Long travel, why?

Not to clutter up the other two threads (the train wreck and on topic thread)

Why is everyone talking about long travel?

Why spent $6000 and up for only a couple of inches of travel?

If your are traveling fast enough to need long travel, you are going fast enough for a roll cage.

Rear of the Raptor has always been "weak link". So upgrading the front without upgrading the rear is asking for damage.

At this point wouldn't it be cheaper just to cage, four link the rear and do it right in the first place?

If I am wrong in my logic please let me know..

-Greg

Its like a long schwance.. its all about having it, showing it off and showing how good it works!!! lol

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GJMcManus said:

Not to clutter up the other two threads (the train wreck and on topic thread)

Why is everyone talking about long travel?

Why spent $6000 and up for only a couple of inches of travel?

If your are traveling fast enough to need long travel, you are going fast enough for a roll cage.

Rear of the Raptor has always been "weak link". So upgrading the front without upgrading the rear is asking for damage.

At this point wouldn't it be cheaper just to cage, four link the rear and do it right in the first place?

If I am wrong in my logic please let me know..

-Greg

Click to expand...

Glad this was started... Here is my statement that I added in the other thread..

SDHQ said:

This might not be the correct thread for this discussion... But IMO long travel suspension is not really needed for the masses... There are a lot more things to take into account if you are planning on adding long travel because you are drawn to the foot and a half wheel travel numbers. IMO the long travel suspension is just a single part of a complete build needed to have a good performing and safe truck.

I have talked a lot, and I mean a lot of people out of a long travel kit for their Raptor and into something that is much more suited to what they actually want to accomplish with their truck. It truly isn't about the wheel travel numbers, but rather the entire set up of the truck. You can spend the same money you were going to spend on just the long travel parts and have a well balanced truck that will perform.

Click to expand...

You should figure not only the cost of the LT but a few other items to go with it..
Front -
LT kit
Coil overs
Bypass shocks
Bumps
Axles or complete RCV asy
Fiberglass
Professional install

Rear-
At the minimum-
Deavers
3" bypass
bump set up
Our set up will gain you 1.5" of travel and more wheel control

Better-
Sprung under
3" bypass
bumps
bed cage or cantilever design
Our set up will net you up to 17.5" of travel and more wheel control
bedsides
professional installation

More-
Dana 80 rear end
Engine cage
Complete interior cage
4 link



Figure it is easy to wrap up 30k - 150k+ into a built raptor... Not including the price of the Raptor... Imagination, know how and your pocketbook will take you there...

It's not only the added travel which in my book 6-8" is a pretty big gain but you're also adding another shock. Even on the same travel basis, a paired coilover and bypass will outperform the most dialed in single 3.0 c/o around.

In my opinion, a LT kit upfront paired with a simple bed cage design will take the Raptor to a different level. And I think cab cages are a wise upgrade when going that route. For me, LT is not an if, it's a when.

---------- Post added at 03:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:33 PM ----------

SDHQ said:

Figure it is easy to wrap up 75k - 150k+ into a built raptor... Not including the price of the Raptor... Imagination, know how and your pocketbook will take you there...

Click to expand...

I think you could build one hell of a Raptor with a $30K budget. 10K upfront, 10K in the rear, and 10K in the cab.

In my opinion you pay 50 grand for a recreational off rod truck with better than average capability then dump another 10 to 20 grand or more in suspension upgrades . Why not just go buy a 70 thousand dollar purpose built prerunner? i i guess to each his own . In my expiriance once you start modding suspension then you have to address everything else sort of like opening up Pandora's box.
By the time your done if you ever are you still have a truck that won't compete with the 70 thousand dollar purpose built prerunner .
Just my .02

I understand multiple shock/coilover setup.. Stock shocks after one lap at TRR were warm/hot to the touch and bouncing off bump stops.

A stock truck with upgraded 3.0's shocks easily reaches rollcage/harness speeds. So a truck with LT and sprung under would have no issues obtaining these speeds.

For 90% of Raptor owners will never exceed stock or lightly (shocks/bumpstops) modified Raptors capabilities. And call me an old man but a rollcage and harnesses would be the next logical upgrade before long travel.

The other issue is the upkeep and maintenance of the LT and four link.. Even with my slightly modified truck, if I don't stay on top of cleaning/lubing uniball/heims. It sounds like a beat up old chevy driving down the road. I can not even imagine on a fully linked/lt truck..

Plus what works out west in the desert, does not necessarily work everywhere else. The open uniballs and heims are a magnet for salt, mud, and everything else.


-Greg

Outlaw Cage is 10K just so evrey one knows

Bryson said:

Outlaw Cage is 10K just so evrey one knows

Click to expand...

Just cab cage or roll cage/bed cage?

-Greg

cousincleatus said:

In my opinion you pay 50 grand for a recreational off rod truck with better than average capability then dump another 10 to 20 grand or more in suspension upgrades . Why not just go buy a 70 thousand dollar purpose built prerunner? i i guess to each his own . In my expiriance once you start modding suspension then you have to address everything else sort of like opening up Pandora's box.
By the time your done if you ever are you still have a truck that won't compete with the 70 thousand dollar purpose built prerunner .
Just my .02

Click to expand...

There's a hat for every head, that's for sure... A caged 420 H.P. raptor with 18" of travel all the way around blasting cold A/C with the windows up and bumping tunes through a quality sound system is a much better ride to me than a fully built open air prerunner. Even if the prerunner runs a few mph faster through the nasty stuff.

GJMcManus said:

Just cab cage or roll cage/bed cage?

-Greg

Click to expand...

just the whole interior cage