Here’s a truck I just reviewed, 2023 Ford F150 Raptor R. Sometimes we were airborne, sometimes we raced side X sides on miles of sand and sometimes I towed a trailer. Just like a big, fast air-conditioned dessert runner. But the best thing besides all the fun, it’s the best road truck I’ve ever rode in. Like a Cadilac or Mercedes, unbelievable smooth and comfortable. Don’t let the MSRP of $109,740 bother you, if you can find a dealer who has one, it will cost you over $140,000. Hope it’s a tax deduction for your business. The Raptor R with a 700 horsepower V-8 with a blower can tow 8700 lbs. Most ever in a Raptor. Maybe I can use it in my business, but I can’t afford the premium gas at 10- 13 mpg. The R is rated for 14 MPG on the highway, but I couldn’t get there without shutting off the engine and going downhill.
Maybe you can haul hay with it or pull a plow really fast and it would round up cattle anywhere. But it is an exciting smooth ride. My video’s in the North Sand Hills by Walden are on my YouTube channel. www.MrTruck.TV. Anthony with Jayhawk trailers drove and fly the R. I had to run the camera. I did pilot the R towing my 8000 lb trailer. That was impressive as the RPM’s didn’t drop going up hill, didn’t down shift, the R didn’t notice the trailer. The 4.10 rear axle ratio helped along with 640 torque, making little work trailering. But with the live valve Fox automatic shocks, made for jumping sand dunes, the R did squat about 4 inches at the rear axle with 900 lbs. of tongue weight. The new rear suspension is a 5 link with coil springs, big improvement over previous leaf springs. It floats, you won’t believe it’s a full-size truck.
Payload rating on the R is 1400 lbs. do you can still haul the family in this SuperCrew and some coolers. Top speed is 114 mph. Can’t tell you how I know. Has more 4×4 options that Ram TRX , such as 2 wheel drive, 4H, 4L. 37 inch tires are amazing with deep sidewall BFG KO2 all-terrain tires. 13 inches of wheel travel for the landing with a red patch on top of the steering wheel so you can land straight. Trail Control that Ford puts on many of their off-road capable, is like a rock-climbing cruise control. When you change modes to like normal to rock climbing, it’s automatic. The R knows when to shift to 4×4 and low range. In the steering wheel along with paddle shifters, are buttons for changing the exhaust sound to not wake the neighbors at 5 am, adjustments for the Fox shocks, and a button to change how the steering feels. Only thing missing is the messaging seats. Though the seats are Recaro that hug you when you race, they even fit this wide body reporter.
