ChsTremor Overland/Work Hybrid Build

[ChsTremor]

Updated 11/7/2025: THIS TRUCK IS FOR SALE

2021 Tremor 402a - Copious Amounts of Tasteful Add-Ons

I was a long time lurker and early member here. Quit posting a while back but never quick loving this truck. With a recent career shift, I now have the need for a 3/4 ton truck and am putting my trusty steed up for sale. Below is my build link on this forum but please know that I quit updating...

www.f150tremor.com

Thought I'd post up all the mods on the truck that, I'll admit, you guys are mostly responsible for.

A little backstory - I put in an order for a '22 in Nov of '21. Got a production date fairly quickly, Jan 10th. That week came and went. A few weeks turned into months. After a few changes in ETA's and ultimately no solid info from Ford, I decided to purchase a used '21 402a. In buying the '21 I gave up torsen and unleashed but gained bluecruise, ambient lighting in cup holders and digital temp on the AC knobs. I don't regret it.

This truck came with a 2.5" procomp level, amp power steps, 12" kicker under the seat with alpine amp, Bakflip FiberMax, bedliner, tinted windows, 20" Fuel Rebels and 35x12.50 KO2's.

I'll try to take a picture of each mod, post a link to the associated website and give a short review. I'll try to update the first few posts as new mods are added.

BFG KO2 35 x 12.50 BFG Link
I had a set years ago and wasn't a huge fan mainly due to mileage. We will see how these do. Jury is still out.



AMP Research Power Steps AMP Link
I like these. One of the main downsides I foresaw going from my '15 Platinum to a Tremor was the lack of boujee step ups. I will say that I wouldn't mind the Tremor ones as I think they would protect the sides of the truck better from rock chips.



OCD Plug matte screen protector. OCD Link
Worth the money. I bought one from another company for our Bronco - this one is higher quality. Keeps down the fingerprints and reduces glare.


Builtright velcro molle panels Builtright Link
I wasn't planning on having a underseat sub and would have utilized more of these. I still like the amount I was able to use. They should help keep stuff from accumulating in door pockets. I've also got one on the bottom of the drivers seat where I keep a tape measure. The little clips and straps that come with the combo kit are semi useless. I could just get some carabiners and velcro straps instead.


B&W 5" Stow and Go drop hitch. Stow and Go Link
Freaking pricey but as they say, its the only and last hitch you should ever need. Beats carrying around 3+ hitches for various trailers. Also, it has a feature that lets you swing the balls up under the truck (no truck nutz jokes here) so that you don't bang your shins. That alone may be worth the money.

 

[ChsTremor]

Mods 2

Builtright Bed Panel System Builtright Link
I went back and forth on these. My other option was going to be a ROAM case to store stuff in. I think these will let items be more accessible and I like that you can still put a full sheet of plywood in the back or load a motorcycle without having to move anything.


Swapped out the hard shackles for soft ones. Also thought this little silky saw was worth its own spot. Its not a mod per se but pretty sweet.
Soft Shackles


Silky Saw Link


Bilstein 5160 rear shocks
Bought these from a fellow forum member who was going with a differently valved (firmer) shock. I've only put about 10 miles on them but so far I can say they are worth the $$. Its hard to explain how they improve the ride but I suspect if you've upgraded your suspension before, you will understand. I am now in search of how to improve the front as much as these improved the rear.


Roadmaster Active Suspension (RAS) HD RAS HD Link
I've had these on for about 400 miles at this point. Really impressed. I have notice the rear end not as susceptible to big bumps in the road. Also, they have vastly improved the sag when hooked to a trailer which is the main reason for the purchase. So far have only tested with my boat but I'll try to report back when I have a real load. They did pick the rear end up about 3/4" which is welcome in my book.
Before After


HaloLifts Coilovers and SPC Upper Control Arms HALO LIFTS LINK
Previously had Procomp spacers. These coilovers are better and I suspect just as good as most of the competition. There is a really long thread on here that talks about these so I won't go into detail. They are adjustable on the truck which I like. The ride is good.

Satin Black Vinyl Roof Wrap
Had this done at a local vehicle wrap place. Cost was $350. I wanted something to set the truck apart from the other white ones but didnt want to do a whole "top hat" wrap for the top of the cab.

 

[ChsTremor]

Amber Grill Lights by @Cblaxx19 CB Lighting Designs
I mean, who doesn't need a lighted up grill that functions with the turn signals?
I wired my to upfitter switch 6 because I wanted the capability to turn them off if needed.

Lighted Ford emblem by Putco Putco Link
Must have if you have the lighted grill.

Core Trax tie down system Core Trax Link
Our trucks are great but I am always finding the need for tie down points close to the cab that are lower. That got me searching for more tie down options. I ended up going with Core Trax tie down system and used aluminum rivetnuts and aluminum bolts to fasten through the bed. These aren't for heavy loads but should be good for 500lbs or so.

 

[Cranbery]

Nice man!

Glad to have been a part of influencing the transfer from your bank account to your sick truck!

Speaking of which... You need a bed cover.

 

[ChsTremor]

Nice man!

Glad to have been a part of influencing the transfer from your bank account to your sick truck!

Speaking of which... You need a bed cover.

I got one! Its a Backflip Fibermax. Check out the first pic in post #2. I'll admit, it's an OK cover but I was wanting the Truxedo Sentry CT hard roll up as it's quick to take out and doesn't block the rear window view when fully rolled up.

I'll gladly trade anyone if they want to get rid of their rigid roll up!

 

[ETN]

Wasn't thinking the BAKFlip would quite cover the rear window when up. Glad I don't use rearview all that much.

How you feeling with the Kicker under seat? Any changes to other speakers? Will 100% be upgrading stereo at some point.

Definitely diggin' the Builtright. Now added to list..

 

[FaKtor34]

Wasn't thinking the BAKFlip would quite cover the rear window when up. Glad I don't use rearview all that much.

How you feeling with the Kicker under seat? Any changes to other speakers? Will 100% be upgrading stereo at some point.

Definitely diggin' the Builtright. Now added to list..

Built right is extremely nice, no thanks to @Cranbery for the extra spending I did .

 

[ChsTremor]

Wasn't thinking the BAKFlip would quite cover the rear window when up. Glad I don't use rearview all that much.

How you feeling with the Kicker under seat? Any changes to other speakers? Will 100% be upgrading stereo at some point.

Definitely diggin' the Builtright. Now added to list..

The Kicker/Amp set up is as follows: 12” Kicker 47TRTP122 w/ Alpine MRV-M500 & AudioControl LC2i
The shop also added sound deadening on the rear firewall (I dont think it is stock) and I get absolutely no rattle on the back glass. I was really concerned about that as I had a loaner with the unleashed and it rattled the back glass like crazy.

Overall, I like the sub but dont a fan of losing the under seat storage. I think the trade off is worth it. I don't think the LC2i and or amp are adjusted to correctly coordinate with the stock head unit though. Once I get this figured out, I'll be even more happy.

It sounds pretty good and I would not have been happy with the regular B&O without it.

I did look at upgrading the other speakers but from what I can tell, it's a must to add another amp to power the new speakers. That gets into buying a different signal converter ($700+) plus speakers, plus amp, plus door block off panels, plus all the work to install it. At this point, I'm happy with the extra bass the sub provides and I'll get new suspension before doing any more stereo mods.

 

[ETN]

Appreciate the report out, @ChsTremor, and the info on the rattle/sound deadening. Yeah, already thinking ahead on under seat storage. Sucks to lose any of that, but imagine you still have a few square feet? Guessing the sub/amp took up ~2/3 of it? Pic would be killer if you're up for it!

 

[ChsTremor]

Appreciate the report out, @ChsTremor, and the info on the rattle/sound deadening. Yeah, already thinking ahead on under seat storage. Sucks to lose any of that, but imagine you still have a few square feet? Guessing the sub/amp took up ~2/3 of it? Pic would be killer if you're up for it!

It might take up 50% of the space. This truck had the underseat storage. At first I was bummed about losing the space but then I remembered what I kept under the seat in my last truck - a bunch of stuff that was never used and just ended up being junk. It was a spot to put things that didnt really need to be in the truck or I didn’t have another spot for.
Losing that underseat storage has actually help me become more deliberate with what I keep in the truck and where I keep it. With the Builtright bed panels and Velcro panels I really dont have a need for under seat storage and haven’t missed it yet.
Ignore the golden retriever hairs please.

Pro tip - the bolts for underseat storage stick up a bit and could hit the sub. I made little lift wedges and screwed them to the front of the enclosure to give the sub some extra room. Still doesn’t affect the seat height.

 

[ETN]

Oh yeah, I see the wedges - thanks for mentioning. And for posting the pic! Who doesn't have dog hair covering their truck, ha. At least you don't have car seats preventing you from flipping the rear seats - why I didn't go with built-in storage actually, figure I'll grab aftermarket when ready.

So where'd you mount the amp?

I actually had similar thoughts, transferring all of the junk from last vehicle into Tremor - I don't need most of this stuff. Condensed it down to what will fit in a small tote under seat (bungees, ratchet straps, small air compressor, tire plugs, etc). Definitely looking forward to some Builtright panels - things are a no brainer! Am also considering one of these at some point to go under MX4- https://bakflip.com/p/bakbox-2-tonneau-toolbox/

 

[ChsTremor]

Oh yeah, I see the wedges - thanks for mentioning. And for posting the pic! Who doesn't have dog hair covering their truck, ha. At least you don't have car seats preventing you from flipping the rear seats - why I didn't go with built-in storage actually, figure I'll grab aftermarket when ready.

So where'd you mount the amp?

I actually had similar thoughts, transferring all of the junk from last vehicle into Tremor - I don't need most of this stuff. Condensed it down to what will fit in a small tote under seat (bungees, ratchet straps, small air compressor, tire plugs, etc). Definitely looking forward to some Builtright panels - things are a no brainer! Am also considering one of these at some point to go under MX4- https://bakflip.com/p/bakbox-2-tonneau-toolbox/

I'm carrying twice as much stuff as I did in my old truck and have zero items stored under the seat (velcro panels not counted) AND can still load a full sheet of plywood in the back without moving a thing.

That backflip box is pretty cool. Keeps items off the bottom of the bed.

Amps are mounted here. Previous owner had the install done. I think this is typical location but it sucks for adjusting any levels on the LC2i or amp. You pretty much have to unmount to make adjustments.

 

[ETN]

I'm carrying twice as much stuff as I did in my old truck and have zero items stored under the seat (velcro panels not counted) AND can still load a full sheet of plywood in the back without moving a thing.

That backflip box is pretty cool. Keeps items off the bottom of the bed.

Amps are mounted here. Previous owner had the install done. I think this is typical location but it sucks for adjusting any levels on the LC2i or amp. You pretty much have to unmount to make adjustments.
View attachment 5082

Gotcha. Yeah, that would be tight adjusting anything.

Had bed sprayed today and went ahead and had them throw a bakflip MX4 cover on there. Forgot to tell them to leave out the drain tubes, until I could gauge how much of a problem drainage would actually be without (seems like it would be minimal anyway). Tucked the tubes back behind the tie-downs and zip tied them in place, but wanted to keep the bottom of bed clear for that reason - plywood. Still shouldn't be a problem, will just have to watch it sliding sheets in now. Also a reason I like that bakflip box - sits up off the bed high enough that I should be able to tuck plywood under, but also collapses against cab if needed. Will definitely be ordering some Builtrights - those are the ticket.

 

[Badmothertrucker]

The Kicker/Amp set up is as follows: 12” Kicker 47TRTP122 w/ Alpine MRV-M500 & AudioControl LC2i
The shop also added sound deadening on the rear firewall (I dont think it is stock) and I get absolutely no rattle on the back glass. I was really concerned about that as I had a loaner with the unleashed and it rattled the back glass like crazy.

Overall, I like the sub but dont a fan of losing the under seat storage. I think the trade off is worth it. I don't think the LC2i and or amp are adjusted to correctly coordinate with the stock head unit though. Once I get this figured out, I'll be even more happy.

It sounds pretty good and I would not have been happy with the regular B&O without it.

I did look at upgrading the other speakers but from what I can tell, it's a must to add another amp to power the new speakers. That gets into buying a different signal converter ($700+) plus speakers, plus amp, plus door block off panels, plus all the work to install it. At this point, I'm happy with the extra bass the sub provides and I'll get new suspension before doing any more stereo mods.

I wanted the extra bass as you did but I was told just as you described that it won’t work perfectly and I wouldn’t be happy. That was my $2,500 option supplying my own amp. Then I was told $7,100 will make it sound great and that’s when I abandoned that idea.

 

[Cranbery]

I wanted the extra bass as you did but I was told just as you described that it won’t work perfectly and I wouldn’t be happy. That was my $2,500 option supplying my own amp. Then I was told $7,100 will make it sound great and that’s when I abandoned that idea.

The stock speakers are pretty good, it's the amp and the sub that lack on the unleashed.

My plan is for an amp for the sub, an amp for the stock speakers, the adapter so the amps, sub, and speakers are interested properly with the head unit, and dynamat around the sub to avoid rattles and get cleaner bass.

As long as I keep it around a decent 12, maybe a 500 and an 800 watt, no crazy brands or models - should be around $3k installed.

 

[Badmothertrucker]

The stock speakers are pretty good, it's the amp and the sub that lack on the unleashed.

My plan is for an amp for the sub, an amp for the stock speakers, the adapter so the amps, sub, and speakers are interested properly with the head unit, and dynamat around the sub to avoid rattles and get cleaner bass.

As long as I keep it around a decent 12, maybe a 500 and an 800 watt, no crazy brands or models - should be around $3k installed.

Sounds good, looking forward to how it turns out.

 

[ChsTremor]

I wanted the extra bass as you did but I was told just as you described that it won’t work perfectly and I wouldn’t be happy. That was my $2,500 option supplying my own amp. Then I was told $7,100 will make it sound great and that’s when I abandoned that idea.

I think it’s just a factor of adjusting the LC2i. I just can’t seem to hit the sweet spot.

Don’t get me wrong - it’s much better than stock. I may eventually get another amo for stock speakers and upgrade those as well.

I think it could all be done in the $3-$4k range as @Cranbery said.

 

[35TREM]

Mods 2

Builtright Bed Panel System Builtright Link
I went back and forth on these. My other option was going to be a ROAM case to store stuff in. I think these will let items be more accessible and I like that you can still put a full sheet of plywood in the back or load a motorcycle without having to move anything.
View attachment 5049 View attachment 5050 View attachment 5051 View attachment 5052

Swapped out the hard shackles for soft ones. Also thought this little silky saw was worth its own spot. Its not a mod per se but pretty sweet.
Soft Shackles
View attachment 5079

Silky Saw Link
View attachment 5080

Bilstein 5160 rear shocks
Bought these from a fellow forum member who was going with a differently valved (firmer) shock. I've only put about 10 miles on them but so far I can say they are worth the $$. Its hard to explain how they improve the ride but I suspect if you've upgraded your suspension before, you will understand. I am now in search of how to improve the front as much as these improved the rear.
View attachment 5580

Roadmaster Active Suspension (RAS) HD RAS HD Link
I've had these on for about 400 miles at this point. Really impressed. I have notice the rear end not as susceptible to big bumps in the road. Also, they have vastly improved the sag when hooked to a trailer which is the main reason for the purchase. So far have only tested with my boat but I'll try to report back when I have a real load. They did pick the rear end up about 3/4" which is welcome in my book.
Before After
View attachment 5581View attachment 5582

Thanks for the post. What height are the Halo coilovers set at to allow the 35x12 tires?
Just hope its something like 1.5" settings, that would mean that a Billstein 6112 set at the maximum 2.5" height (would only give a Tremor 1.5" lift ) and that would also work.

 

[ChsTremor]

Thanks for the post. What height are the Halo coilovers set at to allow the 35x12 tires?
Just hope its something like 1.5" settings, that would mean that a Billstein 6112 set at the maximum 2.5" height (would only give a Tremor 1.5" lift ) and that would also work.

I'm not sure what height they are set at. The Halolifts coilovers as supposed to be shipped at 2.5" of lift. I've adjusted them to 5 turns lower than what they shipped at and My front end is 1/4" higher than it was with the Procomp 2.5" level.

I loosened the crash bars and moved them out. I still have a little rub on the corner of the bumper at certain off camber situations when in reverse. I think this can be adjusted with the SPC UCA's though and plan to have the shop adjust this.

 

[ChsTremor]

Updated first three posts with current mods to include
- Halolifts coilovers
- Roof wrap
- CB Lighting Designs grill lights
- Putco Emblem
- Core Trax Tie Down System