Would You Do It? Max Tow Related

[xxlt250rxx]

I have a 1,300-mile round trip coming up. I'm not sure I trust this truck. When I bought this truck new (MY2024) last year it was not under the recall, or I would not have bought the MaxTow axle. Would you trust it?

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[Ed21]

Yes, I towed with my 2021 for over 4 years, over 10,000 miles.

 

[UGADawg96]

You can either make decisions based on fact or fear, your choice.

 

[FaaWrenchBndr]

Keep in mind that some people have had issues. Some people have not.

Personally, if I couldn’t trust the truck to do the job I would sell it.

 

[bloodocean]

I drove on a snapped axle bolt for at least a month. If the bolt head is tumbling around inside the wheel, it makes a racket. After a while I started getting a grindy squeal under light braking, similar to worn out pads.

After having the axles replaced (with the same defective axles) it's back to 100% again.

I think the only risk is that the splined connection of the axle to the hub can get stripped out over many, many cycles as the axle is free to travel inboard and back itself out of the hub to some extent after the bolt breaks and you only get partial engagement in the splined joint. If it lets go, it would be like having that wheel in the air when you're sending power to the rear axle. An open diff would basically stop working, sending all of the torque to the free spinning axle, and you'd have no propulsion. With a LSD, a locking diff, or 4WD you can keep motoring, but certainly not ideal.

 

[12Lariat21]

I have 71,000+ miles on my original Max Tow 'defective' axles...So it's really just like everything else.
Some are good, some are bad. It all comes down to how lucky you are I guess....

 

[redline]

I would , it’s not that big of deal… I drove, towed and hauled with my 2022 for 135k km before they were replaced without issue. Now on my 2025 I do the same things without issue while I wait for the parts to come in

 

[{tpc}]

Mine, when I had it, never broke. Towed with and turned it back in with almost 45k miles. Still intact.

Pop the rear wheel center covers and take a look if your worried, see if its still intact.

 

[Snakebitten]

I won't poke fun at you, but I gotta ask a question.

So if your truck was a 2021/2022 and a recall was issued for windshield wiper motor potential failure, but the parts weren't available yet, would you drive the truck in rain? Keep in mind both of your windshield wipers are working just fine.
Would you take that 1300 mile trip?

 

[{tpc}]

I won't poke fun at you, but I gotta ask a question.

So if your truck was a 2021/2022 and a recall was issued for windshield wiper motor potential failure, but the parts weren't available yet, would you drive the truck in rain? Keep in mind both of your windshield wipers are working just fine.
Would you take that 1300 mile trip?

I would. In fact I feel I may have somewhere along the way.

 

[oncechance]

I won't poke fun at you, but I gotta ask a question.

So if your truck was a 2021/2022 and a recall was issued for windshield wiper motor potential failure, but the parts weren't available yet, would you drive the truck in rain? Keep in mind both of your windshield wipers are working just fine.
Would you take that 1300 mile trip?

No, I would take my other truck.

 

[xxlt250rxx]

I won't poke fun at you, but I gotta ask a question.

So if your truck was a 2021/2022 and a recall was issued for windshield wiper motor potential failure, but the parts weren't available yet, would you drive the truck in rain? Keep in mind both of your windshield wipers are working just fine.
Would you take that 1300 mile trip?

Not the same. When it quit raining, I'm on my way. If the axle bolt lets go and the axle works it way in and grinds off the splines it more serious. As someone said I could lock the axle and continue. But for how long. Metal shavings are now floating around in the rear end. Bearings and metal shaving don't mix. How long until I'm sitting on the side of the interstate hundreds of miles from home. I don't worry about it around home but not sure about this trip. I was leaning toward using it on the trip and the replies here have pretty much made up my mind.

 

[DT444T]

I have 71,000+ miles on my original Max Tow 'defective' axles...So it's really just like everything else.
Some are good, some are bad. It all comes down to how lucky you are I guess....

I had like 90,000 on mine before one of the bearings started making noise and I got the fix to the new axles with a stud and nut. Never broke a bolt. Towed from Michigan to California twice, hauled bikes in the back, twice.

I wouldn't worry about it, OP

 

[Snakebitten]

Not the same. When it quit raining, I'm on my way. If the axle bolt lets go and the axle works it way in and grinds off the splines it more serious. As someone said I could lock the axle and continue. But for how long. Metal shavings are now floating around in the rear end. Bearings and metal shaving don't mix. How long until I'm sitting on the side of the interstate hundreds of miles from home. I don't worry about it around home but not sure about this trip. I was leaning toward using it on the trip and the replies here have pretty much made up my mind.

This is a good sized forum with avid representation. How many examples of these Max Tow trucks actually being undriveable over the 4+ years they've been equipped with these axles?

 

[Porpoise Hork]

When the reports of bolts breaking popped up then the recall hit I ordered a set of bolts for mine and swapped the OEM ones out using the updated TSB torque specs then I put roughly 17K miles on them with the recall axles with no issues. I towed 5-7K pound loads multiple times, took it on a couple 2K mile road trips also with no problems all on the recall parts. It did develop an unrelated problem with the rear differential but Ford replaced all the internals including the axles at 17K before the recall parts were available. Went another 4K until I had the recall done.

I trusted this axle configuration for nearly 17K miles knowing it had defective parts with no broken bolts. Chances are extremely low that you will have any issues with them on the drive.

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