Ford Ranger’s Toughest Off-Road Truck

We asked for a Raptor but got the Tremor – is it enough?

by

Words by Perry Mack Photos Courtesy Ford

We were impressed by the Tremor package on the Super Duty because it added off-road performance without significantly reducing the payload and towing capability. 

Ford has achieved the same results in the Ranger where the max payload is a respectable 658 kg (1430 lb) and the max tow rating is 3400 kg (7500 lb). The Ranger Tremor is not a Ranger Raptor where we would expect high-speed desert running. It just needs to haul us and our toys into the backcountry for some serious fun and that’s where the Tremor shines – more off-road capability from the factory, under warranty. I’ll say it now, there is no reason to pay for an FX-4 package for an extra $1,400 when for $5,250 (an extra $3,850) you can get the real off-road deal.

The biggest improvement is in the suspension with the addition of the FOX 2.0 monotube dampeners, remote rear reservoirs and hydraulic rebound stops. The Ranger is still a daily driver for most owners so the improved suspension not only gives a better on-road ride but also better off-road control. 

These shocks are tuned with a progressive rebound end zone dampening, which regulates the speed that the shock recovers from an impact and returns to full travel. If you’ve ever been down a washboard road and had your fillings rattled loose it’s because your shocks couldn’t recover quickly enough, you’re just hammering along on your bump stops.

Also improving the off-road composure of the truck is the rear multi-leaf spring set-up that has increased the wheel travel to 20.6 cm (8.1 in) and the front travel to 16.5 cm (6.5 in). The anti-roll bar isn’t as stiff and the ground clearance has been increased by 2 cm (0.8 in). While the breakover angle is only up .1 degree over the standard Ranger, the approach angle is up 2.2 degrees to 30.9 degrees, and the departure angle is up 2.7 degrees to 24.2 degrees.

Rounding out the off-road accoutrements are front and rear tow hooks, front bash plate, underbody skid plates, a locking rear diff and Trail Control. 

After the suspension, the biggest improvement is Ford’s choice of tires. Ford says it’s a Tremor specific tire, but we’re not yet sure what the means. The images provided show the General Grabber ATX so that’s what we’re hoping for. We’ve spent a lot of time wheeling the ATX on and off-road, both in our half-ton Ram through the winter in the mountains of British Columbia and in summertime Quebec in Wrangler JK’s. It’s a tough four-season tire that stood up to our abuse and pulled us through every type of terrain. According to the images, they are the LT265/70R17, which is roughly a 31.6” tire, sitting at 10.43” wide and the same width as a stock Ranger but about an inch taller. The Tremor tire and wheel combo give the truck a slightly wider stance given the wheel off-set and extra fender molding.  

Aside from the suspension, our favourite accessory is the six auxiliary switch pod on the dash, which reminds us of the off-road switch configuration of the Bronco. Our least favourite is the optional graphic package. However, we like the other styling features such as the Tremor grill, the badging on the bed and Tremor stitched into the seatbacks. 

What did we hope to see? Bronco-style rock sliders instead of hoop steps, a front locking diff, a winch-ready bumper, and – as well-suited to the Ranger as the 2.3 L EcoBoost is – another engine option, which would have been fantastic. For now, we’ll have to be happy with the existing powertrain and its 270 hp, 310 lb ft of torque and ten-speed transmission.

Now, we just need to test drive it to see how it stacks up against our other mid-size off-road choices like the Colorado ZR2, the Jeep Gladiator, Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, and Nissan Frontier Pro-4X.

The Tremor off-road package is available from XLT to Lariat trims in the 4x4 SuperCrew configurations. No word yet on pre-orders but the new Tremor should be available late winter to early spring 2021.

Would you pay the extra $5,250 for the Tremor upgrade, stick to the $1,400 FX4 package, or just go to the aftermarket for the brands you know and trust? Is the Ranger Tremor enough to sway you from the other off-road choices we’ve mentioned? Be sure to let us know.

Watch 4WDrive’s Ranger Tremor video below:

You may also like;

Grabber ATX - https://youtu.be/rJVJ-sMqQuM

Ford Ranger - https://youtu.be/RFUk16d7sHs

Colorado ZR2 - https://youtu.be/BZEK4DTOVpg

Jeep Gladiator - https://youtu.be/sh8EZTgLhuc