Cargazing
By Derek Price
People who shop for cars look for all kinds of variables: style, ride quality, comfort, features and fuel economy.
People who shop for heavy-duty trucks are totally different.
Sure, style and comfort matter in these beasts, but the numbers matter even more. And Ford’s Super Duty truck lineup boasts some impressive numbers this year.
With the right equipment, a Super Duty can tow up to 24,200 pounds using a conventional trailer hitch, more than any truck in its class.
The optional 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 Diesel engine makes 475 horsepower and a ridiculous 1,050 pound-feet of torque, enough to make my heavy, gargantuan F-350 tester scoot forward like a sports car.
While it’s nominally beaten out by the optional high-output Cummins turbo diesel in the Ram Heavy Duty, which upped its output to 1,075 pounds of twist this year simply to kick dirt in Ford’s direction, the numbers are so high and so close to be irrelevant in the real world.
The Tremor off-road package gives the Ford Super Duty more capability. It comes with a two-inch lift and 35-inch tires, the biggest of any truck in its class.
The Super Duty can also tow up to 37,000 pounds with a gooseneck trailer, 32,500 pounds with a fifth wheel, or carry 7,850 pounds of payload in the bed, Ford claims.
While my line of work doesn’t require heavy towing, I can vouch for the fact that the Super Duty has a fantastic cabin for working and has no trouble on construction sites.
Two AC power outlets in my King Ranch tester come in handy for any kind of work that requires electronics or charging batteries, which seems like every job these days. And with back seats that fold up, the rugged second row can be turned into a roomy cargo area with ease.
Ford’s relatively new Tremor off-road package made me feel confident driving the truck over dirt and rocks on construction sites. With 35-inch Goodyear tires designed to grip in dirt and mud — the biggest tires available in a factory-built, heavy-duty pickup this year — along with a two-inch lift to the ride height, the Tremor has commanding presence and serious capability. It has nearly 11 inches of ground clearance and can ford water 33 inches deep.
Its biggest downside is the ride quality. With the Tremor suspension, it feels stiff over bumps, seemingly tuned more for toughness than comfort.
The Western theme in Ford’s King Ranch truck interiors is a good fit in the Super Duty, which can tow up to 24,200 pounds with a conventional trailer hitch.
Fortunately, the highway ride and quietness in the cabin was much better than I expected. It was reasonably comfortable and silent at highway speeds, a very pleasant surprise for a diesel-powered pickup with off-road tires.
Combining the Tremor package with fancy King Ranch interior, with its cowboy-themed leather, seemed like a good fit on my tester, at least for people who are willing to pay for both luxury and capability. An $82,000 as-tested price keeps a truck like this out of reach for many buyers, but the ability to seemingly go anywhere and get there in comfort and style makes this an audacious mixture.
Even more audacious: You can get it with a 12,000-pound winch.
Ford Performance Parts is making a Warn winch available as a $3,000 option on any Super Duty with the right equipment. It requires either the 7.3-liter gas V8 engine or the 6.7-liter diesel engine, four-wheel drive, plus dual batteries and alternators before Ford will let you spend that $3,000.
As a whole, I like the current Super Duty for what it is: a tool to do a job. It can be outfitted and customized for the task at hand, whether that’s towing, off-roading or carrying insanely heavy payloads.
Pricing starts at $34,230 for the F-250 or $35,745 for the F-350, which can be ordered with dual rear wheels. The Limited trim tops the lineup at $84,190 for the F-250.
At A Glance
What was tested? 2021 Ford F-350 SRW 4X4 Crew Cab King Ranch ($62,810). Options: 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 diesel ($10,495), 12,000-pound winch by Warn ($3,000), Tremor off-road package ($3,975), 397-amp alternator ($115), spray-in bedliner ($595). Price as tested (including $1,695 destination charge): $82,685
Wheelbase: 159.8 in.
Length: 250 in.
Width: 105.9 in.
Height: 81.1 in.
Engine: 6.7-liter diesel V8 (475 hp, 1,050 ft.-lbs.)
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel economy: Not rated
RATINGS
Style: 8
Performance: 10
Price: 5
Handling: 6
Ride: 6
Comfort: 6
Quality: 7
Overall: 7
Why buy it?
The Tremor off-road package gives this heavy-duty truck some serious capability in the dirt. It can be outfitted for any job, from a basic work truck to a luxury ride that can tow up to 24,200 pounds.