benefit from improved front ground clearance, approach and breakover angles. Specifically, a Ranger owner will see an approximate 21% increase in approach angle and a 10% increase in breakover angle. An F-150 with a 145-inch wheelbase sees approximately a 22% increase in approach angle and a 7% increase in its breakover angle.
"The elevated off-road geometry, paired with Ford Performance tuning, makes this a really unique offering," said Eric Cin, global director for Ford Vehicle Personalization and Accessories, in a statement. "The secret sauce to this kit is in the Ford Performance tuning. This suspension and its tuning are designed to improve off-road handling and responsiveness, specifically for Ranger and F-150."
The Ford Performance leveling kits can be ordered through your Ford dealer and should fit any four-wheel drive 2015 to 2019 Ford F-150 or 2019 Ranger. Expect to pay $1,495 for the parts. Installation is, of course, extra.
