Surprising Comparison Lifted 2017 Stock 2021

[Jay D]

Been on this forum for a couple months now interacting with several members and several topics, but this will be my first time posting. I just wanted to share these photos of my 2 trucks, and there height comparison photos. The rear photo shows my 2021 (F250 Tremor 6.7) on the left and my 2017 (F250 FX4 6.7) on the right with 3.5" lift installed (1" rear lift) on 37" Ridge Grapplers. Surprisingly they sit almost the same height in the rear. The 2017 models already came pretty tall, so i was shocked to see this. When you look at the front there is a substantial difference. Just thought I'd share.

 

[SVT4X4]

My understanding is Ford lowered the regular Superduties in 2020, from 2019. Then the "lift" they call it on the Tremor is actually the tire size, and is about 1/2 inch taller. Pretty crazy.

 

[Jay D]

My understanding is Ford lowered the regular Superduties in 2020, from 2019. Then the "lift" they call it on the Tremor is actually the tire size, and is about 1/2 inch taller. Pretty crazy.

Yeah. It just surprised me that 1” lift and 37s is the same as the stock Tremor on 35s. I expected there to be a more noticeable difference. I’m excited to lift or level my Tremor. Haven’t quite decided yet.

 

[strogg]

To me, it was disappointing to hear the 2" drop from 2019 to 2020. The Tremor pretty much remediated that, and it was noticeable when I am next to a 2017-2019 model. Stock 2020 Tremor for stock 17-19 Super Duty, they are the same height.

 

[LT75]

The back end looks the same. The front looks about 2 inches lower on the tremor. Unless the front end hood is sloped down more than the older model.

 

[Jay D]

To me, it was disappointing to hear the 2" drop from 2019 to 2020. The Tremor pretty much remediated that, and it was noticeable when I am next to a 2017-2019 model. Stock 2020 Tremor for stock 17-19 Super Duty, they are the same height.

That’s why I was surprised. My 2017 with lift and 37s sets the same height as my 2021 stock. If what you’re saying is accurate I would think my 2017 would set several inches higher.

 

[Jay D]

The back end looks the same. The front looks about 2 inches lower on the tremor. Unless the front end hood is sloped down more than the older model.

Yes the back is the same even though my 17” has 1” of lift and 37” tires. The front of my 17 is 3.5” higher than stock. The 2021 tremor is bone stock. They are the same body style. Only change was the front grille, headlights and tailgate.

 

[ICT Tremor]

Ford lowered the ride height, but didn't change bumpstops (from my understanding), so the 2020+ non-Tremor trucks have very little actual suspension travel available. It's a little silly.

 

[Jay D]

Ford lowered the ride height, but didn't change bumpstops (from my understanding), so the 2020+ non-Tremor trucks have very little actual suspension travel available. It's a little silly.

Yeah I believe it’s only like 1” up travel. WTF is that?!? Lol

 

[strogg]

That’s why I was surprised. My 2017 with lift and 37s sets the same height as my 2021 stock. If what you’re saying is accurate I would think my 2017 would set several inches higher.

If you look at the front end, it is at least 2 inches higher in the lifted 17. You can tell by looking at the side mirrors. The stock trucks have a front rake, which actually makes the rear end lift up. By leveling a truck, you actually lower the rear end. Think of the truck as a see-saw with the fulcrum on the rear axle. You lift the front, the back will drop, and vice versa. Even though you added a rear block, the rear is still sitting lower because the front end is lifted up higher. This makes the lift gate portion seem the same height on both trucks even though the 17 sits much higher in the front. Hopefully that made sense.

 

[Jay D]

If you look at the front end, it is at least 2 inches higher in the lifted 17. You can tell by looking at the side mirrors. The stock trucks have a front rake, which actually makes the rear end lift up. By leveling a truck, you actually lower the rear end. Think of the truck as a see-saw with the fulcrum on the rear axle. You lift the front, the back will drop, and vice versa. Even though you added a rear block, the rear is still sitting lower because the front end is lifted up higher. This makes the lift gate portion seem the same height on both trucks even though the 17 sits much higher in the front. Hopefully that made sense.

Yes that makes perfect sense. I just wouldn’t expect that much drop/rise from a pivot point as close as the rear axle.

 

[strogg]

Yes that makes perfect sense. I just wouldn’t expect that much drop/rise from a pivot point as close as the rear axle.

The closeness of the rear may have to do with the gvwr package that F250 Tremors are forced to have. That basically gives the rear of the truck the F350 suspension components. From what I've heard (I don't have a verifiable source, unfortunately), the F350 ride height hasn't changed. This leads me to believe that the rear axle of our trucks are actually higher than stock 2017-2019 trucks due to the larger profile tires. So your one inch bump in the back with 37s will give it a 1.75 inch advantage on the axle, which is taken away by the increased height of the front axle.

I'm curious to see if this theory pans out. It'd be awesome to see rear liftgate height measurements of a stock 17-19 SD, 20/21 F250, 20/21 F350, and one of our Tremors.

I should mention a clarification to my earlier statement too. When I compared my truck while stock to other earlier Super Duties, I only had the chance to compare the height based on the height of the side mirrors. It is representative of the front axle only since that's where the mirrors are. I wasn't able to look at the rear end.

 

[strogg]

Yeah. It just surprised me that 1” lift and 37s is the same as the stock Tremor on 35s. I expected there to be a more noticeable difference. I’m excited to lift or level my Tremor. Haven’t quite decided yet.

I'm going to try pushing you over the edge and say you should most definitely get it at least leveled. I did a 2.5" front and 1" rear lift on mine, and it is fantastic. I have zero regrets doing that. Well, the only regret I had was waiting 4000 miles before getting it done. Considering I don't have the retractable running boards, that lift is as high as I'd go. I got oddly long legs, but they're only so long.