After each 62.5-mile lap, Durability was hoisted on a lift to inspect the chassis. Eight engineers and two Roush technicians combed the vehicle for any signs of wear or damage. The level of punishment the truck went through was evident by the bashed-in front skidplate. In fact, during our lap even we stuffed it into the ground through a torn-up section of the course.
So what failed? For the 250...
So what failed? For the 250 miles of testing we witnessed, Durability got four flat tires and broke a rear exhaust hanger, and the alignment was knocked out of whack. That's all. After almost 900 miles of getting beaten on by five different drivers, the truck was still in great shape.
In order to track what parts...
In order to track what parts might loosen, bend, or stretch, each nut and bolt were marked with paint. The lower A-arm bolts (arrow) were also outlined to show any signs of alignment change. If a fastener was found to be moving, a photo was taken of the joint, the existing torque on the fastener was measured, and the bolt was retorqued and marked with a new paint color.
SVT and Fox used the 1,000-mile...
SVT and Fox used the 1,000-mile Raptor test to validate these stone shields (A) that protect the rear 21/2-inch Fox shock shafts from debris. From our perspective they were a wise investment, as we saw new signs of wear after every lap. In a previous durability test, the F-150 shock mounts (B) on the axle bent, so Raptors will feature high-strength steel mounts made from the same material as those on F-350s.
Fox Racing Shox's Ross McNab...
Fox Racing Shox's Ross McNab is an Australian with a background in ATV shocks-and really bad roads. He was particularly proud that nearly every piece of the Raptor's quadruple-bypass shocks were made in the United States. McNab had dozens of shocks on hand, and he gave us a glimpse inside Fox's patented internal bypass technology. When we asked him how many tuning changes he'd made to the Raptor's shocks, he confessed that he'd keep making them until they forced him to stop, and then he'd try to sneak another one in!
The Auto Industry's Area 51
Testing vehicles over the harshest terrain in one of the hottest places on earth can be downright dangerous. But for nearly 20 years, when auto manufacturers and suppliers need to develop advanced prototypes or verify a concept in the real world (in a way computer simulation just can't do), they call on Pacific Contract Services (PCS), a logistics company.
Owned by Larry and Karen Rae, PCS has operated in more than 45 countries and employs a staff of special operations personnel, county sheriffs, paramedics, and pilots to, as Larry puts it, "Take people places to do things."
PCS handles the client's every need, from food and fuel to auto repair and air support. PCS focuses on the well-being and safety of the automotive engineers so that the engineers can focus on the testing and development they came to do.
In addition to working with Ford Motor Company, PCS handles some of the world's biggest auto suppliers and military contractors-companies like Bosch, Continental Teves, BorgWarner, and even a well-known electric car manufacturer. In fact PCS claims that every production vehicle sold in the U.S. to go off-road has been tested in some part at a PCS facility.
Larry has also been known to help Hollywood film crews. He's literally one of those guys who's been there, done that, and knows the key people who make things happen. He was on his cell phone with off-road racing legend Dave Ashley when we took this photo.