Raptor Wheels

[Druid]

So I really like the look of the 2012-2014 Ford Raptor V-spoke wheels. Not only do they look good, they have a slightly smaller offset (34mm instead of 44mm) and are 17". This means they push the tire out just slightly, helping with clearance for larger tires but without wild changes to the scrub radius and handling. Tires are also somewhat cheaper. They only downside is that they require slight trimming of the rear axle. This amount is really minor, so I thought it'd be nice to provide a pictorial:

Here's a close-up of the wheel being test-fitted to the rear axle. The wheel fits fine, but the center cap won't quite set.
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This is a picture of the rear hub. The pen is pointing to the axle, indicating where it interferes with the cap and the amount to be removed
View media item 6455

This is all that's actually cut off. I used a Harbor Freight portable bandsaw, but a grinder or even a hacksaw would work just as well.
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And here's a view of the axle after surgery. You can still see a bit of the cavity still remaining.View media item 6451

 

[Druid]

Finally, here's the wheel with the cap in place....
View media item 6453

...and here's a shot on the truck with some new tires. 285/70/17 (33x11.50), no lift, original springs. The truck's a 2007 EL (sitting on a fairly steeply inclined driveway).
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I liked doing it this way much more than the idea of adding a spacer to the wheel, and it's definitely cheaper. Hopefully this will help others who might be contemplating something similar.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

So I really like the look of the 2012-2014 Ford Raptor V-spoke wheels. Not only do they look good, they have a slightly smaller offset (34mm instead of 44mm) and are 17". This means they push the tire out just slightly, helping with clearance for larger tires but without wild changes to the scrub radius and handling. Tires are also somewhat cheaper. They only downside is that they require slight trimming of the rear axle. This amount is really minor, so I thought it'd be nice to provide a pictorial:

Here's a close-up of the wheel being test-fitted to the rear axle. The wheel fits fine, but the center cap won't quite set.
View media item 6452

This is a picture of the rear hub. The pen is pointing to the axle, indicating where it interferes with the cap and the amount to be removed
View media item 6455

This is all that's actually cut off. I used a Harbor Freight portable bandsaw, but a grinder or even a hacksaw would work just as well.
View media item 6454
And here's a view of the axle after surgery. You can still see a bit of the cavity still remaining.View media item 6451

Druid,

If these are your pictures you have to turn on the permission for us to view them. The message says:


Ford Expedition Forum - Error
You do not have permission to view media within this album.

 

[Druid]

Ah, thanks for the heads up. Saw them in my preview and didn't realize. Pictures should be public now and visible. Can anyone verify that?

 

[Adieu]

Center caps are overrated... squirt some paint/dip/bedliner on the visible part so it blends and leave the caps off

 

[JExpedition07]

The SVT wheels look great! Yes they are public now. Those 11-14 Raptors were absolute beasts.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Finally, here's the wheel with the cap in place....
View media item 6453

...and here's a shot on the truck with some new tires. 285/70/17 (33x11.50), no lift, original springs. The truck's a 2007 EL (sitting on a fairly steeply inclined driveway).
View media item 6456

I liked doing it this way much more than the idea of adding a spacer to the wheel, and it's definitely cheaper. Hopefully this will help others who might be contemplating something similar.

That looks great Druid. Are you planning to do a lift of any kind in the future?

 

[Druid]

I'm holding off on suspension mods until I see a need. I'm also trying to be a bit more restrained/realistic with this rig. The tires are Cooper AT3s rather than a mud/hybrid, and not too much bigger than stock. Right now I've seen no hint of rubbing, so any lift would be purely cosmetic.

Drew

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

I'm holding off on suspension mods until I see a need. I'm also trying to be a bit more retrained/realistic with this rig. The tires are Cooper AT3s rather than a mud/hybrid, and not too much bigger than stock. Right now I've seen no hint of rubbing, so any lift would be purely cosmetic.

Drew

Your truck looks really good with those wheels on them. I keep thinking about a lift, mainly for cosmetic reasons and I'd like to sit up a little higher I don't think I would put bigger tires on it. I would just use the stock size and raise it up about 2".

 

[Druid]

Hey Andy,

A small lift might look good here too, but no more than 1-1.5". I'll definitely wait til I change the shocks before thinking about it.

 

[Druid]

Hey Adieu,

I don't think the caps are necessarily overrated. They come with gaskets to keep crud out of the wheel centers. Painting the axle end would mask the color, but you don't want to paint the threaded portion. You also wouldn't want moisture and muck getting in there and causing the axle nut and threads to rust or deteriorate.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Hey Andy,

A small lift might look good here too, but no more than 1-1.5". I'll definitely wait til I change the shocks before thinking about it.

That's a good idea Drew. I don't want to get too crazy because I don't want to put bigger tires but I would like to get a little more ground clearance for when we get deep snows, which isn't too often but when we do, I'm the one who runs my daughters to work so they don't have to drive in that stuff.

Why 1-1/2" as opposed to 2" any particular reason?

 

[Adieu]

Hey Adieu,

I don't think the caps are necessarily overrated. They come with gaskets to keep crud out of the wheel centers. Painting the axle end would mask the color, but you don't want to paint the threaded portion. You also wouldn't want moisture and muck getting in there and causing the axle nut and threads to rust or deteriorate.

If its painted or covered in plastidip/bedliner, it shouldn't rust.... and as to any concerns over removable coatings interfering with the thread - that stuff comes off easy

Btw, your capped-off axle was pretty rusted anyway. And will be ever more susceptible after the cut, unless you treated the newly created surface with something?

 

[Druid]

That's a good idea Drew. I don't want to get too crazy because I don't want to put bigger tires but I would like to get a little more ground clearance for when we get deep snows, which isn't too often but when we do, I'm the one who runs my daughters to work so they don't have to drive in that stuff.

Why 1-1/2" as opposed to 2" any particular reason?

Hey Andy,

I'm just interested in keeping things close to the way they were engineered. I realize that many have put 2/3 lifts with no problems, but I'm more comfortable with it close to stock specs and think it would look good with just an extra 1-1.5" of lift if I decided to go that way.

 

[Druid]

If its painted or covered in plastidip/bedliner, it shouldn't rust.... and as to any concerns over removable coatings interfering with the thread - that stuff comes off easy

Btw, your capped-off axle was pretty rusted anyway. And will be ever more susceptible after the cut, unless you treated the newly created surface with something?

That was 10 years of rust on the tip. The threads were in great shape. A bit of grease on both should keep them both rust-free for some time.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Hey Andy,

I'm just interested in keeping things close to the way they were engineered. I realize that many have put 2/3 lifts with no problems, but I'm more comfortable with it close to stock specs and think it would look good with just an extra 1-1.5" of lift if I decided to go that way.

Okay that's a good point. I don't want to over stress anything either. I don't like how the rear wheel moves closer to the front on the big lifts and I can't see me doing a body lift either.

 

[rjdelp7]

You cut your axles? Oh man! I am pretty sure those holes were for a puller tool to remove hub. A cheap set of wheel spacers, would of worked.

 

[Druid]

Not a fan. If I find I need that divot, it's literally 10 seconds with a drill, esp. since the location is still marked. (For those interested, the hole is ~5/16" at the opening, but tapers down quickly). That said, others feel the same way as you and add spacers. To each their own; I'm just showing anyone interested what's involved.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Not a fan. If I find I need that divet, it's literally 10 seconds with a drill, esp. since the location is still marked. That said, others feel the same way as you and add spacers. To each their own; I'm just showing anyone interested what's involved.

I'd cut the axle and taper the end of the thread. That little bit you cut off isn't going to hurt anything.

 

[FRD88]

Thanks for the post Druid. I am planning the same thing for my 05 Exp. Just waiting on $ for new rubber and glad to know that 285's will fit without a lift. I heard that you can trim the center cap instead of cutting the axle. I haven't decided which way I am going to go but one way or the other I will get the center caps on.