2020 Ford F-350 Tremor Overview: Factory Brodozer

2020 Ford F-350 Tremor Platinum Crew Cab 4×4

7.3-liter V8 (430hp @ 5500 rpm, 475 lb/ft @ 4000 rpm) Ten-speed automated transmission, four-wheel drive 14.1 (noticed mileage, MPG) Base Worth: $69,440 US / $82,759 CAN As Examined: $78,960 US / $94,424 CAN

I’d wish to think the time period wouldn’t want an evidence at this level, however for the sake of these simply tuning in from components of the nation the place vegan eateries outnumber private vehicles, I’d like to supply a definition. A “brodozer” is a pejorative reference to a full-sized pickup truck, modified sometimes by the proprietor (both with conventional wrenches or the great previous VISA wrench) with bigger wheels and extra floor clearance – amongst different mods.

Usually, one by no means sees a brodozer utilizing that further floor clearance for something aside from clearing curbs, however it’s good to know that the flexibility to barter deeply rutted backwoods trails is there. The opposite benefit to the bottom clearance is the gatekeeping perform – previous individuals with out vital flexibility will wrestle to ascend into the cab – making the brodozer the unique province of the younger.

All manufacturers of full-size trucks have been constructed into brodozers, however in my expertise, the Blue Oval dominates the breed. Naturally, Dearborn has responded – first, with the F-150-based Raptor, and now with this 2020 Ford F-350 Tremor. It’s lifted, it’s large, and it’s packing loads of energy. It’s a brodozer with a month-to-month cost.

The facility right here is the large deal – my tester is powered by the brand new 7.3-liter pushrod V8, nicknamed Godzilla. Followers of a sure all-wheel-drive Japanese efficiency car from the early Nineties (raises hand) would possibly object to the title, however there’s no denying the brilliance of this engine. The facility is plentiful – it’s sufficient to make one fully overlook concerning the dearer diesel engine. Actually, those that log tens of 1000’s of miles per yr whereas towing would possibly see vital fuel financial system financial savings with an oil burner, however for everybody else, Godzilla makes extra sense.

Let’s have a look at the numbers – the bottom engine is the 6.2-liter overhead cam V8. This pushrod 7.3-liter V8 provides $1,705 to the underside line of an F-350. Choosing the 6.7-liter PowerStroke turbodiesel is $10,495 over the bottom engine – that’s $8,790 over the price of the Godzilla V8. Sure, the most recent diesel does greater than double the torque determine – 1,050 lb-ft in comparison with 475 lb-ft from the large gasser – so these hauling critical hundreds regularly will stay on Workforce Diesel. However the Godzilla is an effective compromise at an inexpensive price.

The Tremor package deal is precisely that – a package deal, not a trim stage just like the Raptor trim on the F150. It’s an off-road-focused package deal that provides functionality to the already stout Tremendous Obligation trucks. The Tremor package deal consists of a lifted entrance suspension, 35-inch tires on 18-inch alloy wheels, a path management drive package deal, and selectable drive modes – even a rock-crawling mode. It doesn’t, nonetheless, embody a package deal that narrows the monitor width at a push of a button – once I took the household seeking grime over the weekend, I noped out of some paths that will have been satisfactory in additional modestly-sized rigs. If you’re seeking to go rock crawling each weekend, this isn’t your truck. Nonetheless, if you should haul a ton of stuff by way of the week and take the household nicely off the crushed path on a weekend tenting journey, the F-350 Tremor package deal may very well be a good selection.

As my tester was a Platinum trim, it’s an incredible place to spend hours upon hours on the wheel. The leather-based interior is snug, with loads of room for my household of 4 and the entire assorted electronics that the youngsters have to preserve themselves blind to their dad and mom for just a few hours of driving. The eight-inch touchscreen for SYNC3 works nicely, although it’s not as fast to reply (nor as good to have a look at) as some rivals. And it’s a climb to get inside – even with the no-charge non-obligatory energy operating boards, there’s a very good stretch to get within the saddle.

Driving any one-ton pickup is a far cry from driving a midsized crossover, definitely. The steering is far more numb than in a smaller vehicle, with a good bit of slop. Nonetheless, the adaptive steering definitely helps preserve you targeted within the lane. The facility from the honking V8 is plentiful, permitting you to leap from a stoplight forward of the poky SUV driver who won’t get out of their very own manner. And as soon as you’ve spent just a few miles behind the wheel, the size appears to shrink a bit.

Don’t, nonetheless, try to parallel park downtown. Get used to parking a bit farther away from the door on the grocery store. And be very conscious of parking garages – the F-350 measures in at 81.3 inches excessive.

This truck is probably not for you. It’s not proper for me and my way of life by any means. However you probably have each the means and the necessity for a vehicle that may drag seven-and-a-half tons of no matter, whereas retaining the off-road chops to get you nicely from the crushed path, the 2020 Ford F-350 Tremor is a good alternative.

[Images: © 2020 Chris Tonn]