Latest news with #FordBroncoRaptor
The Drive
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
This 7.3L V8 Ford Bronco Raptor Swap Is So Clean, It's Like a Factory Job
The latest car news, reviews, and features. It's true that forced induction can do a lot for a small V6, but that doesn't stop people from wanting a total thumper under the hood. Case in point: This Ford Bronco Raptor that ditched its 3.0-liter EcoBoost in favor of a 7.3-liter Godzilla engine. And thanks to a short list of worthwhile mods, it has plenty of power to roast its 40-inch tires. The rig's owner, Eric Long, goes by @22broncoraptor on social media, and like you'd expect, he posts about it pretty often. Juicy Motorsports out of Fayetteville, Georgia, performed the swap while a fella named Justin Stamper was the lead builder. It's important to note that this is more than an engine-swapped truck; the crew involved did all the work necessary to make all of the Raptor's drive modes operate like they did from the factory. More on that in a bit. First, though, let's run through the powertrain. The Bronco Raptor now sports a Super Duty V8 with a Stage Two Texas Speed cam, an intake from Ford's Megazilla crate engine, custom headers, and a 93-octane tune from 5 Star Tuning. Dyno results show it cranking out 395 horsepower and 466 lb-ft of torque, and that's after it makes its way from the massive Nitto Terra Grapplers to the ground. Accounting for drivetrain loss, that's way more power than stock, as the 3.0-liter EcoBoost makes 418 hp and 440 lb-ft at the flywheel. To compensate for the extra power, Juicy also swapped in a sturdier 10R80 automatic transmission, which is an upgrade over the Bronco Raptor's factory 10R60 unit. As you can see in this clip, Long is still able to cycle through all of the truck's G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) modes. These change various settings to help performance in different drive scenarios, from general Off-Road to Rock Crawl and Baja. Not only does this adjust throttle mapping, but it also engages or disengages the Bronco Raptor's locking differentials depending on which mode you select. And because he claims these are '100% functional,' that also indicates that the engine swap doesn't interfere with the Fox Live Valve suspension, which reads the surface and adjusts on the fly. That's a stellar OEM+ modification. The Blue Oval's big V8 should continue getting better over time as it's equipped with an advanced vehicle interface device. This enables Long to share data files with Five Star Tuning directly while also downloading custom tunes. He can also swap between a low-octane tune for Baja runs, just in case that sweet 93-octane isn't available nearby. Long hints in one of his videos that a supercharger could come later down the line, and obviously, that would push this even further over the top. I'm not sure it needs one, though, considering how stout the current setup already is. I'd probably keep it like it is now, but then again, it's not my truck. I also don't see myself upgrading to one of these unless I get promoted to owner of The Drive Dot Com, so there's that. On second thought, man, just enjoy your rig! Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@
The Drive
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
The New Ram 1500 Has 'Plastic' Control Arms, And That's OK. Here's Why
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Every once in a while, someone sends me a viral truck video and asks, 'Is this real?' Sometimes, the answer is yes, but more often than not, the answer is, 'Well, kinda.' This Instagram Reel with four million views, calling out Ram's use of 'plastic' upper control arms landed on my desk this week, and while it's certainly causing a stir, it's way overblown. I'll explain why. The video shows a couple of mechanics from All Win Automotive just trashing the design. 'Shameful,' one of them says. 'They made their crumple zone the control arms,' the other quips. And I can see why somebody might think that. It's unusual to see plastic in a place where you normally see metal. They joke that it looks like a recycled milk crate, and really, they aren't wrong. All Win Auto via Instagram But there's more to it than that. I reached out to Ram for comment, and while I'm not in the business of taking PR people at their word, everything explained by the spokesperson here checks out: 'The upper control arm is the same part from the launch of the 2019 Ram 1500 (DT) and has been in reliable service for seven years (2018 CY launch). The arms are a composite that is integrated with a steel structure. We then e-coat the component to prevent corrosion.' So, yes, it has a composite exterior. But inside, it's still steel. The spokesperson then responded to the criticism that Ram took the cheap route in using composites. 'The final piece is more expensive to build but offers a significant weight reduction vs. steel or aluminum,' they explained. 'The design is part of a lightweighting strategy, substituting composites for metal—which offer high-tensile strength at very low weight. It also is important to note the load on upper control arms is negligible compared to the heavier load on lower arms, which helped create the opportunity.' I've spoken with suspension engineers from multiple OEMs, and the consensus is that upper control arms don't have to match the strength of the lowers. Lightweight is more valuable than high strength, even on heavy trucks. Another example is the Ford Bronco Raptor, a dune-bashing maniac on 37-inch tires that uses steel lower control arms but aluminum uppers because they simply aren't that crucial for weight support. Aluminum isn't the same as composite, I understand, but I have no reason to doubt the Ram's inner steel structure is any less sturdy. 'Feel free to put a magnet next to the part,' the Ram spokesperson concluded. Caleb Jacobs There are undeniably horrendous examples of cost savings in modern cars and trucks. My mind goes to the Home Depot-grade fake wood used in the Tesla Model Y a few years back. But make sure to leave room for nuance, because not everything on the internet is as it seems. Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford Slashes 2025 Bronco Raptor Base Price By More Than $10,000
The Ford Bronco Raptor just got $10,040 less expensive in the middle of the 2025 model year, with the price of the hardcore off-road SUV coming down to a starting MSRP of $79,995. This price reduction, initially reported by Ford Authority, arrives as a mid-model year shift. The 2025 Raptor initially went on sale for $90,035, but as of this story's publication, the configurator now lists it with the new $79,995 starting point. Adding the destination charge of $1995 (up $100 since the beginning of the 2025 model year) brings you to an out-the-door price of $81,990. Don't get too hype about the big decrease, however, as it's just the latest adjustment in what has been a pricing merry-go-round for the Bronco Raptor ever since it launched. The starting price for the Raptor at launch was a mere $68,500, but multiple price increases soon after brought prices into the mid-$80,000 range. The 2024 and beginning of 2025 model years saw the highest starting price yet, cresting $90,000 even before options. Today, though, the price for a Bronco Raptor is as cheap as it's been since 2023. It's common to see prices for a vehicle increase over time, but the massive shifts of the Bronco Raptor are anything but the norm. (Road & Track queried Ford to get a handle on why the price suddenly decreased mid-model year by such a large amount, but had not heard back as of this story's original publication time; we'll update this story if we hear back) Ford already had an advantage over the Jeep Wrangler 392 on price, but now the gap between the two is $20,000. Yes, Jeep's V8-powered Wrangler starts at $99,995 these days. That said, tacking on a few high-dollar options to the 2025 Raptor will get you within shouting distance of the pricey Wrangler, so mind your spec if you want to make the most of these new savings. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford Slashes 2025 Bronco Raptor Base Price By More Than $10,000
The Ford Bronco Raptor just got $10,040 less expensive in the middle of the 2025 model year, with the price of the hardcore off-road SUV coming down to a starting MSRP of $79,995. This price reduction, initially reported by Ford Authority, arrives as a mid-model year shift. The 2025 Raptor initially went on sale for $90,035, but as of this story's publication, the configurator now lists it with the new $79,995 starting point. Adding the destination charge of $1995 (up $100 since the beginning of the 2025 model year) brings you to an out-the-door price of $81,990. Don't get too hype about the big decrease, however, as it's just the latest adjustment in what has been a pricing merry-go-round for the Bronco Raptor ever since it launched. The starting price for the Raptor at launch was a mere $68,500, but multiple price increases soon after brought prices into the mid-$80,000 range. The 2024 and beginning of 2025 model years saw the highest starting price yet, cresting $90,000 even before options. Today, though, the price for a Bronco Raptor is as cheap as it's been since 2023. It's common to see prices for a vehicle increase over time, but the massive shifts of the Bronco Raptor are anything but the norm. (Road & Track queried Ford to get a handle on why the price suddenly decreased mid-model year by such a large amount, but had not heard back as of this story's original publication time; we'll update this story if we hear back) Ford already had an advantage over the Jeep Wrangler 392 on price, but now the gap between the two is $20,000. Yes, Jeep's V8-powered Wrangler starts at $99,995 these days. That said, tacking on a few high-dollar options to the 2025 Raptor will get you within shouting distance of the pricey Wrangler, so mind your spec if you want to make the most of these new savings. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car
USA Today
12-02-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Ford Bronco models hindered by rear shock issues. Now what?
Justin Banner MotorTrend While the Ford Bronco Raptor is the ultimate off-roading SUV from the Blue Oval, cheaper thrills on roads less paved can be found with the Badlands and Sasquatch Broncos. Well, given the latest news, you may want to avoid the really rough stuff until Ford fixes a recently discovered problem. Announced in mid-January, Ford and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have issued a recall on nearly 150,000 of those capable off-roaders due to an issue with the rear shocks on 2021 to 2024 model year Broncos in both two- and four-door models. The build date timespan to look out for is 9/30/2020 to 7/23/2024 on your driver's side door jam label. During this span, Bilstein supplied Ford with a rear damper for the Badlands and Sasquatch optioned Broncos that included an external reservoir as part of its End Stop Control Valve (ESCV) system. As an aside, it's an interesting system that allows for a more progressive extreme compression and rebound events — almost like an internal bumpstop — before relying on harsher external bumpstops. The integrated external reservoir on the shock body is what allows Bilstein to insert these ESCV springs and piston stops as it allows for more oil in the damper body along with allowing for longer piston travel by putting the nitrogen charge and its piston — for cavitation control — outside. The issue stems from corrosion between the damper body and integrated external reservoir mounting flange that's welded to the body. This not only can cause leakage of shock oil but can also lead to full failure with the reservoir falling off and becoming a road hazard for other drivers. This also means that you might be able to notice something is wrong before full failure occurs. If you notice that the rear shocks on your Badlands or Sasquatch aren't doing any damping anymore or notice a strange sign of a fluid leak near your rear wheels, there's a good chance that the connection between the reservoir and damper body has failed and you need to get it off the road and into your local Ford dealer. In case you missed it:Ford recalls nearly 73,000 vehicles for potentially faulty rear-view camera Currently, the recall is only for the rear dampers despite the same style of Bilstein shock used on the front axle. We're just taking a guess here, but the rear Bilsteins do appear to be ever so slightly more exposed when compared to the fronts and its associated running gear, but there hasn't been an official explanation on why corrosion is only an issue on the rears. We also don't know if Bilstein uses these dampers on other Ford products or if similarly attached reservoirs from Bilstein are having similar corrosion and separation issues. From a quick glance, it does appear that the ESCV dampers are unique to the Bronco, but we have reached out to Ford and Bilstein on this. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. There's another problem: there isn't a fix yet. Ford is working to develop one but considering that these failures happened on Broncos built up to the midpoint of last year, simply yanking the bad ones out and installing new OE replacements isn't the viable solution. We have reached out to both Ford and Bilstein and will update this story if we hear back from either side. Photos by MotorTrend Staff, manufacturer
