Ford devises punishing mud test for Ranger Super Duty
That resulted in the mud-pack test, a challenge developed specifically for the Ranger Super Duty. The goal? To pack on as much performance-sapping mud as possible.
Rob Hugo from Ford Australia explains: 'Mud is one of a truck's greatest enemies.
'It can add significant weight, prevent airflow and act as an insulator, causing components to heat up much quicker.
'It's highly corrosive and can clog up fans and alternators, preventing them from running correctly.'
For workers on remote mine sites or off-road enthusiasts tackling extreme trails, this is an occupational hazard.
So Rob and his team had to replicate and exaggerate the threat.
They developed a specially designed track at Ford's You Yangs Proving Ground. It is a purpose-built mud bath featuring a torturous variety of terrain. That includes deep ruts and bog holes as well as long, open sections of thick, sticky clay.
And a single pass was nothing like enough. They subjected the ute to a multi-day ordeal. The team repeatedly drove the Ranger Super Duty through the muck, intentionally allowing it to build up, layer by layer. Eventually, it carried more than 600 kilogrammes of packed-on mud. That's like having a full-grown steer on the tray.
This suffocating blanket of mud should find the breaking point of every component. It's a test of durability that goes beyond what most owners will ever experience.
'Our mud-pack testing is a key part of our 'Built Ford Tough' validation' Hugo says with a grin.
'So, for the Ranger Super Duty, we knew we had to turn it up to 11. We packed more mud onto this vehicle during development than we ever have before.'
It's a validation that the Ranger Super Duty has been designed, developed, and tested to thrive in the most extreme locations. For the people who need to rely on their truck when the going gets truly tough, this trial by mud is a promise their vehicle is built to endure.
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NZ Autocar
2 days ago
- NZ Autocar
Ford devises punishing mud test for Ranger Super Duty
Engineers validating the Ranger Super Duty had to devise a test that would simulate the type of extreme conditions a customer might face. That resulted in the mud-pack test, a challenge developed specifically for the Ranger Super Duty. The goal? To pack on as much performance-sapping mud as possible. Rob Hugo from Ford Australia explains: 'Mud is one of a truck's greatest enemies. 'It can add significant weight, prevent airflow and act as an insulator, causing components to heat up much quicker. 'It's highly corrosive and can clog up fans and alternators, preventing them from running correctly.' For workers on remote mine sites or off-road enthusiasts tackling extreme trails, this is an occupational hazard. So Rob and his team had to replicate and exaggerate the threat. They developed a specially designed track at Ford's You Yangs Proving Ground. It is a purpose-built mud bath featuring a torturous variety of terrain. That includes deep ruts and bog holes as well as long, open sections of thick, sticky clay. And a single pass was nothing like enough. They subjected the ute to a multi-day ordeal. The team repeatedly drove the Ranger Super Duty through the muck, intentionally allowing it to build up, layer by layer. Eventually, it carried more than 600 kilogrammes of packed-on mud. That's like having a full-grown steer on the tray. This suffocating blanket of mud should find the breaking point of every component. It's a test of durability that goes beyond what most owners will ever experience. 'Our mud-pack testing is a key part of our 'Built Ford Tough' validation' Hugo says with a grin. 'So, for the Ranger Super Duty, we knew we had to turn it up to 11. We packed more mud onto this vehicle during development than we ever have before.' It's a validation that the Ranger Super Duty has been designed, developed, and tested to thrive in the most extreme locations. For the people who need to rely on their truck when the going gets truly tough, this trial by mud is a promise their vehicle is built to endure.
1News
23-07-2025
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Drag racer's parachute may have contributed to fatal crash — coroner
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Parachute may have contributed to fatal drag race crash
A Christchurch drag racer died after losing control at almost 250kmh and crashing into a concrete wall at Ruapuna Raceway, but the car's parachute and harness may have contributed to his death. Licensed drag racer Craig Douglas Smith died after crashing his Ford Cortina race car during a practice run in 2021. In findings released on Wednesday morning, Coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale said the 54-year-old was a highly experienced racer who had been involved in the sport for 28 years. Smith raced a 1967 blue Ford Cortina sedan with a turbocharged 302 Windsor Ford V8 engine, with a three-speed C4 automatic transmission and a Ford nine-inch differential. He loved the vehicle and worked on it with his brother Shane, the coroner's report said. On the day of the crash in October 2021, Smith had lined up at 10.30am for his first run of the day in good weather conditions in light winds with occasional slightly stronger gusts. He was racing alone against monitored speeds, rather than other racers. His brother Shane told the coroner Smith got a good clean and quick start, and crossed the finish line in 9.059 seconds - his best ever time. His previous best over a quarter mile was 9.13 seconds. Smith deployed his parachute cleanly, but within moments the Cortina veered to the left, crossed the grass verge and crashed into a concrete wall barrier. At the time of the crash, the vehicle was doing 249kmh. Smith was found trapped in the driving cabin, still in his racing harness with severe injuries and no pulse. Despite attempts to resuscitate him, he could not be revived. Evidence from the Low Volume Vehicle Technical Association showed the vehicle's parachute was attached lower than usual, but there was not specific requirement for where it should be attached at the time. The positioning of the parachute, combined with cross winds might have contributed to the loss of control, the association said. It also said Smith's crotch strap as part of the five-point racing harness was not routed according the recommendations, but it was within regulations at the time. His seat did not have a slot for the crotch strap to pass through, so he instead routed it across the front of his seat - a use described by the association as potentially unsafe. The association said "numerous crashes with similar or worse severity have occurred in drag racing over many years and it is the firm view of LVVTA that this crash should have been survivable". Coroner Borrowdale said the New Zealand Drag Racing Association had already made several changes, including specifying where parachutes should be positioned and seats that could be used. No autopsy was conducted, at the request of the family, so the coroner could not determine if a medical condition was a factor in the crash, but she thought it was improbable. Motor racing was a dangerous sport, although drag racing in New Zealand did not have a poor record for fatalities, Coroner Borrowdale said. "Mr Smith understood this and accepted the risks that racing involved. It is very sad that in this case the risks manifested as they did and cost Mr Smith his life."
