2011 Ford Raptor - Performance Bolt-ons

2011 Ford Raptor Rapid Raptor Front Angle Motion

1. Step 1 in the project was establishing the performance baseline. On Livernois Motorsports’ DynoJet chassis dyno, the stock, 6.2L-powered 2011 Raptor project truck made 323 horsepower and 343 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels.

1. Step 1 in the project was establishing the performance baseline. On Livernois Motorspor

From its wide stance and flared bodywork, to its incredible off-road capability, the Ford Raptor is seriously imposing. There’s simply nothing like it on the market, which is why the United States Border Patrol has pressed a fleet of them into service along the Mexican border.

But there’s another imposing attribute about the Raptor: its curb weight. Tipping the scales at a none-too-svelte 6,200 pounds in SuperCrew trim, it’s more than three tons of driving fun. The first examples off the assembly line were equipped with the 320 horsepower 5.4L engine, which was barely adequate when it came to turning the truck’s 35-inch-tall tires with authority. Ford rectified the situation by offering the 6.2L V-8 in 2010 as an option, which brought the output level up to 411 horsepower. More significantly, the torque rating also increased, from the 5.4’s 390 lb-ft to 434 lb-ft. Thankfully, the 6.2L became the standard Raptor engine in 2011.

2011 Ford Raptor Rapid Raptor Corsa Exhaust System

2. The first upgrade to be installed is the Corsa exhaust system. We’ve been a fan of their quality and performance for a number of years. Rather than flow-reducing bends in the exhaust path to reduce sound levels, the Corsa muffler has a straight-path design, with a series of carefully sized and located channels on both sides of the flow tube. An air gap at the front of flow tube allows targeted waves to enter the channels, which are then reflected back to the gap 180 degrees out of phase, effectively canceling noise. More importantly, the design cancels the “drone” that can make many aftermarket exhausts unpleasant on the highway.

2. The first upgrade to be installed is the Corsa exhaust system. We’ve been a fan of thei

The 6.2L unquestionably improved the Raptor’s feeling of performance behind the wheel, but it still didn’t set the asphalt alight. To see if we could make the Raptor a little more rapid, we dropped off this new Raptor SuperCrew at Dearborn Heights-based Livernois Motorsports (livernoismotorsports.com). To keep things simple and relatively affordable, a regiment of bolt-ons and a power tune was prescribed, including a new Corsa stainless after-cat exhaust system and an Airaid cold-air induction system. A custom, premium-gas tune was also added via an SCT handheld tuner, which made the most of the newly installed parts and then some.

The installation basics of the new parts are outlined in the accompanying photos, but we’ll cut to the chase and tell you the Corsa exhaust alone added 10 rear-wheel horsepower and 8 lb-ft of torque, for a mid-project total of 333 rwhp and 351 rwtq. The next testing was performed with the Airaid intake installed and Livernois’ new tune, a combination that built on the exhaust system’s gains to bring the final results to 343 rear-wheel horsepower and 369 rear-wheel torque. That’s 20 horsepower and 26 lb-ft more than stock.

It’s important to note that the intake system alone would not likely have contributed more than a few real-world horsepower, because the inlet tube is designed to maintain the approximate stock diameter in front of the mass airflow meter. That allows it to be installed without tuning. By cutting out the inner section of the tube, the intake diameter opens up significantly. Livernois Motorsports did this because they knew the Raptor would receive a new tune as part of the project. Props to Airaid for obviously designing their intake so that it could be modified.

2011 Ford Raptor Rapid Raptor Stock Exhaust Removal

3. Of course, before the Corsa system can be installed, the stock system must be removed. That starts with removing the hangers holding on the factory “cat-back” portion of the system. Next, the section muffler and tailpipes were unbolted from the forward section of the stock exhaust system. Here’s where a lift and an extra pair of hands came in handy. The muffler and tailpipes comprise one, long assembly. Sure, the tailpipes could be cut to make removal over the axletubes less of a hassle, but with a little elbow grease and the help of a buddy, the system was pretty easy to remove intact.

3. Of course, before the Corsa system can be installed, the stock system must be removed.

The chassis dyno results represent about 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent increases in rear-wheel horsepower and torque, respectively, which brings us to the other bottom line of the story: The cost. Those extra horses and pound-feet cost $2,050 at Livernois Motorsports, including the pricing for the parts (and the SCT tuner), custom tuning, and installation. That’s not exactly cheap, but it’s definitely in line with the going rate for such upgrades and tuning these days. The freer-flowing intake and exhaust systems will also support greater gains if he decides to take our truck’s performance to an even higher level, such as with new camshafts or a power adder.

Right now, however, we’ve got a righteously rapid Raptor.

4. Laid side-by-side, the all-stainless Corsa system is compared with the stock exhaust. Note that the Corsa system uses a single, 3-inch outlet versus the factory system’s pair of smaller-diameter tailpipes. The Corsa muffler is also about 3 inches shorter than the stock muffler and, overall, weighs a few pounds less.
4. Laid side-by-side, the all-stainless Corsa system is compared with the stock exhaust. N
5. While the factory system was removed as a single component, the Corsa system bolts on with four pieces. Here, the muffler and flow tube to the resonator are slipped in place. They are only lightly tightened down at this point. Final tightening takes place after the entire system is installed and the tip located correctly. After the muffler and its flow tube are in place, the tailpipe extension and exhaust tip are installed.
5. While the factory system was removed as a single component, the Corsa system bolts on w
6. Now, with all of the parts in place and the tip positioned correctly, the clamps are fully tightened. And yes, the system can also be welded, but that was not done on this project.
6. Now, with all of the parts in place and the tip positioned correctly, the clamps are fu

7. Next up is the Airaid cold-air induction system, which like the exhaust system, represents about the most basic in bolt-on installation difficulty. On the tally of the projects $2,050 cost, it represents about $300 of it.
7. Next up is the Airaid cold-air induction system, which like the exhaust system, represe
8. To prevent the need for tuning with an out-of-the box installation, the Airaid intake’s edge features a plenum that keeps it the same size ahead of the mass airflow sensor position (arrow). The intake opens up after the sensor, but the design minimizes the potential effect of the system, unless custom tuning is to be employed.
8. To prevent the need for tuning with an out-of-the box installation, the Airaid intake’s
9. Livernois Motorsports cut out the inner section of the intake, knowing they were going to custom-tune the engine. The stock-diameter insert (right) is clearly smaller than the overall diameter of the Airaid intake tube, which opens the 6.2L engine up to a larger gulp of fresh air.
9. Livernois Motorsports cut out the inner section of the intake, knowing they were going

10. The box section for the intake system was installed next. After the stock air cleaner lid and intake tube are removed, it simply replaces the factory air filter lid. The stock air cleaner base is left unchanged. After that, it’s a simple matter of slipping on the Airaid tube and the reusable, high-flow air filter. You don’t need an engineering degree to do this swap. The most crucial part of the intake installation is the replacement of the mass airflow sensor. It is simply removed from the stock intake and swapped into the Airaid tube.
10. The box section for the intake system was installed next. After the stock air cleaner
11. Livernois’ Dan Millen uploaded the custom tune for the Raptor, which will demand premium fuel. The tuning is a must, too, with the modified Airaid intake.
11. Livernois’ Dan Millen uploaded the custom tune for the Raptor, which will demand premi
12. When the dust cleared and the DynoJet rollers stopped spinning, the Raptor project vehicle put down 343 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. That’s 20 horsepower and 26 lb-ft more than its baseline numbers, respectively.
12. When the dust cleared and the DynoJet rollers stopped spinning, the Raptor project veh