Diesel Tremor as Daily Driver

[Tabonds74]

Good morning, I hope everyone is off to an amazing Thursday. The forum has discussed Daily Drivers a few times, and the last discussion about using a tremor as a daily driver was in 2020.

Here we are in 2026, with HO 6.8 Turbo Diesel, I want to know your thoughts about using this monstrosity of a truck as a Daily Driver.

This will be my fourth diesel, second Tremor and I have to be honest, I am still naive about all the ins and outs of maintaining a diesel, but I try my best to keep my truck healthy i.e., adding additives after every fill-up (or try to), making sure I have good DEF, keeping up with oil changes and all that other jazz.

My thoughts: Other than towing my RV and boat, I am not buying this expensive truck out of necessity, it’s my dream truck and I truly enjoy the ride and all the comforts; even if I work <2 miles down the road (I actually do).

The question I have, is using a Diesel Tremor as a daily commuter destroying my truck?

Drive it daily. I have a '22 with 83k. I have been driving Ford Diesels since 2001 daily. I tow about 2-3x month I would say and sometimes more but put way more miles unhitched than hitched. It is hard on them if not running them long enough to get hot. My trips to work are 40mi each way and I use for work travel some as well often running hundreds of miles. I do regular maintenance but not overkill. Maybe I've been lucky but no major issues since 2001.

 

[Rolind]

I love my tremor as my daily driver. I have OCR turned on and run Rotella T6. Parking in garages are a little PITA, but doable. I try to take my wife’s car if the trip is short, <10 miles.

 

[jwrobb]

I drive roughly 50 miles round trip 4 times a week in my 350 Tremor. Love being able to see over traffic. If I'm light on the throttle I usually see around 21 MPG (part traffic, part highway) running HotShots EDT. That number tanks when I'm feeling spicy though

 

[Blu_Teach]

I love my tremor as my daily driver. I have OCR turned on and run Rotella T6. Parking in garages are a little PITA, but doable. I try to take my wife’s car if the trip is short, <10 miles.

Funny you mentioned this. I gassed up my little hybrid and saw the price of Diesel this morning and thought "maybe having a diesel as a commuter is not a good idea right now". Wierdly enough, my 22 had OCR turned on when I bought it new. Is this a dealership decision or did I just luck out?

 

[Rolind]

I enabled ocr with forscan. Not sure if some dealers will enable it. I suspect not. I used an AROD video to guide me. It isn’t hard but you have to know how to use forscan. There are several changes to be made, all can be made in plain English mode. I read that some vehicles like ambulances and tow truck come with enabled from the factory.
When I’m towing out camping trailer, I leave auto exhaust cleaning on. But if we aren’t going to travel for a couple months. I turn auto exhaust cleaning off until I can take a longer drive or do a static regen in the driveway.

 

[bugeyedmonster1]

Thank you all for this. I'm waiting for my 6.7 HO to be assembled, but will be a daily driver. During the week, my total commute is about 20 miles, 10 each way. I guess it's an excuse to drive the SD on the weekends with the family, as we historically take my wife's SUV for fuel savings and ease of parking.

 

[Mwchris]

I'll be the dissenting vote on a modern diesel as a daily driver especially with a short commute. Having had several, it is not if, it is when you will have a problem due to getting a clogged particulate filter or some other issue. There is no amount of additive you can put in the fuel that will "fix" that. The only options are to 1) drive it long distances over 35 MPH often and you still might have an issue, or 2) remove the offending equipment and that is costly.

Perhaps I am just a poor, but these trucks cost too much for any one to have to do anything but add fuel and provide the required maintenance. They should just run and do their job as designed. I am amazed at how often folks recommend buying something else to get these trucks to do what they were designed to do. I acknowledge that some items are personal preference and or for comfort, but even things like a fuel additive should not be necessary.

Anyway, I purchased my 7.3 to get away from the diesel and have been very happy pulling my 10K trailer. Yes, I don't get great MPGs, but I also have a piece of mind that I can drive it daily with a short commute and not worry about a complicated emissions system.

Good Luck!

 

[Blu_Teach]

Perhaps I am just a poor, but these trucks cost too much for any one to have to do anything but add fuel and provide the required maintenance. They should just run and do their job as designed. I am amazed at how often folks recommend buying something else to get these trucks to do what they were designed to do. I acknowledge that some items are personal preference and or for comfort, but even things like a fuel additive should not be necessary.

This is a very fair and valid point. For me personally, I weirdly find some enjoyment (sometimes) doing the extra stuff. Like finding a reason to play with my toys

 

[TahoeBlue]

This is a very fair and valid point. For me personally, I weirdly find some enjoyment (sometimes) doing the extra stuff. Like finding a reason to play with my toys

I feel the same way and do it with my motorcycles, mountain bikes, and even my yard/deck. For me, maintenance/mods/upgrades is a mix of fun and relaxing. I need therapy I know.

 

[bugeyedmonster1]

I'll be the dissenting vote on a modern diesel as a daily driver especially with a short commute. Having had several, it is not if, it is when you will have a problem due to getting a clogged particulate filter or some other issue. There is no amount of additive you can put in the fuel that will "fix" that. The only options are to 1) drive it long distances over 35 MPH often and you still might have an issue, or 2) remove the offending equipment and that is costly.

Perhaps I am just a poor, but these trucks cost too much for any one to have to do anything but add fuel and provide the required maintenance. They should just run and do their job as designed. I am amazed at how often folks recommend buying something else to get these trucks to do what they were designed to do. I acknowledge that some items are personal preference and or for comfort, but even things like a fuel additive should not be necessary.

Anyway, I purchased my 7.3 to get away from the diesel and have been very happy pulling my 10K trailer. Yes, I don't get great MPGs, but I also have a piece of mind that I can drive it daily with a short commute and not worry about a complicated emissions system.

Good Luck!

This is always going to be a concern for the short distance commuters like me, but I think the weekly long distance drive should clean the particulate filters either way. The opposite view would be that the filter would be filtering either way, some just quicker than others. But if the regen cycle is there for a reason.

The short commute was also compared to those that have longer idle times as well. I think either way, as long as the system has time to regen when needed, it should not have any issues (fingers crossed).

 

[securityguy]

This is always going to be a concern for the short distance commuters like me, but I think the weekly long distance drive should clean the particulate filters either way. The opposite view would be that the filter would be filtering either way, some just quicker than others. But if the regen cycle is there for a reason.

The short commute was also compared to those that have longer idle times as well. I think either way, as long as the system has time to regen when needed, it should not have any issues (fingers crossed).

Drove my diesel for 2 years and my commutes were VERY short...2-3 miles. I used Archoil AR6500 every tank and AR6400-D every 3K miles and never had issues with my DPF. Every Sunday, we have a 20 minute drive to Church and back. My regen cycles were running around 600 miles.

 

[Cux211]

This is always going to be a concern for the short distance commuters like me, but I think the weekly long distance drive should clean the particulate filters either way. The opposite view would be that the filter would be filtering either way, some just quicker than others. But if the regen cycle is there for a reason.

The short commute was also compared to those that have longer idle times as well. I think either way, as long as the system has time to regen when needed, it should not have any issues (fingers crossed).

I only have a 12 mile drive to work one way and never had an issue both my 22 now my 25 regens every 500 miles the only thing I do is when it’s in a regen I don’t disturb it I stay on the road until it finishes

 

[securityguy]

I only have a 12 mile drive to work one way and never had an issue both my 22 now my 25 regens every 500 miles the only thing I do is when it’s in a regen I don’t disturb it I stay on the road until it finishes

100%...I always did the same thing...once in REGEN, I kept driving until it was completed.

 

[jwrobb]

I know I am going to get sh!t for this .. but how would I know when my truck is in regen? My previous '02 diesel didn't have this so I'm learning as I go. Dumb questions and all

 

[TMartinLVNV]

I know I am going to get sh!t for this .. but how would I know when my truck is in regen? My previous '02 diesel didn't have this so I'm learning as I go. Dumb questions and all

Watch the DPF monitor. After it has been at 100% for a few minutes, it will start dropping to 0%. It takes about 10 minutes. When driving, you won't notice it except for that the MPG will take a hit. When stopped, you may notice a burning smell. This cycle happens at about every 500 miles for me. When towing my little 3000 lb trailer on the highway, active regens don't happen as the truck can do it passively.

Both the black badged and red badged 23+ 6.7s have the 9th fuel injector.

 

[Wapitispokes]

Absolutely. I stopped riding on the street when a cop made a left in front of me and tested my ABS. I was on a BMW R1200 ADV with headlights and driving lights on in the daytime.
Everyone really is trying to kill you.

Whoever thought of that location should have their ding dong slammed in a door.

Absolutely. I stopped riding on the street when a cop made a left in front of me and tested my ABS. I was on a BMW R1200 ADV with headlights and driving lights on in the daytime.
Everyone really is trying to kill you.

Whoever thought of that location should have their ding dong slammed in a door.

Actually I like the idea of putting the DEF inlet port remote from the Diesel inlet port. Folks put the nozzle in the wrong hole all the time.

My BIL is no dummy, and he works as a first responder (fireman). One late night after a long shift and probably scraping bodies off the road, he stopped at a fuel station and accidentally put DEF in his Diesel tank. Figured it out as he was pulling away. Stopped and turned the engine off. Engine survived after having the vehicle towed and drained. But lots of smart, cogent, non-drunk folks make the same mistake. Might be even better if the shape of the inlet port for DEF and Diesel blocked the wrong nozzle.

 

[Najaf4life]

Don't daily drive mine. I drive 50 miles one way to work. I DD my tdi.

All this talk about DEF; what's that?