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Aug 26, 2023

News: These 2021 Ford F

More capability means a different axle design. The new 2021 Ford F-150 trucks

More capability means a different axle design.

The new 2021 Ford F-150 trucks are starting to reach dealerships, but some are being delayed due to part supply shortages. TFLtruck has learned that the new F-150 maximum trailer towing package includes a 9.75-inch 3/4-floating rear axle. This axle may be delaying some new truck deliveries that are configured with a maximum towing package. Here are all the details.

This "3/4-floating" type of the rear axle provides additional load-carrying capacities that the new truck requires. Some configurations of the new F-150 are rated to tow up to 14,000 lbs. You may have heard of us talk about half-ton trucks using "semi-floating" axles and HD trucks riding on "fully-floating" axles. We have not explored or studied a "3/4-floating" rear axle design much, but this design is more similar to how a heavy duty fully-floating axle is setup.

The below diagram (not created by TFLtruck, source unknown) shows an HD fully-floating axle design on the left, and a "3/4-floating" axle design on the right. The latter design is more compact and uses a single ball bearing. The larger fully-floating axle design is using two ball bearings. It's good to know that the models that are meant to haul and tow heavier are equipped with a different axle design to support the capability.

Why not just slap a fully-floating HD axle in the back of the new F-150? We do not have an official word on this, but the HD axle design is bulky and heavy. It may simply be overkill for a "half-ton truck" application. Although, any truck that is rated to tow 14,000 lbs can and should be considered a heavy duty vehicle.

Here is everything else that's included in the new 2021 Ford F-150 maximum trailer towing axle. The unique towing mirrors are an additional option on top of the Trailer Tow (or Max Trailer Tow) package, listed below:

TFLtruck reached out to Ford to confirm the design of the max. trailer towing package, as well as the potential part shortage related to the axle. Ford confirmed the design of the axle and said this about it: "We’ve seen much higher demand for the max trailer tow package than originally anticipated, causing a commodity issue with a shortage of the floating 9.75 axle."

F-150 trucks not equipped with the max. trailer towing package have a different rear axle with a semi-floating design.

Update 12/17/20: Per Ford's configurator, the unique towing mirrors are not part of the Trailer Tow package, but are an additional option that requires you spec either the Trailer Tow or Max Trailer Tow package. We apologize for the error.