Buying new Max Tow off the lot??

[Polo08816]

That's 4x4 stuff, not max tow. Max tow should be avoided in 21-23 unless you want broken axles down the road. Max tow is such a great package, it's been removed from the 24s until they can redesign it.

Or just go back to a tried and true design. I'm interested in being able to confirm if it has already been re-designed for 2024. Guess we may not know for sure until they start hitting dealer lots.

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[JJSnell]

all window stickers have a build date on the lower part near the price
if you download the sticker for the truck you can see the build date or the date real close to actual build date

Oh no s_____? I was always told mine was an early July build... but it looks like early August?
"Learn a new thing every day"

Now with that knowledge, I need to look again at the "rearend bolt" date window and see if Im still clear of it.

 

[HammaMan]

Or just go back to a tried and true design. I'm interested in being able to confirm if it has already been re-designed for 2024. Guess we may not know for sure until they start hitting dealer lots.

It's not showing up on any of the build sheets and they've spoken about 'lower tow numbers' quite a bit. There's just the tow package which includes the upgraded bumper. Not sure of other trims, PB already had all of the other components.

 

[JJSnell]

trying to get ahead of the game here as strike threatens - lots of trips planned for this fall and not willing to wait additional months

found a couple trucks on lots within 200mi with similar enough builds to mine w/ the exception of MAX TOW. three questions:
1.) is there a consensus that mid-year 2023 builds don't have the axle bolt problem? dug through tons of threads but can't figure it out
2.) how can I figure out the build date of a non-special order truck (no blend on the window sticker)
3.) is there a noticeable ride quality difference between the Max Tow and regular PB axle assuming no FX4 or lift planned?

thank you!

How heavy a trailer are you towing? I see some of these guys talking about towing 9,500lb boats and such and I cant believe they are even trying....
I have an 11,300lb (dry weight) TTrailer and although on paper, I could possibly to it, there is no way I would even try. I wouldnt even try the 9500lb boat... thats F250+ area.


Anyway, if you can find something similar and your trailer is not too heavy, Id say go for it... "Bird in hand is worth more than a bird sitting on a factory floor waiting to be built by striking workers."

 

[trabo]

The strike is not going to affect F-150 production

 

[HammaMan]

I have a news flash for you, i own a 21 and a 22 lariat Powerboost. the 21 has the small nut and has the tow package! The 22 has the max tow package and the big nut and stub sticking out the center as you saw in the picture. So mr.
FORD everything why is that? Please enlighten me.

22 and 23 show different front axle half shafts.

 

[cisco23]

The strike is not going to affect F-150 production

where are you getting this? everything I'm seeing leads me to believe the new strike targets getting announced tomorrow morning are going to be full-size truck plants

 

[amschind]

Max tow only reduces the payload of the PB. As for failures, they seem to be occurring less than other years. This may be due to a higher grade bolt being used but I suspect the underlying issue that's causing the bolt shearing is unchanged.

I'd wait until your build date to see what happens personally. Not sure how far apart your order is vs the truck on the lot. The max tow option for the PB doesn't match what it provides -- FX4 doesn't offer anything either outside of a cheap skid plate.

Great points. FX4 DOES offer hill descent control, but literally every other piece got removed and replaced on my truck (including the stupid sticker.....never understood why folks wanted a option code displayed on their vehicle). The FX4 skid plate package is worse than useless; it is not fit for purpose, and gets in the way of oil changes.

 

[amschind]

How heavy a trailer are you towing? I see some of these guys talking about towing 9,500lb boats and such and I cant believe they are even trying....
I have an 11,300lb (dry weight) TTrailer and although on paper, I could possibly to it, there is no way I would even try. I wouldnt even try the 9500lb boat... thats F250+ area.


Anyway, if you can find something similar and your trailer is not too heavy, Id say go for it... "Bird in hand is worth more than a bird sitting on a factory floor waiting to be built by striking workers."

The weight depends a lot of the air resistance. I'm really looking at towing a HEAVY electric tractor, but that's quite a bit more dense than a boat or TT. It's also going to be relatively flat roads at low elevation with no requirement to drive on highways, so I can cruise along at 55 if I need to.

That said, I am equally terrified when I see a half ton towing a 15' tall 30' travel trailer. The weight isn't the issue, it's the SURFACE AREA. If you're in Kansas going to see Montana and there's a 30 MPH cross wind and then an 18 wheeler zips by you (or worse yet you pass the 18 wheeler because you are an idiot) you get massive lateral loads in a nearly sinusoidal pattern. There is no anti-sway hitch that will save you then, and your ONLY hope is that your trailer brakes are amazing and that you apply them almost instantly (essentially before you can even feel the sway, in response to pass the 18 wheeler). Bottom line, air resistance (frontal AND lateral) doesn't have a neat figure attached to it, so it appears to get far less attention than it deserves.

Does NOT look fun.

 

[Supercub]

22 and 23 show different front axle half shafts.

Source? Although thats possible, all the kits come with and show the small nut, both Bilstein and Ford Performance. I personally have seen no reference to the change you suggest. My initial thought was max tow being the diff as both trucks I have are PB’s. There is a lot of chatter on the internet about all the millions of rear axle bolts failing, millions I hear. I will check mine when i change out the rear tires for snow tires soon.
The jury’s still out.

 

[HammaMan]

Great points. FX4 DOES offer hill descent control, but literally every other piece got removed and replaced on my truck (including the stupid sticker.....never understood why folks wanted a option code displayed on their vehicle). The FX4 skid plate package is worse than useless; it is not fit for purpose, and gets in the way of oil changes.

There's a few packages that are pure profit for ford and you find them everywhere. You can buy the button for hill descent if you desire it, but the brakes still work off road. It's not crawl control which has quite a bit of utility. Even then if it was still just a button to add, it wouldn't be worth $1k.

 

[JJSnell]

The weight depends a lot of the air resistance. I'm really looking at towing a HEAVY electric tractor, but that's quite a bit more dense than a boat or TT. It's also going to be relatively flat roads at low elevation with no requirement to drive on highways, so I can cruise along at 55 if I need to.

That said, I am equally terrified when I see a half ton towing a 15' tall 30' travel trailer. The weight isn't the issue, it's the SURFACE AREA. If you're in Kansas going to see Montana and there's a 30 MPH cross wind and then an 18 wheeler zips by you (or worse yet you pass the 18 wheeler because you are an idiot) you get massive lateral loads in a nearly sinusoidal pattern. There is no anti-sway hitch that will save you then, and your ONLY hope is that your trailer brakes are amazing and that you apply them almost instantly (essentially before you can even feel the sway, in response to pass the 18 wheeler). Bottom line, air resistance (frontal AND lateral) doesn't have a neat figure attached to it, so it appears to get far less attention than it deserves.

Does NOT look fun.

Exactly... that video, the guy is an idiot. Was that an Explorer or Expedition? I cant tell, I think its an Explorer?

Again, my truckr, can supposedly pull my DRY WEIGHT trailer, but it would snap the truck in half. The F350 dually, that delivered to my property was working hard to place it.

2021 Forest River Cherokee Destination 39SR specs and literature guide (rvusa.com)

 

[HammaMan]

Source? Although thats possible, all the kits come with and show the small nut, both Bilstein and Ford Performance. I personally have seen no reference to the change you suggest. My initial thought was max tow being the diff as both trucks I have are PB’s. There is a lot of chatter on the internet about all the millions of rear axle bolts failing, millions I hear. I will check mine when i change out the rear tires for snow tires soon.
The jury’s still out.

 

[amschind]

Exactly... that video, the guy is an idiot. Was that an Explorer or Expedition? I cant tell, I think its an Explorer?

Again, my trailer, DRY WEIGHT can supposedly pull my trailer, but it would snap it in half. The F350 dually, that delivered to my property was working hard to place it.

2021 Forest River Cherokee Destination 39SR specs and literature guide (rvusa.com)

THAT THING IS A HOTEL ON WHEELS.

My build is in a SLIGHTLY different weight class... 2400# empty at present, but I hope to have the loaded weight under 5000.

 

[JJSnell]

THAT THING IS A HOTEL ON WHEELS.

My build is in a SLIGHTLY different weight class... 2400# empty at present, but I hope to have the loaded weight under 5000.

Its at the property and never moves. Once he dropped it, its going to stay there until I can build a house.

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