I have a confession. I bought a 2021 Ford F250 Super Duty with the offroad Tremor package knowing full well that I would be replacing the factory suspension with a Carli Pintop kit, Method wheels and larger tires. So, why would I spend the extra money on a Tremor package? This is a question I have been asked time and time again, and keyboard warriors have even taken jabs at me for making such a decision. Some people’s kids, amiright? At any rate, there is a method to my madness and I thought I’d share that with the internet.
The Tremor package on a 2022 Super Duty will run you $3,975. I don’t remember what the factory price was on a 2021 but likely similar and I didn’t pay full price for it anyway. So, let’s assume that with a small discount I paid $3,800 for that package. Since it seems that a lot of people don’t actually know what that money buys you, let’s cover it in detail. It’s a whole lot more than some bigger shocks and tires, which is a common misconception.
WHAT DO YOU GET WITH A FORD F250/350 SUPER DUTY TREMOR PACKAGE?
The Tremor package includes quite a few items and below I’ll outline every one of them, and if it isn’t already obvious why it’s an important upgrade I’ll explain that, too. Later in the post I’ll discuss why certain features were important to me and provide my impression of them now that we’ve got 20,000 miles and a whole lotta’ dirt road driving on the truck.
“Performance” Front and Rear Shock Absorbers, 1.7” diameter w/ front springs that provide a 2” lift - there isn’t a whole lot I’d consider “performance” about them. They are a little bigger and hold more oil than non-Tremor models and they’re tuned to provide a softer ride at slow speeds while taking bigger hits in stride but there’s nothing truly special about them.
18” Low gloss painted wheels
35” Good Year Wrangler Duratrac tires (actual size = 285/75/18)
Skid plates - protection for transfer case & fuel tank
Electronic locking rear differential
Limited slip front differential - improves offroad traction in slippery environments
4.30 final drive ratio (7.3L V8 engine, which is what I have) - Read these two articles to better understand axle ratio and why it is important: Autolist and 4Wheel Parts)
Shorter air dam - improves approach angle and looks better
Extended axle vent tubes - improves water fording capability to 33”(!)
Off-road running boards - textured, matte black, and tuck up close to the body to improve ground clearance/breakover angle and, in my opinion, aesthetics
Retuned rear stabilizer bar, lower spring rate - improves offroad ride quality
Rock Crawl Mode - several electronic driving modes that retune transmission, throttle response and traction control for various offroad conditions. Rock Crawl Mode is exclusive to the Tremor package.
Trail Control Mode - offroad cruise control
Lane Keeping Alert
Most important of all, the “Tremor” sticker on the bed - instantly makes you cooler than everybody else
WHY DID I BUY THE TREMOR?
1) I knew we would be using the truck for a few months before the Carli suspension and 37” tires would be delivered and installed, and we would need the enhanced offroad performance that the Tremor package offers.
2) Some of the significant upgrades in the Tremor package can not be optioned any other way. These options include Trail Control, Rock Crawl mode, offroad side steps, limited slip front differential, shorter air dam, extended axle tubes and the retuned rear stabilizer bar. Oh yeah, and the “Tremor” sticker. ;-) All of these options (except the sticker) were important to me, as you’ll read below.
3) According to my research, I should be able to sell the take-off wheels and tires for around $250 each, or $1,250 for all five. If so, that brings the total cost of the Tremor package down to $2,550. Pretty sweet deal considering all of the goodies you get for that price.
WHAT’S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT ALL THOSE OTHER TREMOR OPTIONS?
Trail Control - In my opinion, this feature alone is almost worth the cost of the Tremor package. Think of it as an advanced version of Hill Descent Control, except that it also works when traveling uphill. Even in 4 low and first gear, the truck doesn’t move slow enough on steep, nasty descents. Switching on Trail Control allows me to set a speed and the truck maintains that speed with very little variation and absolutely no driver input. I’ve used it going up and down hills and it’s truly impressive. Yeah, I know, purists will whine about electronic nannies and drivers with no skill but as one who has been driving offroad for almost thirty years, and who started in a 1988 Suzuki Samurai, I’ve come to appreciate a little electronic assistance.
Rock Crawl Mode - I’ve used it and it works. There isn’t a whole lot to say about this. It’s not a game changer but it is effective.
Offroad Side Steps - These are tucked up pretty tight to the body thus creating significantly more clearance than the standard running boards that hang down really low, right where they’re almost begging to be torn off by an evil ledge. They’re also coated in something similar to Line-X, which is grippy when wet and should prove much more durable over the long haul. I had an F150 before this rig and it was equipped with the standard running boards. I bought the truck used when it was four years old, and the paint and chrome was already peeling off the running boards. It looked awful and when wet, they provided zero traction.
Limited Slip Front Differential - There are times when you can’t have too much traction. Having a locker in the rear, paired with the automatic Dana limited slip up front, there should be very few situations in which you can’t find traction. Some drivers might prefer to have something they can turn on and off up front but I’m perfectly happy to have the computer decide when the front needs more traction.
Shorter Air Dam - The standard air dam is huge. HUGE. It looks awful and dramatically reduces ground clearance and approach angle. Sure, you could remove it (which is what I did on my old F150) or even replace it with a Tremor one, or you can just order the Tremor package and enjoy all the other benefits, too.
Extended Axle Tubes - Of all the things I’ve done driving offroad - super narrow shelf roads with loads of exposure, multi-point turns on tight switchbacks, big ledge climbs and drops - the one thing that consistently results in the biggest pucker factor are water crossings. The extended axle tubes give the Tremor 33” of water fording capability. As awesome as this is, I don’t plan on ever testing it out. But, it’s nice to have it in your back pocket should you ever encounter a situation that requires you to go scuba diving in your truck.
Retuned Rear Stabilizer Bar - I’ve never driven a non-Tremor Super Duty so I’ll have to take Ford’s word for it that the rear stabilizer bar does what they say it does. I will say that after installing the Carli/Alcan suspension and 37” tires, I was worried about body lean. I had no reason to worry. Even at highway speeds, rounding curves, I’ve never felt like the truck was unstable.
Tremor Sticker - Cool sticker, brah. Seriously though, I have a flatbed so the sticker didn’t stick around for long since the bed was removed when the flatbed tray was installed.
SHOULD YOU BUY A TREMOR?
I have no idea. I don’t regret it and I’d do it again. Unfortunately, I think too many “experts” and journalists push their own beliefs and opinions on consumers, making blanket statements that simply don’t apply to everyone. The Tremor might be right for you or maybe it isn’t. It was definitely right for us. The best advice I can offer is to consider how you intend to use your truck and weigh the cost of the Tremor package against upgrading components/parts separately down the road. For example, Good Year Duratrac tires in the Tremor size of 285/75/18 sell for about $300 each. Five tires = $1,500, which is more than 1/3 the cost of the Tremor package.
If you don’t plan to drive anything worse than a well graded forest road you probably don’t need a Tremor, but if you’re like us and can’t resist the call of random dirt roads that disappear into the forest, a Tremor might just keep you out of trouble.
RANDOM NOTE ABOUT FORD SUPER DUTY HEADLIGHTS
I did not option the factory LED headlights and I regret it. The standard headlights on Super Duty trucks are among the worst I’ve seen. They’re truly terrible. The headlights on my wife’s 2010 4Runner are significantly better than those on my 2021 F250. I bought a Lariat with the Ultimate Package, and optioning the LED headlights would have added a cost of $1,180. I plan on holding onto this truck for a long time and the extra thousand bucks would have been worth it over the long haul. I do plan on installing LED bulbs and LED fog lights at some point, and the cost to do so will likely be pretty close to the cost of optioning the factory headlights by the time you account for installation.