How Much Weight Can a Ford Raptor Hold in The Bed?

Ever eyed the robust Ford Raptor and wondered just how much weight its bed can handle? Discover the surprising answer and why it matters for both casual users and hardcore truck enthusiasts. Dive in now.

How Much Weight Can a Ford Raptor Hold in The Bed? 

The Ford Raptor has a payload capacity of 1,200 pounds. To calculate the truck bed capacity, you need to subtract the weight of passengers in the cabin and any cargo you may have in the cabin. If you subtract the weight of the cabin cargo and passengers, your Raptor will carry about 800 pounds in its bed. 

Although the Raptor looks like a work truck that should haul at least 2,000 pounds, Ford concentrated on making the Raptor an off-road vehicle and giving it a host of comfort features that other trims and other truck brands do not offer. 

How Does Driving a Ford Raptor Feel Like? 

If you have driven any Ford F-150, then driving the Ford Raptor will feel familiar. 

The layout of features on the dashboard, including the infotainment features and the Bang and Olufsen sound system, look similar to what Ford offers in the F-150 Lariat. 

However, the Raptor has a host of tweaks that make it better to drive off the road. 

Raptor features adaptive Fox shocks that give you a smooth ride when you drive beyond the pavement. 

You will feel more comfortable when you drive over rugged terrain.

The advanced suspension system of the Raptor further allows it to offer a smoother ride. 

Whether you are the driver or the passenger in the Raptor, you will enjoy the upgraded Recaro seats. 

The Alcantara and leather seats are highly supportive and are bolstered to keep you comfortable during long drives. 

Such seats need to be offered as an option on other non-Raptor trims. 

The Raptor will feel comfortable if you are hauling or towing heavy loads. 

One of the main disadvantages of hailing with a Raptor is low fuel economy. The bulk off-road features of the Raptor means it is heavier and will burn more fuel. 

The 2019 Ford Raptor has an EPA fuel economy of 15 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. 

You may also feel like handling the Raptor in the city is more challenging than driving any other Ford F-150. 

Although the Raptor uses the same can as any other Super Crew F-150, the wheels track width increases by about six inches and the fender flares are also large. 

Parallel parking in the city will be challenging, especially if you have never driven a big truck like a Raptor. 

How Much Can I Tow with the Ford Raptor? 

Ford designed the Raptor for off-road driving first before engineering it as a work truck. 

As such, you may be hesitant to attach a trailer behind its back. 

The soft springs and the Fox shocks make the truck more luxurious when driving off the road, but they do not help much when towing. 

The Raptor can tow up to 8,000 pounds if you use a distribution hitch. Without the hitch, you can only tow 5,000 pounds. 

The Raptor pulls a trailer with ease. 

You may need to lower the hitch ball to alleviate any sagging on the rear end. According to Ford, the shocks retain their normal stiffness when you are towing or hauling cargo. 

Even at highway speeds, you will find the Raptor easy to handle when pulling or hauling a load. 

If you tow and haul frequently, you may need to add aftermarket airbags to eliminate the squat and ride smoothly. 

Learn more about Towing with a Ford Raptor in our full towing article.

Can You Drive the Raptor Off-Road while Loaded? 

The Raptor was engineered to drive off beaten paths. 

It offers several drive modes that you can switch between, allowing you to drive on rugged terrain. 

Some sensors detect when the Raptor is airborne and adaptive shocks that automatically set themselves to hold the vehicle when it comes down. 

Even when on the most rugged paths, the truck does not buck or bounce and the passengers remain comfortable. 

The Raptor is a well-rounded truck. It will do everything a truck does with great ease.

It feels more comfortable than a regular F-150 and handles off-road driving better. 

If you need to haul and tow more, a regular F-150 will do more.

Again, if you drive more along the streets in the city, a regular F-150 will be better. 

If you want a truck that takes you anywhere and can carry enough cargo for a weekend getaway, you should go for a Raptor. 

Start Hauling with a Ford Raptor

Calculating the maximum bed capacity is the first step to carrying cargo on the truck bed.

The truck bed dimension, the engine, and many other factors determine how much you can bring on your truck bed. 

Check the payload capacity of your truck from the user manual. It should be about 1,200 for the Ford Raptor. 

Besides that, you need to calculate the weight of the passengers in the cabin and any cargo you may want to bring inside the cabin. 

Subtract the weight in the cabin from the payload capacity, and you know how much you should bring in your truck bed. 

The next item you need to do is get the needed accessories. You should buy accessories based on what you want to carry on the bed. 

Some of the accessories you need include dividers, cleats, extenders, hooks, mats, racks, net, rail, ramp, slide, or any other that meets your needs. 

These accessories help you secure your cargo in the bed and also distribute the cargo evenly. 

Ford offers a few accessories and features, such as bed lights, but you may have to buy more accessories. Note that heavy accessories will further lower your payload capacity. 

Ensure the weight is well distributed so that the truck doesn’t sag at the rear or front part. 

Accessories, such as bed organizers, can help you distribute your cargo as it should. 

What Determines How Much Cargo Your Raptor Can Carry? 

If you want to increase the payload capacity of your Raptor, bring fewer passengers and do not carry unnecessary cargo and gear in the cabin. 

Further, you need to use accessories, such as truck bed extenders. 

These accessories will allow you to bring more cargo and distribute it well. 

Upgrading the suspension system and the rear springs may also help to ensure your truck is ready for more cargo.

If you want to bring more than the truck bed can hold, you can attach a trailer to the Raptor. A trailer allows you to bring up to 8,000 pounds. 

Ideally, you cannot bring that much as you have to subtract the weight of the passengers and any load in the cabin. 

However, you should be able to tow at least 6,500 pounds with ease. 

What is in a Ford Raptor? 

The Ford Raptor has a host of standard features that make it the beast it is. Under the hood, the Raptor features a twin-turbocharged 3.5L V6 that generates 450 horses and 510-pound-feet of torque. 

This engine mates to a 10-speed automatic transmission and a four-wheel-drive system. 

Ford offers a standard terrain management system and a new G.O.A.T terrain management system that debuted in the Ford Bronco. 

You will feel that the truck is easier to drive on and off the road. 

Inside, the Raptor offers Max Recline seats that fold flat to enable you to sleep in the truck. It offers an eight-inch touchscreen with Ford’s SYNC 4 infotainment system. 

Other standard features include Apple CarPlay, Android Auto smartphone integration, and WiFi hotspot. 

Its 5.5-foot truck bed sports a multifunctional tailgate and an onboard power system.

The Raptor offers large 17-inch wheels and large off-road tires so that you can handle rugged terrain better. 

There is a lot to love with the Ford Raptor, whether you need comfort while driving on or off the road, or you need a truck that hauls and tows cargo. 

Closing Thoughts

If you plan to haul more than 1,000 pounds in your truck, the Raptor may not be the truck you need. 

It is rated to carry 1,200 pounds in its bed and in the cabin. This means that you may only carry 800 pounds or even less if you have many passengers in your Raptor.

Nevertheless, Ford still offers you advanced features to haul cargo better. You also get a comfortable cabin, a better braking system, and advanced tech features for better driving. 

The truck will keep you comfortable if you want to haul or tow cargo for long distances. 

The truck bed dimension and the truck’s payload capacity may not be what you get with a Lariat or a Limited, but you get an off-road beast. It is a multifaceted truck for daily driving or occasional off-road trips.