By WWJ Auto Beat Reporter Jeff Gilbert
I’ve always been intrigued by with the concept of driving off-road in the desert. I just didn’t imagine my first experience would be with a 720 horsepower beast of a pickup truck.
Ford took us to Palm Springs to learn about and drive three trims of the new F-150, the hybrid, the of- road oriented Tremor and the fast off-roader, the Raptor-R.
"You should have felt real comfortable doing things you’ve never been done before,” said Chief Engineer Carl Widmann. “You can climb a dune with it, go fast in the desert, act like a trophy truck driver.”
I’m happy with simply getting a “completion” trophy. There were times I was concerned I wouldn’t even get that. I did have one colleague who blew a tire.
The only thing I harmed was my ego.
The “dry heat” of the desert eased a bit for our drive. It was only in the 90s, but we were still told to hydrate
We were also warned, however, if we had too much hydration to stay away from any bushes to “do our business” — because that’s where the rattlesnakes like to hide.
To illustrate things, they had a baby rattler in a bucket. They just caught it that morning. A little larger than a worm, and I found out they are more venomous, because they just inject all their venom when they bite.
So, suddenly the idea of driving a high speed 720 horsepower supertruck through the desert was number two on my anxiety list.
Time to switch the Raptor-R into Baja mode.
Driving up a sand dune looks easier than it is… noted when I started sliding to the left a bit. I thought I was stuck, but my guide yelled to give it a bit more power, and — sand blowing in the background — I was free.
The other time I got stuck was a bit tougher. The driver in front of me was going too slow… so I had to stop. I got stuck in his rut, had to be towed backwards; then pushing the engine and spinning the tires, slowly made my way up the hill.
I’m not by nature a speed demon. A windy, brush filled desert course was a challenge — 70 mph stretch, followed by quick ruts, and a hard turn into some twists.
Don’t forget to brake for more ruts, or you’ll go flying.
I’d never worn a HANS device before, which connects to your helmet and keeps your head straight. It was mildly uncomfortable, but it did a great job of protecting my neck, which is filled with arthritis.
We did three laps around the course, and I built confidence so that on the third lap, I was actually going at recommended speed. For me, a victory!
Next step: autocross on a dry lake bed. We mourn for the cones that I knocked out of place, twice.
Maybe I got too confident about my speed. But, twice I went into turns a little too fast, and experienced what the engineers call “understeer” — with the truck not quiet going as tightly into the turn as I wanted it to.
Thank you God for making dry lake beds. A missed target was no problem.
The drive event helped me better differentiate between two popular Ford off- road trims — Raptor and Tremor.
Raptor is about speed, while Tremor is for those who are into off-roading with a pickup.
And, boy did we off-road. We wound up into the mountains above Palm Springs, then wound our way down on a tight dirt road, for four grueling hours.
You find out quickly that the many camera views around the vehicle are your friend. So is off-road mode, that sets you in the right four wheel drive configuration, and even keeps those cameras on.
Yes, there were some tight dropoffs. What starts as scary, turns into a great confidence builder — assuming you survive.
You learn to aim to put your wheels on the rocks. Be careful you don’t slip off, as you hear the scary crunching sound. That’s why we have skid plates. But, it’s best to be avoided.
Slow is good. The Trail Cruise mode helps you move through with ease, but sometimes the brake works better. The Tremor also has a special mode to help you tighten your turns.
It’s not my first time off-road. Some Wrangler drives were more intense. This one was longer and more tiring.
One thing you learn when you team up, it’s actually less tiring to be the driver than the passenger. Maybe the steering wheel helps you hold on.
A day that began before sunrise, ended around sunset. Off-roading can be exhausting, but it’s definitely rewarding.
As for the F-150: a solid pickup truck. The updates are not huge, but they do make it better. I doubt any of its legions of fans will be complaining.