Making power is often easier than making use of it. That’s especially true when you’re working with a Ford F-150 Raptor R, which isn’t designed for maximum on-road traction or handling. That requires some creative solutions, like getting a tire manufacturer to build you 39-inch slicks.
YouTuber Brad DeBerti took his Raptor R to over 1,600 horsepower with twin turbos, at which point the truck became decidedly less drivable. BF Goodrich makes the stock tires for the Raptor—All-Terrain T/A KO2s as big as 37 inches. They’re perfect for off-roading but not for getting power down on pavement. And since DeBerti is looking to spend more time at the drag strip with his Raptor R, he decided to go in the complete opposite direction and asked BF Goodrich if it could make a set of 39-inch slicks. From the looks of it, BF Goodrich delivered.
The enormous slicks look sick, and should help improve the drivability of this highly modified Raptor R. Where the stock all-terrain tires have deep treads to claw at uneven surfaces, the slicks have none. That provides the largest possible contact patch, which is key for maximizing grip. That’s why slicks are the default for most forms of racing done on pavement—especially drag racing. DeBerti also lowered the truck to make it easier to drive on pavement, a move that he’s quick to note may be controversial among Raptor fans. But he’s probably not losing sleep over the extra engagement that controversy generates.
I LOWERED My Ford Raptor R.. BIG MISTAKE?
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen someone put slicks on an off-road pickup. In 2022 some genius did the same thing with a Ram 1500 TRX, enabling the 702-hp truck to run a 10.922-second quarter mile at 124 mph, exceeding the factory-quoted top speed by six mph. It shows that there’s plenty of appetite for high-horsepower trucks, even if they don’t ever see dirt. So maybe automakers should consider more traditional street trucks like the original Ford F-150 Lightning.
Got a tip? Send it in: tips@thedrive.com