Check Out These 39-Inch BF Goodrich Racing Slicks

      Brad DeBerti on Instagram

      The latest car news and reviews, straight to the point.

      Our free daily newsletter brings you the stories that truly matter every weekday.

      Harnessing power is frequently more challenging than generating it. This is particularly true with the Ford F-150 Raptor R, which isn't optimized for peak on-road grip or handling. This often necessitates some inventive approaches, such as requesting a tire manufacturer to produce 39-inch slicks.

      YouTuber Brad DeBerti has pushed his Raptor R to over 1,600 horsepower with twin turbos, which made the truck increasingly less practical to drive. BF Goodrich supplies the original tires for the Raptor—All-Terrain T/A KO2s that are 37 inches in size. While these tires excel off-road, they aren't ideal for transferring power onto the pavement. Since DeBerti intends to spend more time at the drag strip with his Raptor R, he chose a completely different route and asked BF Goodrich to create a set of 39-inch slicks. From the looks of it, BF Goodrich has delivered.

      The massive slicks appear impressive and should enhance the drivability of this extensively modified Raptor R. Unlike the stock all-terrain tires, which feature deep treads for traction on uneven surfaces, the slicks lack tread, maximizing the contact area—a crucial factor for increasing grip. This is why slicks are standard in most forms of pavement racing, especially drag racing. DeBerti also lowered the truck for improved handling on the street, a decision he acknowledges might be contentious among Raptor enthusiasts. However, he's likely unconcerned about the additional discussion that this controversy sparks.

      I LOWERED My Ford Raptor R.. BIG MISTAKE?

      This isn’t the first instance of someone fitting slicks onto an off-road truck. In 2022, an inventive individual did the same with a Ram 1500 TRX, allowing the 702-hp vehicle to achieve a quarter mile in 10.922 seconds at 124 mph, surpassing the factory-estimated top speed by six mph. This shows a significant interest in high-horsepower trucks, even those that never venture off-road. So perhaps automakers should rethink more traditional street trucks like the original Ford F-150 Lightning.

      Have a tip? Send it to: tips@thedrive.com