That Tremor You Just Felt Is Just The New Off-Road Ford Super Duty

It turns out that a surprising number of heavy duty pickup truck buyers spend thousands of additional dollars after they drive off the dealer’s lot to upgrade the off-road capability of their new rides. In an era when overall vehicle sales have plateaued automakers are investing billions on electrification and automation, it would be foolish to leave this money on the table for the aftermarket to scoop up. That’s why Ford is introducing the Tremor package for the 2020 F-250 and F-350.

The average transaction price of new full-size trucks is now in the $50,000 range and loaded high-end models can creep into six-figure territory. Clearly, many truck buyers are not averse to spending large quantities of cash to get machines capable of doing the jobs demanded of them. That includes going beyond just hauling landscaping tools around suburban neighborhoods to tasks like being a mobile blacksmith shop or hauling gear through the woods to a remote cabin.

Ford already offers a factory truck with extreme off-road capability in the F-150 Raptor. But the Raptor is designed more for high-speed desert running. Some buyers need extra traction and ground clearance without giving up the payload or towing capabilities of a class 2 or 3 truck. For them, Ford has created the Tremor package.

The Tremor package will be available as an option on the F-250 or F-350 in XLT, Lariat, King Ranch or Platinum trims with either the 6.7-liter diesel or the new 7.3-liter gasoline V8. With that spread of trim availability, buyers that want off-roading with a more basic set of appointments can get the same capability as those that want a full-on luxury pickup.

The first change is a set of 35-inch all-terrain tires on 18-inch black alloy wheels. Changes to the suspension lift the body a further 30mm at the front and 40mm at the rear. Modern trucks all tend to have fairly deep front air dams to help reduce the airflow underneath for less drag. However, when off-roading those air dams can get caught up on the terrain so Tremor trucks have their air dam trimmed by five-inches.

Running boards can be very helpful for getting in an out of big trucks but like air dams they can get caught on rough terrain. Tremor trucks get running boards that are tucked in tighter to the body for added breakover clearance. They also have openings to allow easy washing after running through the trails. Of course no off-road package would be complete without a set of skid plates to protect the more sensitive hardware.

The suspension gets unique geometry to handle the extra ground clearance and the front axle has a limited slip differential while the rear gets an electronic locking differential. The Tremor gets some electronic upgrades including the trail control system that debuted on the Ranger. This is essentially a more sophisticated adaptive cruise control for low speed operation over rough terrain. The Tremor trucks are also capable of fording through 33-inches of water.

Ford won’t provide pricing or full spec details on Tremor-equipped trucks until later this year, but promises that the towing and payload capabilities will be similar to the standard trucks. The Tremor Off-Road package is a more capable alternative to the existing FX4 package which will remain available.

In an era when automakers are scrambling to add as much margin as possible to high-volume products to help pay for the investments in next-generation technology, the Tremor package is a smart add-on for Ford. Some customers will still want to spec out their own off-road system, but a good chunk will be happy to check the box when ordering and get a factory designed, installed and warrantied setup without any hassle.