New Ford F-350 is Mac(simum) Truck
Ford offers Raptor editions for both its mid-size Ranger and full-size F-150. But Ford’s Super-Duty trucks have been left out of the Baja racer treatment. Ford will be offering the F-250 with the off-road Tremor package in 2020. But that leaves the (possibly soon-to-be canceled) F-350 without any real high-end off-road trim. Well, Long McArthur Ford in Kansas has decided to fix that. The dealer has debuted the Ford F-350 Mac Truck Edition. And while special- and limited-edition trucks aren’t always so special, Long McArthur Ford’s modifications are the real deal.
F-350 Mac Truck Exterior Mods
Long McArthur Ford base the Mac Truck F-350 on the dual-rear-wheel F-350 XL (base level) 4×4. This is technically the second time the dealer has offered a Mac Truck package—the first came out in 2017, but now Long McArthur Ford has refined it.
The dealer first installs Ford’s STX appearance package, which normally adds chrome front and rear step bumpers, additional STX badges, a bright chrome grille, and 17” aluminum wheels. However, the Mac Truck upgrades replace quite a bit of the STX’s features.
The bumpers are now custom steel units from Thunder Struck; the front one also has LED lights on its corners. The sides now feature light-up MAC-branded lights, and the grille is now blacked-out. The Mac Truck also comes with custom “MACTRUCK” rocker graphics and a spray-in bed liner. But these mods are the only start.
The STX 17” wheels have been replaced with 22” MAC-brand ones, complete with 37” Toyo off-road tires. Underneath Long McArthur Ford installed a 2.5” suspension level kit, as well as Fox 2.0 shocks front and rear. The truck also got a front Fox stabilizer bar. But the Mac Truck modifications did leave some of the STX’s components behind. There’s a tailgate step and a 5th wheel prep package.
The Kansas Ford dealer didn’t do any engine mods. So, the truck’s stock 6.7-liter turbodiesel V8 still makes 450-hp and 935 lb-ft of torque. However, other than the PaxPower F-150 Raptor, this is the closest thing to a diesel Raptor with Ford factory support.
F-350 Mac Truck Interior Mods
Long McArthur Ford fit the F-350 Mac Truck custom leather trim on both the seats and console. Considering where the truck will likely head, the heavy-duty floormats are also appreciated.
And, although the exterior upgrades replace many of the STX package’s components, the interior does keep the rest. The STX contents include Ford’s Sync system and 8” touchscreen. The STX package also bundles Ford’s trailer tow camera system.
Mac Truck vs. the Raptors and Competition
Although certainly off-road-capable, the F-350 Mac Truck isn’t a Raptor competitor. The heavy-duty truck is too big and doesn’t have the F-150 Raptor’s extra software tuning and suspension travel.
Instead, the Mac Truck’s closest competition is the Ram Power Wagon and AEV Prospector. They’re all heavy-duty trucks with off-road modifications. But, the F-350 Mac Truck offers the DRW option, which the Power Wagon and Prospector don’t.
Mac Truck Availability and Pricing
Long McArthur Ford can build a Mac Truck on both versions of the F-350, single- and dual-rear-wheel, as well as on the F-250. The F-250 and F-350 SRW Mac Truck Package costs $17,995; the F-350 DRW Package costs $19,995. All are available with a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty.
With the F-250 and F-350 SRW starting at $33,150 and $34,320 respectively, that means their Mac Truck versions would come in at around $52,000. That compares fairly favorably with the Ram Power Wagon (starting price: $53,690) and AEV Prospector ($12,490 on top of a base Ram 2500). And at an advertised price just under $75k, the DRW F-350 version is no doubt expensive. But it is one of the few off-road dually trucks–and for some, the Mac Truck may bring maximum fun.
