M3Dragon – NorCal Basic Raptor Build

Usual Lot of image warning

Data spec Sheet:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8vVWLBz-tX_X1VnWWZOcThQNmM/view?usp=sharing

So I figure it was time to start the build thread for the rig. As of the start of this thread she is 6 months old and 7000 fun miles on the clock. Looking forward to many more miles of trails and seeing new places.


Start of the journey
1500 miles in 16 hours – Bringing new Raptor home

After being an interloper on the forum for a while I finally bit the bullet and bought my Raptor. I decided to go new as I could not really find a used one that was close as well as was a SuperCab and no moon roof. There were some out there but none that were close.

I find out from the dealers the Raptor is being discontinued for the next three years. I called 11 dealers across the country and all said the same thing. I asked about ordering one from my local dealer and they said no more orders can be made as well as they “had” to charge a 10K mark up. First part of no more orders was a DARNIT moment and the 10K over I laughed at the dealer and walked out.

So watched the usual websites for cars for the past few months and found one in WA. I called the dealer and asked what the options were and so on. It was a base Raptor with the plus package (801) no moonroof. SCORE! And I told the dealer I would buy it but not over MSRP. They wanted 5K over.

This is where it goes weird. Sales guy I talked to said he had to talk to the GM if that was ok. This was at COB on a Sunday we spoke by phone. Monday I follow up and the sales person says that the GM needs to talk to the owner. Never heard that a GM needed to talk to an owner for a deal so the flags went up. Followed up again on Tuesday and the sales guy said still waiting for the GM to talk to the owner. This point I was a little miffed as now I am being lied to in my book. Wednesday comes around and the sales guy said it sold to a lady for 4K over MSRP. Now I understand they want over MSRP but the part that pissed me off was the being lied to about the GM and owner part. I posted my dealing with the dealer that morning I got a call from the owner of the dealer Thursday.

Now the part my wife and I can’t figure out. Owner apologize for me being lied to and that he never heard anything about this deal. Asks if he can earn my business and I said if you can find the same truck at MSRP you can earn my business. He said he would look into it and call me back. At the same time I found a dealer that had the same truck being delivered to them at the end of the month but they were in VA. UG long drive home. WA dealer owner called back and said that the truck I was first asking about was now mine. The truck was in the process of being sold to a business / long term bulk buyer but canceled the sale and gave it to me. Not sure how that is better but I got the truck now.

After all that, got the paper work done by mail and flew to Pasco WA where the dealer picked me up to pick up the car from the dealer. After all the final details jumped in and made the 670 mile trek home to CA for Prosser WA. Flying 720 miles in a plane and driving the rest home.

Flying there


Driving to the dealer



Seeing her for the first time



On the road heading to Bend OR for food stop.













Food and fuel top off – wife’s order by phone call as I was doing the drive home solo and had not eaten all day.



Leaving Bend OR heading to CA







Finally back to CA heading to HWY 5 to trek back to Sacramento








Only glamour shots I took as I wanted to GET HOME. It was a long drive as well as a long lonely drive home.




Figured the trip computer out about 20 miles into the trip. Not too shabby for such a long trek and being home 1 hour before GPS said I should be. Also hit the speed governor a few time as I was in a OH **** moment in passing cars.

First offroad trip a week later after being home.

Full report can be found here: http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f59/trail-scouting-trip-near-artesia-lake-8-23-a-36985/

Trail we scouted



Start of the trail.







Short stop to defend the group against killer oranges. Time to break out the fire power.







The following images are as we worked our way over the mountains before descending down to hit the flat land to Ludwig.













Out of the trails and off to the baja section

Next event was a month later to have a photo shoot with a real Raptor.

This was also when I meet the first forum member Vanilla_gorilla. Not sure yet if that was a good or bad thing yet - JK

Here is the thread with all the photos and Vanilla_Gorillas truck with a real Raptor
http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f16/ford-raptor-f22-raptor-photos-37518/


Had to share some great photos I got today. One is odd of both my cars at the air show. LOL.

Before getting ready for the trail season we got a few forum members together to talk trails and have a BBQ:

Thread from the event here:
http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f59/norcal-bbq-social-raptor-trail-talks-37490/index3.html

First mod for the truck was a Icom Radio. Someone who will remain nameless said I can't go with out one. I went for a stealth install in the center console so when not in use it was hidden.

First ever Raptor event followed. A trail run outside Reno around pyramid lake. This was a great day and my first ever experince in using the raptor on friendly trails vs the slow one.

See the trail report here
\http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f112/october-10th-pyramid-lake-west-38400/

Hitting the trail. Let the adventure begin



First official stop for the group was Moon Rocks OHV. This had some really cool rock formations and areas we could park the trucks for some group photos.






From the OHV park we made our way to the next photo stop and lunch location near a dry like bed. The trail was about 50% fast till the last half when it got a tad rocky and slow. This still was a fun trail to get to the lake bed.







After lunch we headed to the dry lake where one of the members of the group had a family land plot. This was a 10 acre parcel in the middle of no where but the drive there and back was fun across the dry lake. Images of the group at parcel.



The stop at the land plot was the furthest out the group was going so the rest of the trek would take us home. One of the trails we explored turned out as we called it "every button trail". This trail made you use every button in the truck from 4x4 low, hill decent, locking diff and so on. This trail was a absolute gem out of no where. To get to the trail you went up a 18 degree climb where we got a group image.



On this trail we found a cool rock formation called "Sail Rock". The images don't do it justice but if you are a rock person this was a very interesting rock formation that just sprang out of no where.

First real mod: S&B filter and intake horn. Followed up by SVC Tune Version 2.0. Need to load 3 still DOH

Next Trip was to the "secret lake". Not really secret but still was a great trip to try out the tune and filter upgrade.

Full trail report here:
http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f112/october-30th-secret-lake-trip-39367/

Left Sacramento at 6:00am and headed to meet up with the group over in Nevada. Was very lonely drive over the summit but got a few great images.





Arrived at the fuel stop where we picked up the last member of the group. After a quick food stop we set off to hit the trail to the lake. It was about a 30 minute drive to get to the start of the actual dirt section of the trip.





On the trail there is very little drama. Other than a few cattle grates, one really good jump and two G outs, it is flat and fast as you will see in the video below. As the goal of this trip was the lake we did not explore any other trails which we have mapped for the next trip out there.



About 30 or so minutes later after starting the trail we reached the trail to the lake cut over. This was a slow trail over to the lake but once you got to the end there it was. Once the group was on the lake myself and another member attempted to GPS map the perimeter and center of the lake. After a little futsing around we were able to find the middle where the group parked in the handy donut the Disco Raptor made for us LOL.





Left the lake around 2:00pm and explored a different way out. This way had less dirt but if you wanted on road speed you will find your limiter. Going this way we also saw a cool fog effect with the fog coming over a mountain.





Video of the trip

http://youtu.be/zcmPcW-RT20

Off for another trail run. This time the trek was all the way to love lock to do a loop to see some old mines and some fast trails.

Full trail report here:
http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f112/trail-report-lovelock-2014-a-39853/

Video of trip - http://youtu.be/G-mFU0fLsIw

If you missed this trip keep an eye out for future posted trips or join my email list. I have more trails then time to go out and explore.

Day started off early with a drive to Lovelock. Coming over the pass was greeted to another great sunrise and stunning colors.



Passing through Truckee is was a balmy 6 degrees outside. Wife was ridding shotgun and said this was totally bikini weather (very sarcastically).




Wife and I arrived in Lovelock at 8:55am to meet with whoever decided to make the trek. Meet up with four new people and one buddy in his new Jeep. Our group was definitely as diverse as I have been on so far which makes it all the more fun. After getting the logistics sorted out the group left the meeting point gas station at 9:22am to hit the trails. Start of the trail and group airing down below.



We reached the first mine stop where we got out to explore the ruins for a bit before moving onto one of the longer trail sections.



The next 40 miles was crossing up and over the mountains, around an open pit mine, and then blasting down the valley floor on the other side. The trail on the other side was fast and had some very fun whoops and turns. Missed taking video of this section but now it is a reason to go back =)









After about 40 miles on the valley we turned west to head to the second ghost mine and lunch. This was a very interesting mine to see as a lot of the structures were still in place. Amazing to think at one point people were here working and all that is left now is this decaying skeleton.





With daylight fading we head on the fast trail home and all made our ways back home.

First family trail run was at the first part of 2015. This was also the run I decided what upgrades option I would be going with things.

See the full trail report here:
http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f112/carson-dayton-trail-report-2015-a-40332/



We hit the flat lands and made our way to a mining operation. There was a lot of stuff there and it looks like it is still working but no one was there



After the Minnesota Mine we headed back towards home. The trail was great and then we hit the SLOW stuff. This was a crawler trail and was a real pain to cross. While I was suffering this was a good chance for my buddy to learn his car and approach angles. After this painful section we reach some good ground and went to the last mine. This was the Como Mine with lots of ruins spread over a big area.





Before heading home we had to re-arrange the gear and gave the little guy a chance to try out driver seat. Still a ways off from reaching the pedals HAHA





Made our way down the last bit of the Como trail which was rocky but not as bad as the other side of the trail. We made it off just as darkness was setting in.