Ford has posted a video detailing the operating principle of the latest Fox suspension in the Ranger Raptor truck. Armed with an internal bypass and a feature called Live Valve, the suspension easily adapts itself both to the changing road surface conditions and to the driver’s habits.
Each wheel has a separately controlled damper. A single electronic control unit receives data from multiple sensors a few hundred times per second and makes decisions based on it. It also takes into account the recent steering inputs, as well as accelerator and brake pedal presses.
The damping parameters also depend on the drive mode preset currently selected. There are seven to choose from, including a particularly off-road-friendly Baja mode. The shock absorbers are versatile enough to guarantee comfort during relaxed driving while absorbing plenty of impact energy when driving aggressively. The last 25 percent of shock travel provides the most damping efficiency thanks to some clever engineering tricks.
Compared to the standard Ranger, the Raptor spec doesn’t just have superior suspension, but also a stronger engine. The international version of the truck packs a turbocharged V6 rated at 288 PS (284 hp / 212 kW). It also benefits from an anti-lag feature borrowed from the Ford GT lineup.