DHBPhoto
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Hey guys,
I've been wanting to do this for a while, so here goes. I've been a Tacoma guy for nearly 20 years, and since about 2018, have been eyeing the F150. I got a screaming deal on a '19 Tundra TRD Pro, but after 3 months, really started hating and starting looking at the F150 again. My eyes landed on the Tremor build. I placed an order in late May. After 6 weeks of no order number, nothing, I started getting impatient and started looking again. Before a meeting in Denver, I got luck and called Lakewood Ford and asked if they had any F150s for sale. I was told they just had 3 delivered and 1 was unclaimed.
Fresh off the truck was a '21 Space White XLT w/ 302A package and FX4 Sport. I was unsure of it – thought it kind of looked like a fleet truck. And truth be told, really just wanted a Tremor, but I was fed up w/ the Tundra (problem after problem after problem... not too mention, it was f******* uncomfortable). After getting into the truck more, it was exactly what I wanted: light in color, FX4, 3.5eb, onboard Generator and Sport package. After discussing w/ the salesman what lift they could do, what tires and wheels were available, and if they could do it all under warranty we signed the paper work. All the aftermarket work would happen roughly 3 weeks later.
The pic above was taken a few days after I bought it (I spent the evening switching over the tonneau cover and bed rack, not snapping pics). Contrary to what they said, all my aftermarket bits fit perfectly. It's as I thought: the dims are almost identical.
I'm like a kid – I will push things to the limits, right away. So as soon as I could, I tested out the truck on some of my favorite offroad trails. What I learned immediately was the air dam had to go, the running boards had to go, and I had to get the lift on ASAP. I scraped the shit out of the front, caught the running boards (and frame) and scraped my rear bumper real good (bad?). Love wounds.
Before rolling to the shop, I pulled off the running boards and the air dam, as you can see above. I don't know why FX4 has the airdam. It's like low-hanging fruit... only a matter of time until they get fully ripped off. (I've had no warning lights since pulling them off and the dealer said nothing.)
Before.
After.
What was installed:
Fox 2.5 Level kit (front and rear shocks, new springs up front)
Fuel Shok Wheels wrapped w/ 285/75r18 Ridge Grapplers
I need to be clear: I use my truck. I rock crawl, I go hunting, I go backcountry skiing, I sometimes haul, I sometimes tow... I don't ever want to go overboard on any build – I want it to be functional, and minimal. So when I was assured I could fit metric 34s w/ plenty of room for mud, chains, etc. I was super stoked. Afterall, this is a big truck, why not go w/ big tires. I was also told, the stock springs could hold an electric motorcycle. Both of those last two statements were wrong:
- Metric 34s do fit (on stock rims)
- A level kit works/looks great w/ no load and/or no trailer
The truck looked GREAT. But, it was seriously lacking in functionality. The tires were too big for the build (unless I wanted to cut the crash bars and didn't mind rubbing everytime I compressed the front end while turning) and the rear end was too soft for hauling my e-moto. Let's just say, the dealership got an earful. Not stoked!
The remedy:
- downsize tires to 275/70r18
- Install ad-a-leaf (Ford factory)
The truck now has a nice rake and a decent amount of room to clear built up mud and chains if I need them.
I did switch to a tried and tested All Terrain tire (actually what they had in stock at Glenwood Spring Ford – whom I would recommend to anyone). The drive was immediately nicer, and I wasn't wincing everytime I pulled into a driveway. I also liked the look more w/ the mild rake.
Now, as I said earlier, I use and abuse my rigs, so I convinced the lady to go on a four day high-country wheel and camp through the Colorado Rockies. We chose a loop near Tincup, CO – specifically Hancock Pass to test the mettle of the new setup.
The truck performed flawlessly. I was damn impressed! I was mostly in 4L over the rocky bits, using "M", and had to engage the locker only once on a severely cross-flexed section in the middle of some loose ass head-sized boulders. I got hung up only once and scraped a handful of times. Nothing felt scary bad. On the approach roads, I used "tow-haul" mode mostly and it was buttery smooth.
For the whole 4 days, I ran 28 psi on pavement and mellow dirt roads and when it got rough, aired down to 18 psi.
When we got home, I washed up the truck and did my 4 point inspection. What I found was a good scrape on the lower passenger control arm, and a REALLY good (bad) scrape/crunch on a frame cross member (sorry, no photos). It wasn't so bad I needed to replace, but bad enough, I ordered RCI Skids to replace the FX4 skids and to provide further protection. (Pics below are from 3 months of abuse)
At this point, I've been very happy with the build. I've ripped it down washboard roads (Hole in the Rock) at 70 mph, mobbed through sketchy-ass snow/mud mountain roads chasing elk, and use it as a daily driver. The Fox 2.5 suspension was stiffer than expected at the beginning, and the tires knocked my mpg down, but all things considering, this truck is the most comfortable truck I've owned, and I can get 20 mpg if I try to drive with mpg in mind. Usually I average 15-16 driving like I should, having fun and blasting into the backcountry and down county roads.
Here's a list of total mods (as of 12/4/21):
- Fox 2.5 level kit (shocks f/r)
- 18" Fuel Shok Wheels wrapped w/ 275/70r18 Toyo Open Country AT3
- RCI Full skid plate package
- Ford Wheel Well arch cover
- Retrax Pro Tonneau Cover
- Yakima Bed Rack w/ HD Bars
- Shovel and Recovery Track Mounts
- Kitchen Drawer in rear
- Sheep Skin seat Covers Front, Dog Hammock in back
Here's a list of ForScan mods:
- Bambi Mode
- No Door Chime
- No Double honk when engine running
- No PSI indicator
- No RearView Assist indicator
Future Mods:
- Fender Flares (Just ordered BushWhacker Extend a Flare). I was hesitant at first, but Ford's attention to detail isn't the best, and I'm finding chips on my door edges bc they don't line up perfectly. I also have chips on my handles.
- Low-Pro running boards or Rock Sliders (Black Rhino or Addictive Desert Design)
- Front Bumper (Won't do this until I'm ready to upgrade tires to bigger size or smoke a deer)
That's it guys! Thanks for viewing. I'm stoked to be part of the F150 club. It's my first new truck and a Ford. And iut's a banger!!
- Dylan
I've been wanting to do this for a while, so here goes. I've been a Tacoma guy for nearly 20 years, and since about 2018, have been eyeing the F150. I got a screaming deal on a '19 Tundra TRD Pro, but after 3 months, really started hating and starting looking at the F150 again. My eyes landed on the Tremor build. I placed an order in late May. After 6 weeks of no order number, nothing, I started getting impatient and started looking again. Before a meeting in Denver, I got luck and called Lakewood Ford and asked if they had any F150s for sale. I was told they just had 3 delivered and 1 was unclaimed.
Fresh off the truck was a '21 Space White XLT w/ 302A package and FX4 Sport. I was unsure of it – thought it kind of looked like a fleet truck. And truth be told, really just wanted a Tremor, but I was fed up w/ the Tundra (problem after problem after problem... not too mention, it was f******* uncomfortable). After getting into the truck more, it was exactly what I wanted: light in color, FX4, 3.5eb, onboard Generator and Sport package. After discussing w/ the salesman what lift they could do, what tires and wheels were available, and if they could do it all under warranty we signed the paper work. All the aftermarket work would happen roughly 3 weeks later.
The pic above was taken a few days after I bought it (I spent the evening switching over the tonneau cover and bed rack, not snapping pics). Contrary to what they said, all my aftermarket bits fit perfectly. It's as I thought: the dims are almost identical.
I'm like a kid – I will push things to the limits, right away. So as soon as I could, I tested out the truck on some of my favorite offroad trails. What I learned immediately was the air dam had to go, the running boards had to go, and I had to get the lift on ASAP. I scraped the shit out of the front, caught the running boards (and frame) and scraped my rear bumper real good (bad?). Love wounds.
Before rolling to the shop, I pulled off the running boards and the air dam, as you can see above. I don't know why FX4 has the airdam. It's like low-hanging fruit... only a matter of time until they get fully ripped off. (I've had no warning lights since pulling them off and the dealer said nothing.)
Before.
After.
What was installed:
Fox 2.5 Level kit (front and rear shocks, new springs up front)
Fuel Shok Wheels wrapped w/ 285/75r18 Ridge Grapplers
I need to be clear: I use my truck. I rock crawl, I go hunting, I go backcountry skiing, I sometimes haul, I sometimes tow... I don't ever want to go overboard on any build – I want it to be functional, and minimal. So when I was assured I could fit metric 34s w/ plenty of room for mud, chains, etc. I was super stoked. Afterall, this is a big truck, why not go w/ big tires. I was also told, the stock springs could hold an electric motorcycle. Both of those last two statements were wrong:
- Metric 34s do fit (on stock rims)
- A level kit works/looks great w/ no load and/or no trailer
The truck looked GREAT. But, it was seriously lacking in functionality. The tires were too big for the build (unless I wanted to cut the crash bars and didn't mind rubbing everytime I compressed the front end while turning) and the rear end was too soft for hauling my e-moto. Let's just say, the dealership got an earful. Not stoked!
The remedy:
- downsize tires to 275/70r18
- Install ad-a-leaf (Ford factory)
The truck now has a nice rake and a decent amount of room to clear built up mud and chains if I need them.
I did switch to a tried and tested All Terrain tire (actually what they had in stock at Glenwood Spring Ford – whom I would recommend to anyone). The drive was immediately nicer, and I wasn't wincing everytime I pulled into a driveway. I also liked the look more w/ the mild rake.
Now, as I said earlier, I use and abuse my rigs, so I convinced the lady to go on a four day high-country wheel and camp through the Colorado Rockies. We chose a loop near Tincup, CO – specifically Hancock Pass to test the mettle of the new setup.
The truck performed flawlessly. I was damn impressed! I was mostly in 4L over the rocky bits, using "M", and had to engage the locker only once on a severely cross-flexed section in the middle of some loose ass head-sized boulders. I got hung up only once and scraped a handful of times. Nothing felt scary bad. On the approach roads, I used "tow-haul" mode mostly and it was buttery smooth.
For the whole 4 days, I ran 28 psi on pavement and mellow dirt roads and when it got rough, aired down to 18 psi.
When we got home, I washed up the truck and did my 4 point inspection. What I found was a good scrape on the lower passenger control arm, and a REALLY good (bad) scrape/crunch on a frame cross member (sorry, no photos). It wasn't so bad I needed to replace, but bad enough, I ordered RCI Skids to replace the FX4 skids and to provide further protection. (Pics below are from 3 months of abuse)
At this point, I've been very happy with the build. I've ripped it down washboard roads (Hole in the Rock) at 70 mph, mobbed through sketchy-ass snow/mud mountain roads chasing elk, and use it as a daily driver. The Fox 2.5 suspension was stiffer than expected at the beginning, and the tires knocked my mpg down, but all things considering, this truck is the most comfortable truck I've owned, and I can get 20 mpg if I try to drive with mpg in mind. Usually I average 15-16 driving like I should, having fun and blasting into the backcountry and down county roads.
Here's a list of total mods (as of 12/4/21):
- Fox 2.5 level kit (shocks f/r)
- 18" Fuel Shok Wheels wrapped w/ 275/70r18 Toyo Open Country AT3
- RCI Full skid plate package
- Ford Wheel Well arch cover
- Retrax Pro Tonneau Cover
- Yakima Bed Rack w/ HD Bars
- Shovel and Recovery Track Mounts
- Kitchen Drawer in rear
- Sheep Skin seat Covers Front, Dog Hammock in back
Here's a list of ForScan mods:
- Bambi Mode
- No Door Chime
- No Double honk when engine running
- No PSI indicator
- No RearView Assist indicator
Future Mods:
- Fender Flares (Just ordered BushWhacker Extend a Flare). I was hesitant at first, but Ford's attention to detail isn't the best, and I'm finding chips on my door edges bc they don't line up perfectly. I also have chips on my handles.
- Low-Pro running boards or Rock Sliders (Black Rhino or Addictive Desert Design)
- Front Bumper (Won't do this until I'm ready to upgrade tires to bigger size or smoke a deer)
That's it guys! Thanks for viewing. I'm stoked to be part of the F150 club. It's my first new truck and a Ford. And iut's a banger!!
- Dylan
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