Just Finished the Ranger Raptor Assault School - Detailed Review

[telenerd]

To see what these trucks have gone through at least 100 times based on the mileage of my assigned truck, it gave me a lot of confidence in the reliability and durability of the powertrain and components.

Honestly that course and the off-road section was fairly easy. Yeah you do have a point. Just was bringing it up that the check engine light on that many trucks in one day was rather disappointing and lowered my confidence.

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[RSETZER]

Excellent write up, thank you sir.

 

[stirfry]

Do you know what kind of bar is mounted to the front bumpers on the school trucks?

There was a lot of talk about this in my class. While they provided us information on the company that provided the lights, from what I understood the light bars were made by a local manufacturer. I don't have information on the bars, but the light company was mpowerlights.com.

 

[kngelv]

I have a 2026 on order so I'd like to know for sure if the school is still available?

James

 

[stirfry]

The Ford Performance Hotline might be able to answer that. 800-367-3788.

 

[STEVE_K]

Here's the info from the Raptor Assault website.... If anyone finds some different info, please post!

 

[K_teven]

I never even heard of this until reading about it here. I have had my 2025 for over a year now so I guess I am no longer eligible. That sucks!

Great write up though! Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for posting.

 

[stirfry]

I never even heard of this until reading about it here. I have had my 2025 for over a year now so I guess I am no longer eligible. That sucks!

Great write up though! Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for posting.

That is a SUPER BUMMER. Shame on your dealer for not making you aware of it.

 

[Lion77]

This is one reason why I suggest people actually drive and learn the truck before throwing on 35 in tires, lifts and all this other stuff. Get a feel for what it can and cannot do first. Vett out your particular truck for any quality defects, break it in properly in the first 1k miles (light throttle, varying RPM frequently etc.).

Then as you find its limits or areas you like to tweak for how you use it most, you can start to tailor it. I think just a pair of angled rock sliders on an otherwise stock RR would do quite well in 95% of uses. The side steps are in my opinion about the only big miss by Ford on the stock setup, they do hang unusually low compared to what you see on the F-150's and Bronco's.

There's 4 inches of room they just take up for what reason I don't know...that dramatically improves side clearance for trail work, as it's very common drive over obstacles on one side of the trail where you need that clearance under the rockers. For most RR owners, 33's are the better tire choice since most of them spend 90% on-road (be it paved, dirt, gravel etc.) vs. extremely rough / rocky terrain. They also are more reliable on rocky hill climbs.

The Beer o'clock hill video I posted really demonstrated that. There's another video where someone put a RR on 35's, tried to get up the hill and broke a tie rod. The owner of the OHV park in a later video did the same hill on a bone stock RR on 33's, got right up it without issue and noted it did very well, BUT the side steps were maxed out clearance wise a few times (no damage, but more side clearance would have given the truck more capability without taking away from anything else).

What makes the RR great at short course driving is what makes it not the best choice for very rough trails, 10.7in min running clearance is now pretty standard among the trail / off-road focused mid size trucks (TRD non-pro, ZR2 Trail Boss etc.). BUT, it's not quite as much as the competitors top trims, which are in the 11 - 12 in range. Then again, the RR out handles all the other trucks by leaps and bounds. Pick your poison, clearance or handling.

The RR is what amounts to a production short course truck, and I think sporty driving is where it's most at home. I do get that some people bought it for trails with the intent of throwing on lifts and tires, because it's more livable and practical with 35's and a lift than a Bronco, and the RR is priced similar to a Bronco Sasquatch, BUT that's not really its core focus and where it shines.

It is a versatile little truck though! You can make it a trail hero with 35's and a lift or you can keep it low and fast on 33's like the rowdy red headed stepchild, throw in a Pro Cal and intercooler and leap over the dunes in a single bound!

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