Engineered for purpose
When it came to operating the Sliding Load Rack, the team wanted it to be something one person could position easily and quickly and that, once deployed, in one of the five defined locking points would be rock solid.
Unlocking the Sliding Load Rack on one side automatically releases it on the other side, allowing the hoop to slide easily in the rails. A system of four roller bearings angled at a precise 37-degrees, retractable stabilisers and locks ensure easy movement when unlocked but prevent the Sliding Load Rack from moving when locked in position.
Because the cabin and load box of a pickup move independently of one another, the team engineered the Sliding Load Rack with a degree of compliance which means the 80-kilogram dynamic load limit applies on and off-road, while the static capacity is rated at up to 250-kilograms.
Torture tested
It was important that as well as being easy to use and looking good, the FRS was robust. This meant torture testing it like we did with Ranger, said Tribhuvan.
The team developed an 80-kilogram platform that could be adjusted to different lengths to match the five different lockable positions along the load box and then subjected the FRS to many of the same durability tests as Ranger itself.
“Part of our durability test involves our infamous Silver Creek Road test track which is so torturous we use autonomous driving robots to complete this phase of the testing. The FRS was tested at full load and completed 77 runs on the track, passing with flying colours. It completed 400 runs with no load,” said Tribhuvan.
Fragile loads were also secured to the Sliding Load Rack. The vehicle and ‘fragile load’ were then repeatedly run across smooth and uneven surfaces, twist ditch and gutters to ensure the system worked with a variety of solid and delicate loads.
The Sliding Load Rack not only had to be strong, but it also had to handle everything the outdoors could throw at it. “We tested the system with bulldust, red dirt, salt and water, to replicate the sort of real-world grit and muck owners will encounter,” said Tribhuvan.
Once covered in filth, the Sliding Load Rack was cycled more than 3500 times to replicate approximately 10 years of use. Cleaning of the system is made easy with drainage holes in the track which allow owners to simply wash the channel with a garden hose.
The Ford-exclusive Flexible Rack System will make its market debut on select Ranger models in 2023.