New owner here, what is this thing?

[Samm5892]

I traded in my 2017 F150 EB for a 2025 F150 Lariat PB and I’m still figuring everything out. I found something and I don't know what it is. It’s circled in blue in the picture and is on the driver’s side rear end. I looked through as many threads as I could and didn’t see anything about it. Any help would be appreciated!

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[Snakebitten]

Height sensor

 

[HammaMan]

If you have scales, it's how it's inferring the weight. Also required for adjusting headlights with various payload mass. Operates in conjunction with the one located on the front A-arm.

 

[9663mu]

It’s ford ingenuity.

 

[Ajzride]

I'm so glad it wasn't another curling iron.

 

[Snakebitten]

It’s ford ingenuity.

I don't know who was first, but I have them on a 20 year old Porsche and a 9 year old Miata. Although I admit that my truck has 4 of them, and they are leveraged considerably more.

 

[Mud]

It’s ford ingenuity.

This will break .soon

 

[HammaMan]

This will break .soon

Nah, they're simple electronics. Very basic. I'm replicating them with a potentiometer on the dash to control the headlights myself.

 

[Snakebitten]

This will break .soon

That style is definitely installed in a potentially vulnerable area. They can get in the way or conflict with certain brands of airbags, rear sway bars, or even the RAS rear leaf spring system.

The version of height sensors Ford uses with the CCD rear shocks appear to be integrated into the shock housing and far less likely to get snagged.

 

[mredwin25]

German engineered cars also use that

 

[Canadian owner]

Height sensor, load sensor for ABS system as it lower mean you have more weight you have more braking available in the back of your pickup old Bosch design with the first ABS system it work

 

[GR8BBQ]

Nah, they're simple electronics. Very basic. I'm replicating them with a potentiometer on the dash to control the headlights myself.

I don't have scales, but I would LOVE a dash mounted potentiometer for headlight pitch adjustment when I'm trailering... I'm not aware that my headlights can be electronically adjusted. Does that require something special on the vehicle?

 

[HammaMan]

I don't have scales, but I would LOVE a dash mounted potentiometer for headlight pitch adjustment when I'm trailering... I'm not aware that my headlights can be electronically adjusted. Does that require something special on the vehicle?

Your headlights don't adjust, they just blind people.

 

[GR8BBQ]

Your headlights don't adjust, they just blind people.

You would think that people with "Max tow" such as myself would get adjustable headlights, not just people with scales.

 

[HammaMan]

Neither XL nor XLT has adjustable headlights. Having scales doesn't change that.

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