In the Deep End with Ranger Super Duty
MELBOURNE, Australia, September 4, 2025 – What happens when you need to go from A to B, and B is on the other side of a river?
This question was on the minds of Ford’s engineering team during the early days of Ranger Super Duty’s development. The result of hundreds of interviews with those doing the tough jobs in extreme locations, the aim was to build a heavy-duty truck, building on Ranger’s capability. Water wading was one of those capabilities.
Drew O’Shannassy, Ranger Super Duty program engineer at Ford Australia, remembers the question clearly: "We had to prove this truck could go to the next level of capability and decided to target 850 millimetres, it had to be about more than just what looked good as a concept sketch."
The team's first stop? A somewhat unassuming corner of Ford's You Yangs Proving Ground near Geelong, where engineers had constructed a rectangular concrete basin, 50 metres long, that can go from bone dry to more than a metre deep in minutes – the perfect controlled environment for systematic testing rain, hail or shine.
O’Shannassy knew they couldn't just drive trucks through deep water and call it validated. "We started shallow – 50 millimetres – because each depth tells a different engineering story," he explained.
Shallow crossings at higher speeds test everything under the car – from the alternator, to belts, turbo housings and exhaust – forcing engineers to look at ways to prevent water smashing its way past the wheelarch liners. Deeper crossings at controlled speeds test intake sealing and overall water intrusion protection. Each scenario replicates real-world challenges customers encounter.
"With significant force acting on the front of the vehicle during deep water wading, every seal must perform flawlessly so that not a drop of water gets where it shouldn't," O’Shannassy said. "Our controlled water bath allows us to repeat our tests for accurate validation, but the real proof comes when conditions become unpredictable."
That's precisely why the team doesn’t stop at laboratory validation.
Watch the video: https://youtu.be/lQpcC1Q_I5M
Taking It to the Rivers
Months after their controlled testing program, ’Shannassy and his team drove their pre-production Ranger Super Duty to Victoria's High Country. Their destination: the Crooked River Track near Dargo – 27 consecutive river crossings to validate their ‘lab’ findings.
Unlike the predictable water bath back at You Yangs, Crooked River throws curveballs. Water levels fluctuate with rainfall. Flow rates are different from crossing to crossing. Bottom conditions shift from rocky to muddy to sandy, sometimes within a single crossing. Perfect conditions for proving whether lab results translate into customer confidence.
"The first crossing always gets your heart pumping," Vehicle integration engineer, Ranger Super Duty, Tim Postgate recalled. "You've done all the maths, run all the controlled tests, but there's something about watching the nose of the truck disappear into rushing water that makes engineering very real."
Crossing after crossing, the Ranger Super Duty proved its 850-millimetre1 capability – a depth that sits roughly halfway between the top of the tyre and the bottom of the wheel arch –50 millimetres more than the standard Ranger. Critical system breathers for transmission, transfer case, differentials, fuel and AdBlue tanks all sit safely above the 850-millimetre1 mark.
The Safari Snorkel
Early in the development of Ranger Super Duty, the team recognised an opportunity to enhance the truck’s capability out of the box. That's when Ford reached out to Safari, the off-road specialists, with an intriguing proposition: develop an integrated snorkel system that wouldn't compromise the Ranger Super Duty's design integrity.
"We wanted something that looked like it belonged there from day one,” said Max Tran, chief designer, Ranger Super Duty at Ford Australia.
The collaboration proved more complex than anticipated. Safari's engineering team and Ford Design worked together to balance airflow optimisation with Ford's aesthetic requirements while ensuring seamless integration with existing manufacturing processes.
"Our collaboration with Safari created something we’re all very proud of – a snorkel that maintains peak engine performance while integrating seamlessly with Ranger Super Duty's design language," Tran explained. "This represents purposeful engineering that looks as capable as it performs."
Final Validation
After months of development, testing, and refinement, the team returned to Crooked River for final validation runs. The truck that emerged from those 27 river crossings wasn't just transportation – it was a testament to what happens when engineering meets real-world validation.
"For customers who need to get from A to B, even when B is on the other side of the river, Ranger Super Duty's snorkel and 850-millimetre1 wading capability aren’t for show," Vehicle integration engineer, Ranger Super Duty, Tim Postgate reflected, watching muddy water drain from the truck's undercarriage. "They’re peace of mind for the unexpected realities of nature.”
What started as a simple question about how deep would be deep enough evolved into a comprehensive validation program that proved the Ranger Super Duty could handle whatever Australian rivers could throw at it. The real test isn’t just surviving the water – it is earning the confidence of customers who depend on their trucks when the going gets toughest.
Disclaimers
1 Maximum water wading 850mm maintaining steady speed of 7km/h or less. Always consult the Owner's Manual before off-road driving, know your terrain and trail difficulty, and use appropriate safety gear. Do not attempt a water crossing if you are unsure of the water depth.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company offers freedom of choice through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough electric vehicles along with embedded software that defines always-on digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 171,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com
