Lightning Independent Rear Suspension (IRS) Photos

[BEVolution]

Note electric parking brake.

 

[BEVolution]

 

[BEVolution]

Will be interesting if current front suspension leveling pucks can be used for a modest lift for the back too.

Hopefully suspension companies are planning both a drop and of course lift for the new rear suspension. Exciting times!

 

[astricklin]

Unless it is super close the the expedition IRS that the same parts will work then I think it is going to be a long time till there's enough of these out on the wild for it to make sense for a company to develop parts. There's millions of each generation f150 on the road and if even 5% of vehicles are fitted that's still 100,000+
Lets say Ford makes 40k lightning in 22 then 80k in 23. Maybe another 80k in 24 before they move to the new platform. Then at 5% that's only 10,000 units. How many people are going to be willing to part with some percentage of range to have a lift kit? Will that be enough to justify developing parts? What premium will they have to charge?

 

[BEVolution]

Unless it is super close the the expedition IRS that the same parts will work then I think it is going to be a long time till there's enough of these out on the wild for it to make sense for a company to develop parts. There's millions of each generation f150 on the road and if even 5% of vehicles are fitted that's still 100,000+
Lets say Ford makes 40k lightning in 22 then 80k in 23. Maybe another 80k in 24 before they move to the new platform. Then at 5% that's only 10,000 units. How many people are going to be willing to part with some percentage of range to have a lift kit? Will that be enough to justify developing parts? What premium will they have to charge?

Good points. Although the same could be true for all the different engine sizes or body configuration where spring rates will all be different based on vehicle weight or distribution.

Hope we’ll be surprised with options, for now puck levels will work for the front as-is with the OEM suspension.

 

[astricklin]

Good points. Although the same could be true for all the different engine sizes or body configuration where spring rates will all be different based on vehicle weight or distribution.

Hope we’ll be surprised with options, for now puck levels will work for the front as-is with the OEM suspension.

When I look at lift kits online, none seem to have separate kits based on engine or body.

 

[johnatuckeriii]

I gotta ask... what's with the Oil Filter and "No Oil"?

 

[BEVolution]

I gotta ask... what's with the Oil Filter and "No Oil"?

Somebody at Ford thought they needed to indicate this on the public chassis demos. Oil filter is for gear oil.

 

[GABAR]

Unless it is super close the the expedition IRS that the same parts will work then I think it is going to be a long time till there's enough of these out on the wild for it to make sense for a company to develop parts. There's millions of each generation f150 on the road and if even 5% of vehicles are fitted that's still 100,000+
Lets say Ford makes 40k lightning in 22 then 80k in 23. Maybe another 80k in 24 before they move to the new platform. Then at 5% that's only 10,000 units. How many people are going to be willing to part with some percentage of range to have a lift kit? Will that be enough to justify developing parts? What premium will they have to charge?

Totally different and 100% new so nothing in common with the Expedition.

 

[jefro]

Looks like a few safety issues there. Hope that gets fixed.

 

[GABAR]

Looks like a few safety issues there. Hope that gets fixed.

Safety issues.

 

[BEVolution]

Safety issues.

Safety issues?

 

[Pedaldude]

I gotta ask... what's with the Oil Filter and "No Oil"?

It's so nobody powers up the transaxle and smokes the gearset, it looks like it's taped onto the main power input terminals; which is exactly where I would put it: because you can never be too careful...ask Alec Baldwin.

Ten dollars says that the oil filter on the transaxle is a concession for dealerships. Does the MME have one there? Judging by the corrosion on the casting, it's possible it's been around a while. So who knows how much, if anything has changed. It might also be there just as a quick way to see how the gearset is holding up to all the weight and torque during testing.

Safety issues?

Only thing I noticed was the brake line running between the spring coils, probably because whatever it's supposed to be secured to is missing along with the rest of the truck.

Otherwise, the rear IRS is textbook semi trailing arm, which isn't the most modern option but a strong proven compromise likely made to keep the truck bed low with the existing frame. The geometry won't be very lift friendly because it travels in more of an arc than multi-link or double a-arm suspension. There also looks like there's lots of angle on the half shafts but there's also a lot of weight missing and it could even be a dummy battery in the frame to make it easier to transport.

My guess is that most people won't be wanting to lift the Lightning once they figure out how much it lowers the range, especially when paired with larger tires.

 

[GABAR]

Safety issues?

I should have used a question mark after my reply but I was asking another poster the same question about said safety issues because he or she posted it first.

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