2022 F-150 Lightning EV Lift Kit?

[F150ROD]

Well looks like Ford answered these questions for us

Ford Says Raptor Wheels Won't Work On F-150 Lightning

At the 2021 Chicago Auto Show, Carbuzz had a chance to get up close and personal with the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning. The truck looks pretty familiar in person, seeing as the electric model uses the same cab as the standard F-150. Aside from some futuristic lights and a few other details, the Lightning's design has been made pretty simple to help keep the price low. We thought sharing so much in common with the standard F-150 would make it easy for owners to customize the Lightning, but this may not be the case.

Speaking with F-150 Lightning Marketing Manager Jasen Turnbull, we learned the Lightning won't share a few important components with its gas-powered sibling. Truck owners tend to swap their stock wheels for aftermarket ones, and we're sure plenty of owners will want to put their Lightning on Raptor wheels; sadly, this isn't possible.

"The [Lightning's] wheels are specific to handle the weight load," Turnbull explained. "We are not sharing wheels with the [gas-powered] F-150." Likewise, truck owners may have to wait before raising the ride height on their Lightning. "A lift kit will decrease range, and we are still learning what can be done to lift it," he added. Turnbull says Ford is currently evaluating parts and accessories to determine recommendations for the aftermarket.

The Lightning is the first F-150 to include an independent rear suspension to accommodate the rear electric motor, which means a lift kit designed for a standard model won't work. This might anger some diehard truck buyers who can't spend a single day at the stock ride height, but it's good news for everyone else. With the new suspension, Turnbull says the Lightning "handles like no other F-150."

Though the Lightning will require different wheels and suspension than a standard F-150, many other parts will be interchangeable. "Lightning has the same bed as the gas model, so the accessories will carry over," Turnbull confirmed. Standard F-150 items such as the tonneau cover, bed liners, organizers, rails, toolboxes, and more will all fit the Lightning. We can't wait to see what the aftermarket has in store for the F-150 Lightning when it arrives next year.

https://carbuzz.com/news/ford-says-raptor-wheels-wont-work-on-f-150-lightning

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[Snappy22]

Well looks like Ford answered these questions for us

Ford Says Raptor Wheels Won't Work On F-150 Lightning

At the 2021 Chicago Auto Show, Carbuzz had a chance to get up close and personal with the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning. The truck looks pretty familiar in person, seeing as the electric model uses the same cab as the standard F-150. Aside from some futuristic lights and a few other details, the Lightning's design has been made pretty simple to help keep the price low. We thought sharing so much in common with the standard F-150 would make it easy for owners to customize the Lightning, but this may not be the case.

Speaking with F-150 Lightning Marketing Manager Jasen Turnbull, we learned the Lightning won't share a few important components with its gas-powered sibling. Truck owners tend to swap their stock wheels for aftermarket ones, and we're sure plenty of owners will want to put their Lightning on Raptor wheels; sadly, this isn't possible.

"The [Lightning's] wheels are specific to handle the weight load," Turnbull explained. "We are not sharing wheels with the [gas-powered] F-150." Likewise, truck owners may have to wait before raising the ride height on their Lightning. "A lift kit will decrease range, and we are still learning what can be done to lift it," he added. Turnbull says Ford is currently evaluating parts and accessories to determine recommendations for the aftermarket.

The Lightning is the first F-150 to include an independent rear suspension to accommodate the rear electric motor, which means a lift kit designed for a standard model won't work. This might anger some diehard truck buyers who can't spend a single day at the stock ride height, but it's good news for everyone else. With the new suspension, Turnbull says the Lightning "handles like no other F-150."

Though the Lightning will require different wheels and suspension than a standard F-150, many other parts will be interchangeable. "Lightning has the same bed as the gas model, so the accessories will carry over," Turnbull confirmed. Standard F-150 items such as the tonneau cover, bed liners, organizers, rails, toolboxes, and more will all fit the Lightning. We can't wait to see what the aftermarket has in store for the F-150 Lightning when it arrives next year.

https://carbuzz.com/news/ford-says-raptor-wheels-wont-work-on-f-150-lightning

This article doesn’t make sense. The quote from Ford isn’t that they don’t fit and can’t function, it’s that Ford won’t provide from the factory the same wheels as ICE truck. At least it does portray that Ford is trying to understand the ramifications of lifting an IFS EV truck.
I’d like to go the other way. To level the truck downward (less frontal area and street truck look), would I replace the springs and shocks? Does a change like this affect warranty (when done to newly purchased ICE vehicles)?

 

[F150ROD]

This article doesn’t make sense. The quote from Ford isn’t that they don’t fit and can’t function, it’s that Ford won’t provide from the factory the same wheels as ICE truck. At least it does portray that Ford is trying to understand the ramifications of lifting an IFS EV truck.
I’d like to go the other way. To level the truck downward (less frontal area and street truck look), would I replace the springs and shocks? Does a change like this affect warranty (when done to newly purchased ICE vehicles)?

The answer will be that you can lower and lift the Lightning with loss of range/clearance and all other legal talk. You can lift or lower a Model 3 or Y so this shouldn't be any different. I think its a matter of the aftermarket jumping in on this which I expect to happen.

 

[BennyTheBeaver]

Wouldn't lowering the truck also slightly (very very slightly) increase range, and also increase acceleration?

 

[Blainestang]

This article doesn’t make sense. The quote from Ford isn’t that they don’t fit and can’t function, it’s that Ford won’t provide from the factory the same wheels as ICE truck. At least it does portray that Ford is trying to understand the ramifications of lifting an IFS EV truck.
I’d like to go the other way. To level the truck downward (less frontal area and street truck look), would I replace the springs and shocks? Does a change like this affect warranty (when done to newly purchased ICE vehicles)?

Yeah, the aftermarket will definitely offer lifts and lower kits for the Lighting... we just won't be able to use the same ones as the gas versions - which isn't a surprise since it's a different rear suspension (and heavier, so it would probably have to be adjusted anyway).

I'm definitely thinking of doing a slight lowering/leveling kit for a more "classic" Lightning street-truck look. You can probably just do shorter springs like most cars can IF it's a really mild drop. But a spring/shock combo is more ideal.

As far as warranty, legally, they can only refuse warranty work on issues *directly* caused by the modifications. So, they might push back if you have CV joints at different-than-normal angles or whatever, but they'd be hard-pressed to push back on drivetrain/interior/exterior warranty issues. Well, they might TRY depending on how sketchy they are, but legally, they can't (Magnusson Moss Warranty Act), so you'd have push back, too.

 

[Blainestang]

Wouldn't lowering the truck also slightly (very very slightly) increase range, and also increase acceleration?

Yeah, technically, you'd have lower frontal area because you'd have the same cross-sectional area of body, but less wheel/tire because more of it is blocked by the body.

 

[sotek2345]

Yeah, technically, you'd have lower frontal area because you'd have the same cross-sectional area of body, but less wheel/tire because more of it is blocked by the body.

The effect is larger than just the loss of tire area. You don't have perfectly smooth flow below the truck, so you are still pushing air along in that region (though not as much as with an ICE F150 due to being much smoother). I did some rough math and I think you get somewhere between 2 to 5 miles of range for each inch of drop at highway speeds (lower speed impact is negligible).

 

[Blainestang]

The effect is larger than just the loss of tire area. You don't have perfectly smooth flow below the truck, so you are still pushing air along in that region (though not as much as with an ICE F150 due to being much smoother). I did some rough math and I think you get somewhere between 2 to 5 miles of range for each inch of drop at highway speeds (lower speed impact is negligible).

So, you think the Cd improves, also?

I didn't want to guess on that, but frontal area is a bit more straightforward.

 

[sotek2345]

So, you think the Cd improves, also?

I didn't want to guess on that, but frontal area is a bit more straightforward.

You can either model it as the area below the truck counts as frontal area, or you get a better Cd (Cd is a very very complex term). There is a reason why air dams are added to trucks to improve drag when they add to the area that "hits the air"

 

[EaglesPDX]

I was planning on lowering it to get better range but now I'm planning on a solar powered short bed camper and towing the boat.

 

[Snappy22]

Yeah, the aftermarket will definitely offer lifts and lower kits for the Lighting... we just won't be able to use the same ones as the gas versions - which isn't a surprise since it's a different rear suspension (and heavier, so it would probably have to be adjusted anyway).

I'm definitely thinking of doing a slight lowering/leveling kit for a more "classic" Lightning street-truck look. You can probably just do shorter springs like most cars can IF it's a really mild drop. But a spring/shock combo is more ideal.

As far as warranty, legally, they can only refuse warranty work on issues *directly* caused by the modifications. So, they might push back if you have CV joints at different-than-normal angles or whatever, but they'd be hard-pressed to push back on drivetrain/interior/exterior warranty issues. Well, they might TRY depending on how sketchy they are, but legally, they can't (Magnusson Moss Warranty Act), so you'd have push back, too.

thanks! Exactly my angle. Plus a 1990’s SVT badge for fun ??

 

[Blainestang]

thanks! Exactly my angle. Plus a 1990’s SVT badge for fun ??

Ha, nice. It would be interesting to see if anyone notices it and comments on it.

I kinda want to go the other way and totally debadge mine for the sleeper effect.

 

[MattLikesBikes]

Hopefully all the effort going into smart cargo means they can finally build a truck that doesn't need a leveling kit for the 90% of the time I don't have 1000lbs in the bed. The front suspension looks pretty standard, just beefy, so hopefully a leveling option will come out quick.

 

[davidf01]

Is there an option to just lift the front end?

 

[F150LER]

Guessing airbag options will be popular like the rivian. Low ride for highway, high ride prob any other time.

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