In 2020, the US was hit by a tremor... a Ford Tremor. The upgrade package for the F-250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks added more ground clearance, upgraded and beefed-up dampers, larger all-terrain tires, and electronic traction aids designed to improve the truck's 4WD ability. The upgrade proved so popular that Ford expanded the Tremor Package to include even more F-Series models, with the F-150 nowadays also available with the upgrade.But the good news is that you can now pick up one of those 2020-vintage Tremor trucks for less than $60,000. For the money, that represents a heck of a lot of truck for not a lot of cash. This is the story of Ford's popular Tremor 4WD upgrade, and why you need one in your life. A Tremor Starts FordThe term 'bigger is better' is often thrown into the mix to describe big American automobiles. But when you start talking Ford's F-250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks, it really takes the bigger is better description to a new level of, well, big. Firstly, both the F-250 and F-350 are massive, taking up a lot of real estate on the road. Accordingly, the cabins are vast, with enough space to transport at least five adults in total comfort.Then there are the engines. Ford's Godzilla 7.3-liter V8 engine, delivering 430 hp and 485 lb-ft, is one option. But if the Godzilla engine just isn't peppy enough, there is also the option of the 6.7-liter, turbocharged Power Stroke V8 diesel engine, with 500 hp and an earth-moving 1,200 lb-ft of torque. These engines are available over and above the standard series of engines.In recent times, Ford has clearly been aiming to offer a truck for every need that may arise. And in 2020, as part of this effort, it introduced the Tremor off-road package, at the time available for the F-250 and F-350 (but since expanded to cover the F-150 too). According to Ford, the company found that an increasing number of customers used their large F-Series trucks for a lot more than just work duties during the week. Instead, many owners used their trucks to go fishing, exploring or four-wheeling for fun over weekends, turning their workhorse trucks into leisure vehicles.Ford The package adds between $4,000 and $4,500 to the MSRP, and it includes an upgraded suspension with a one-inch lift kit at the front and upgraded dampers tuned for improved 4WD performance, as well as 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac all-terrain tires, resulting in 10.8-inches of ground clearance. The Tremor is also equipped with off-road running boards, skid plates, blacked-out trim, an upgraded rear stabilizer bar, and a Trail Control traction control system, and various driving modes. The electronic system includes a rock-crawl mode.Importantly, the Tremor package also includes a limited slip front differential and an electronic rear differential, working in conjunction with the two-speed transfer case, adding dollops of mechanical grip to the Ford's 4WD prowess.So why would you have yourself a Tremor instead of a range-topping and award-winning F-150 Raptor? Besides the obvious sticker price and engine differences, the more affordable Tremor option, which could be had from as little as $53,000 in 2020, is aimed more at owners who will be doing some low-speed rock crawling, driving through a river, or towing a huge trailer over extremely rugged terrain. Even though the Raptor can do its fair share of rock crawling, it is better suited to high-speed off-road adventures.Ford The result of the upgrade was what Ford called the most 4WD capable Super Duty the company had ever made. Customers agreed, lining up for the upgrade. In 2020, the Tremor package was available for the F-250 and F-350 in the XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum trim levels, and only for 4WD models.The upgrade was also limited to trucks fitted with the 7.3-liter V8 gas engine, or the 6.7-liter turbocharged diesel V8. Both these engines are coupled to the 10-speed automatic gearbox. In 2020, a high-end F-Series truck with the Tremor package peaked at over $100,000. Today you can pick one up for much less. Going, Going, Gone! FordThe Ford F-Series is the best-selling truck in the USA, and it has been so for nearly 50 consecutive years. In 2025, the company sold nearly 830,000 trucks, nearly a quarter-of-a-million trucks more than its closest competitor, the Chevrolet Silverado. It has also been the best-selling vehicle overall in the USA for the past 43 years, recording an 8.3% increase over the 2024 numbers. The Super Duty range also recorded its best sales year since 2004, a clear indicator of the popularity of Ford's tough work-and-play truck series.But most tellingly, Ford's off-road performance packages that cover the Raptor, Tremor, Timberline and FX4 lines, accounted for a substantial 20.6% of the company's sales in the US market in 2025. This figure is two points higher than the 2024 results, indicating the continued growth of the segment.The popularity of 4WD lines like the Tremor is not always good news for customers who are looking at acquiring a used truck. But the good news is that you can now pick up a Super Duty Tremor hailing from 2020 for around $52,800 (across all specification levels). Sure, it's not exactly small change, but considering the amount of 4WD truck you get for the money, it's still a pretty good deal. If you can forgive six-figure mileages, then one of these Tremor trucks could be picked up even cheaper, certainly south of the $50,000 border. But if you're planning on piling the miles on yourself, then saving for a less-traveled example might be the better long-term plan. Getting Some More Tremor On FordThanks to the obvious popularity of Ford's off-road packages, the company expanded the Tremor option in 2021 to also include the F-150 range. You can have the F-150 Tremor with a standard, 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, producing 400 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque, with the drive sent to all four wheels via the brand's 10-speed gearbox, which comes with the two-speed transfer case. A five-liter, naturally-aspirated V8 engine is available too. This engine also produces 400 hp, along with 410 lb-ft of torque. A 10-speed automatic gearbox is standard for both versions.The F-150 Tremor comes with an upgraded rear axle with a unique gearing set-up, all-terrain tires and a long-travel suspension that includes special, off-road tuned dampers. The suspension also includes upgraded parts like new front knuckles for the independent front suspension, as well as beefed-up control arms.Ford The Tremor models also get some unique exterior upgrades and finishes. This includes a Tremor-style hood, a unique grille with a unique orange finish, off-road skidplates and exclusive 18-inch wheels, shod with 33-inch all-terrain tires. In the cabin there is the option of leather-trimmed bucket seats, complete with a Tremor logo. The F-150 Tremor also gets Ford's Rock Crawl and Trail Control electronic traction control systems, further aiding the truck's off-road ability. The (4WD) Tide Is Turning Ford The numbers say it all: Customers want more hardcore 4WD trucks so they can combine their work-and-play activities. And truth be told, some customers probably just buy into the image that the Tremor represents, and will never come close to tackling the Rubicon Trail in their shining clean F-Series Tremor. Either way, Ford seems to have ended up with an almost-perfect line-up of trucks, catering for the majority of tastes and requirements.Well, almost. Ford had invested a small fortune in the development of the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning truck, but thanks to a lack of interest from customers who seem unwilling to pay $75,000 for an electric truck, as well as factors such as cancellation of federal EV tax credits, the Lightning EV truck is on the brink of being relegated to the history books, with production already halted at the end of 2025.Ford But there may be light at the end of the Lightning tunnel, with Ford busy developing the new Ford F-150 Lightning EREV, to be produced in the same plant that made the Lightning EV. This new range-extender electric F-150, which will still be propelled by electric motors but with an internal combustion engine installed that will serve as a generator only, and selling at a more competitive price point, should get the Ford faithful back on board. And you can bet your bottom dollar that a Tremor or even a Raptor version will also be part of the next-generation EREV deal. After all, 2027 Tremor trucks are already in the cards, and the numbers say it all.
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