There are a series of vehicles in the automotive industry that are go-to solutions for certain challenges. If you need great lap times, you’re going to eye a Shelby GT500 Mustang. If you need great fuel economy, you’re going to want to consider purchasing a Ford Escape Hybrid. If you want to haul and tow as if your life depended on it, then you’re going to need a Ford Super Duty pickup truck. Ford recognizes that they’re one of the most dependable brands for heavy cargo, towing, and trailering, and so they’ve been consistent with keeping their heavier line of pickups up to date and frequently refreshed. In fact, for the 2021 Ford Super Duty pickup, there have been several new additions to the vehicle that heavy-duty truckers will certainly appreciate.
7.3-Liter V8 Godzilla Is The King Of Super Duty Pickups
The 2021 Ford Super Duty line, which includes the F-250 through F-600 models of pickup trucks, continues to boast a 7.3-liter V8 best-in-class engine, properly dubbed “Godzilla” by the pickup community. It’s essentially the reigning king of the super duty pickup truck gasoline powertrains.
It pumps out an impressive 430 hp and cranks out 475 lb-ft of torque, with a 3.55 axle ratio, meaning that the shaft spins three and a half times before the axle makes a single rotation. This easily makes this powertrain a keen choice for truckers who need more than just a standard heavy-duty pickup. This optional 7.3-liter V8 is actually the standard engine on Ford’s large commercial trucks, such as the F-650 and F750, demonstrating its power and reliability.
The 2021 Super Duty trucks also come with a couple of other powertrain fittings, including the standard 6.2-liter Flex Fuel V8 for the F-250 and F-350. The final and most powerful option is the available 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbo-diesel, which cranks out 475 hp and 1,050 lb-ft of torque. With that engine, you can tow trailers weighing up to 37,000 lbs.
Heavy-Duty Transmission For A Heavy-Duty Engine
The Godzilla engine is paired up with a TorqShift-ready 10-speed transmission, which comes standard on the 2021 Super Duty F-350 XL, but is optional on the F-250 and standard F-350 trims. The latter two models come standard with a heavy-duty 6-speed transmission with SelectShift tech that features a progressive gear range selection and the option to utilize full manual shifting.
As for the TorqShift 10-speed transmission, this impressive piece of tech is designed to acclimate its settings according to the drive mode selections for different road conditions and weather. Basically, drivers have the option of fine-tuning how the truck handles transferable torque through the gear-shifts based on if they’re dealing with slippery roads, deep sand or snow, or hauling heavy cargo loads or trailering.
Feeling The Tremor
The transmission has also been tuned for the off-road Tremor Package, which has been made available for the 2021 year model of the Ford F-Series of Super Duty pickup trucks. The package comes equipped with off-road-ready features, such as 35-inch Goodyear Duratrac tires, which are good for up to nearly three feet of water fording. The fording height is possible thanks to the two-inch front-end lift and truncated air dam that affords a maximum ground clearance of 10.8 inches, which is 2.6 additional inches of ground clearance compared to the standard Ford F-250.
The Tremor Package also includes a 31.7-degree approach angle and 24.5-degree departure angle thanks to shorter overhangs, and upgraded springs with 1.7-inch twin-tube dampers featuring hydraulic rebound. Coupled with the stabilizing sway bar and extended axle vent tubes, it means that you have more control over the truck during off-road adventures. It also means you gain a smoother ride with less vibration from bumps and jaunts when moving over uneven terrain.
The torque is also better utilized thanks to the Dana front limited-slip differential and locking rear differential, as well as the Rock Crawl and Trail Crawl drive modes. This is so you can pump a lot of torque through the shaft for instant movement up, through, or beyond any terrain. The 4×4 system offers a 53:1 crawl ratio for the gasoline engine and a 44:1 ratio for the higher-torque diesel engine. An integrated winch from Warn is rated at up to 12,000 lbs, which couples nicely with the Tremor Package’s impressive conventional tow rating of 15,000 lbs and payload capacity of 4,210 lbs.
Trailering Made Easy
All of the 2021 Ford Super Duty pickup trucks have impressive tow ratings. It’s not as if there’s an entry in the series that falls short of what most contractors, construction, or utility workers expect from a pickup truck designed for heavy-duty towing and trailering. At the lower end of the spectrum, the F-250 can tow up to 15,800 lbs with the base engine. With the diesel engine equipped, the rating goes up to 22,800 lbs.
Further up the chain, things get even heftier, with the 2021 Super Duty F-350 able to tow up to 21,200 lbs with the Godzilla V8 gasoline engine and up to 35,750 lbs with the optional diesel engine. The payload capacity of this truck is similarly impressive at 7,850 lbs. Finally, the F-450 rear-wheel drive crew cab model with the appropriate trailering package can manage up to 37,000 lbs. There’s almost no job too big for the Super Duty pickups when you start climbing up into those tow ranges.
New Colors To Boot
There’s a lot to take in with the new 2021 Ford Super Duty pickups. The powertrain and performance upgrades alone are quite impressive, while the Tremor Package is likely to cause excitement among the more die-hard truck drivers out there. But for pickup enthusiasts who have an eye for aesthetics, there’s something in there for you, too.
Three new colors have been added to the selection menu of 14-colors for the 2021 Ford Super Duty. The new colors include the muted Antimatter Blue Metallic, which is also available on the Ford F-150 pickup. It looks professional and serious thanks to the low refraction and high gloss, giving the truck a vestige of subdued elegance.
The second of the three new colors is Carbonized Gray, which perfectly suits the Ford Super Duty’s workhorse persona while not completely foregoing the truck from common everyday usage such as running errands or driving to work. The color is actually quite chameleon in its brightness, managing to quell the reflective nature of natural light in order to give the Ford pickup a dark and mysterious tone. At the same time, it also wouldn’t look completely out of place covered in mud, dirt, and dust on a construction site, which makes it perfectly balanced to blend professionalism with rugged charm.
Lithium Gray is the third new color, and it’s all business. It reduces the brightness and reflective qualities found in the other two colors for a darker hue and a slightly more matte approach to its livery. Lithium Gray on the Ford Super Duty pickup gives it a menacing guise to match its fierce performance stats. This will likely make it a popular choice for those who would prefer the truck’s capabilities to do all the talking rather than its appearance.
Ready For Anything
The 2021 Ford Super Duty lineup is definitely impressive, and all the new features and updates are highly attractive for those looking for a performance-driven heavy-duty pickup. The Ford Super Duty will doubtlessly remain the truck of choice for drivers who demand plenty of performance, no-nonsense styling, and some undeniably impressive off-road capabilities.
