An F-450 King Ranch Makes a Surprisingly Good Rally Truck

Occasionally, the Team O'Neil Rally School will take a car up its mountain stage to determine whether or not it is capable of serving life as a rally car. Usually, these tests are done with memorable cars rarely used for the purpose like a Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. Friday's video was a little bit different. This time, the school tried to figure out just how competent a 2022 F-450 Super Duty King Ranch is on gravel.

Driver Wyatt Knox found the truck uncomfortable with both axles receiving power, with the front axle hop making the car a challenge. After switching the dually into rear-wheel drive, the truck seemed to come alive. The driver had no further complaints, noting that all the fundamentals of rally driving in a rear-wheel drive car apply despite the enormous size of the truck. Other than the length and size, it simply drove like a car.

So, will the King Ranch rally? Surprisingly, the answer is a decisive yes. The truck was the slowest of 11 vehicles that Team O'Neil has timed in Summer conditions on their 1.25-mile test stage, but the actual performance was impressive for what the truck is. A time 17 seconds slower than a Bronco Raptor makes it far from the ideal Ford truck for the task, but the dually F-450 can certainly handle a rally stage. The rear tires are another story, though, so be prepared to say goodbye to a set before you take your King Ranch out to a your local special stage.

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