Posted by Jason Locke on 5/9/2021 to
In-Depth Review
The 2021 F150 are starting to pop up with more and more frequency. We even managed to snag one of our very own, and started it off with a road trip back from the Texas dealership. The 2021 F150s are an entirely new generation of F150 with a ton of changes, which means that plenty of parts and accessories will need to be redesigned. That being said, a lot of parts also managed to stay the same, and Ford kept a lot of elements from the 2015-2020 F150s because, in the end, if ain't broke, don't fix it. There's also a few subtle changes, which makes some older upgrades "fit" but cause questionable levels of function when actually put on a 2021 F150. Yeah, it is as utterly confusing as it sounds, and our dear Ford Overlords make it hard to put together a performance site, especially with SIX powertrain options. Yikes.
The rear of the truck also got an overhaul with a new rear bumper, new taillights, and tailgate. Personally, I like the throwback look of the taillights which are extremely reminiscent of the 2009-2014 F150s, and once aftermarket LED taillights get released, we should see some extremely good-looking lighting options for the back end of the truck. While the 2021 F150's rear bumper did change, there's already more than a few aftermarket rear bumpers available that look pretty awesome.
While that's all for blatantly obvious changes, there's a few more subtle differences with the 2021 F150s that are making many of our manufacturers go back to the drawing board in a lot of ways. The rear suspension of the 2021 F150s being a prime example. While the rear still features a bog-standard leaf-sprung solid axle with shocks, Ford changed a few things from the 2020 models. While the same 9.75" or Super 8.8" rear ends and axles have carried over, Ford changed up the leaf pack design in a pretty big way. Instead of having a multi-leaf pack with a small overload, the 2021 F150s have a single leaf pack with a HUGE overload spring, which looks more like a steel block than an actual leaf spring. This has caused some issues in regards to a lot of rear suspension and towing upgrades, but our friends at AirLift are at least on top of the game, and have come out with 2021 F150 versions of their LoadLifter 5000 Series to help you tow and haul.
The interior of the truck has seen a few updates (unlike the cab as a whole, more on that in a minute) with a new infotainment display across all the submodels, new dash, new steering wheel, new seats, redesigned middle seat and flow-through console, Super Duty-style extra cubby above the glove box, and a lot of other small styling changes throughout. We haven't seen too much from manufacturers yet regarding new steering wheels or seat covers, but we'll hopefully get some news on all of that here soon.
Finally, we have the front suspension and wheel wells, which have been a source of both controversy and consternation. The good news is that front wheel wells have a bit more overall tire clearance thanks to redesigned crash bars that angle away from the tire more than the 2015-2020 F150s, which should let you squeeze on slightly larger wheel and tire combos with less lift. The bad news is achieving that lift in the first place. While the front suspension is the typical double-wishbone coilover setup as the 2015-2020 F150s, there are some slight differences in overall geometry that's causing some problems. From what we've heard and seen so far, 2015-2020 F150 coilovers and struts cause some spring/spindle contact past certain ride heights. Before you say "Well, this person or that person on YouTube installed a set of Falcons/Bilsteins/Foxes without issues", we would like to counter with ..."yet."
Another thing that hasn't seemed to change much (if at all) is the front frame and powertrain positioning. Our friends over at RCI have already confirmed fitment of their 2015-2020 F150 Skid Plates up to the 2021 F150 model year without any issues or modifications.
The last major thing that has stayed the same (except for one minor exception) is the bed. The bed is nearly unchanged from the 2020 F150s, meaning that a whole ton of bed accessories fit the 2021 F150s. Many tonneau covers, bed drawer systems, bed slides, and bed storage upgrades all work up to the 2021 F150 model year. The exception right now are 2021 F150 3.5L Powerboost models equipped with the Pro Power Panel. Some upgrades will end up blocking the panel itself and limiting its utility. That being said, companies like DECKED are already on the case, and they have 2021 F150 PowerBoost Specific DECKED Systems that allows access to the Pro Panel for running tools. More is sure to come.
As we said in the beginning, while a lot did change the 2021 F150s, plenty stayed the same, and there are a ton of part fitments that carry over from the 2015-2020 F150s. Whether that makes the 2021s a full "redesign" or more of a "glorified facelift" is a good question. Regardless, the 2021 F150s are here, and there's plenty that you can do to upgrade them. See our suggestions of where to start here. Tell us what you think of some of the 2021 F150's changes (or some of what Ford kept) below.
What Changed on the 2021 F150s?
With a change in generation, there is bound to be more than a few changes with the new 2021 F150s. The most obvious is the 2021 F150's exterior (though there are some 2020 leftovers, more on that later). The front grille, headlights, bumper, fog lights, air dam, and hood are all different. While I personally preferred the styling of the 2018-2020 F150s, there is a subtle elegance to how it looks and I don't DISLIKE the way the front end comes together at all. We'll see what 2021 F150 headlights, fog lights, and bumpers come out soon and give the truck a new look. Some off-road bumpers are already available from ADD, and they look awesome from what we've seen so far.What Stayed the Same on the 2021 F150s?
While more than a few things have changed on the 2021 F150s, a lot of its core components have stayed the same. Despite some of the more superficial changes to the 2021 F150's interior, the cab itself has carried over from the older trucks, and a lot of cab-dependent parts will fit. Floor mats fit just fine, since the contours of the floor pan have carried over into the 2021 model year, and let's face it, adding some aftermarket floor mats to your truck is never a bad thing. Since the pinch welds on the cab didn't change, a huge variety of side steps and nerf bars will fit with no questions asked. The exception is AMP's PowerSteps, but AMP has come out with 2021-specific AMP PowerSteps which are already available.