Ford Tremor as an Ollie TV?

[John E Davies]

I think it is really cool that Ford offers this offroad package on all their HD pickups. But it has  reputation for being brutal for the passengers on rough roads when not heavily loaded. So it would be great underneath a 3500 pound truck camper or an expedition conversion, but when carrying a light load and towing an Ollie, it seems like a very poor match. Especially when you unhitch and start exploring the back country. Can anyone comment? Thought about fixing the suspension?

I had a stock 2006 Ram 3500 Cummins, it had perhaps 2 inches of upward travel before the front axle bottomed out. It seems that Ford managed to make that even worse.

https://carlisuspension.com/2020-super-duty-rd/

Having owned Land Cruisers for a really long time, I am used to a truck that doesn’t pound its passengers into jelly, and as a result I like to drive 40 or 50 mph with full control on those endless washboardy gravel ranch roads. And at about 35 with the Ollie attached😳 because above 30  everything smooths out. That just isn’t possible with HD trucks, with the exception of a Power Wagon, which has a half ton payload of 1560 pounds because of its soft long travel springs. I guess you can’t have great payload and comfy ride, they seem to be mutually incompatible goals.

I really like the Ford Godzilla gas engine, but I don’t think I would choose the Tremor package, I would do that myself…. or just buy the Power Wagon. Comments?

John Davies

Spokane WA.

 

[gatorewc]

John,

My Tremor has been shipped and I am waiting on delivery of my SD 250 Tremor.  Living in the Southeast i really don't have the opportunity to hit dirt roads with the Ollie like you do out west.  I do expect a rougher ride with the 250 of course when compared to my Lexus 570.  I will definitely miss the softer ride but no Andersen and plenty of payload will be very nice.

I could not bring myself to look at the Power Wagon.  Nice truck with good reviews but a Lemon 2012 Rubicon has me soured on Dodge.

I am excited to see how the 7.3 Godzilla pulls.  Read great reviews but have not had he opportunity to actually drive one due to the scarcity of available trucks on the lot.  Once I get my truck there will be a used Andersen available for sale.

[Jim_Oker]

On 6/30/2022 at 9:37 AM, John E Davies said:

I like to drive 40 or 50 mph with full control on those endless washboardy gravel ranch roads.

Have you ever had a tire punctured by a rock when going that fast on washboard? I've (mostly) stopped doing that since after the second flat I've gotten that way... Perhaps better tires may have helped a lot - in both cases I think they weren't beefy truck type tires.

[John E Davies]

7 hours ago, Jim_Oker said:

Have you ever had a tire punctured by a rock when going that fast on washboard? I've (mostly) stopped doing that since after the second flat I've gotten that way... Perhaps better tires may have helped a lot - in both cases I think they weren't beefy truck type tires.

Those roads are not a hazard for punctures with LT tires, they are crushed gravel, the small stuff, well graded but with washboard where trucks accelerate or slow down, that particular farm road at Steens Mountain was recently graded and had soft piles along the edges, you definitely need to stay off those when moving briskly because the steering tires start to float. 

The roads that kill tires are the smaller forest roads that use large ballast, those big sharp rocks can tilt up a skewer a sidewall. I destroyed a Subaru Outback tire that way in MT, going less than 10 mph, and it was a wake up call to not rely on a doughnut spare and to not have car tires. Regardless of the speed you drive.

If you run car tires or LT tires with a tight tread design, they will throw gravel like crazy. A more aggressive pattern is much better in terms of grip on loose surfaces and for not throwing debris. The original Ollie Michelin LTX tires look fine after five seasons, no cuts in tread or sidewalks. My LC200 has always had either true mud tires or the latest style hybrid “in betweeners” like the excellent Cooper AT3 XLT. 

John Davies

Spokane W/

[CnC]

Arron and Chris on the Irene Iron videos got a Ford Tremor to pull their heavy Outdoors RV.  You might check out their experiences with it.

As an FYI, we looked at their RV choice and veto'd it as the interior wasn't what we wanted.  We liked the heavy frame and very large holding tanks designed for boondocking.  But the interior was dark, dreary and cheap.  The one we looked at was "ready" for delivery but there were screens in upside down, drawers with the wrong finish installed in the wrong place, an overhead light that wouldn't come on and moldings that were coming loose.  Made me wonder why they had a 9 month backorder issue.

Charlie.

[Jim_Oker]

3 hours ago, John E Davies said:

The roads that kill tires are the smaller forest roads that use large ballast, those big sharp rocks can tilt up a skewer a sidewall.

no doubt but the rocks that got me both times were just 5/8" minus type gravel from gravel/graded roads. In both cases, particularly pointy pieces of gravel.

[SeaDawg]

Granite gravel is sharp.