Ford Patents 4-Wheel-Steering For F-Series Trucks

• No confirmation that it will be offered.
• Patent images use Ford Super Duty but no specific model is mentioned.
• The system is known as Ackermann steering geometry.
• Patent was filed in June of 2018, published last month.

Four-wheel or all-wheel steering is one of our favorite modern “old-technologies.” Many Japanese carmakers explored the possibility of exploiting the advantages of getting some steering angle from all four corners of the car. More recently, GM introduced Quadrateer on their full-size pickups and Suburbans. This time, it looks like Ford’s thinking of introducing the technology on their F-Series trucks.

We’ve mentioned it many times in the recent past: If four-wheel or all-wheel steering is available on the vehicle you are considering, spend the money. GM’s Quadrasteer was a big hit with those who used their trucks to tow – the extra manoeuvrability and steering response was unmatched. It also helps manage a vehicle’s size and drivability.

The Ackerman steering geometry setup is incorporated with and mounted on the rear axle. Parts of the system include a steering actuator, tie rods, steering knuckles, and a few more components. In the image that shows the rear axle from the top, it’s clear that space-wise, the whole system is fairly compact.

There are numerous potential issues that can arise from setting up a rear solid axle with 4-wheel steering technology and the detailed description in PatentSwarm’s lengthy story touches on them. To summarize, added costs and potential reliability issues are the two drawbacks of four-wheel steering. The technology needed to make it happen isn’t cheap, and it adds one more expensive thing on your truck that can break.

As of now, we do not know if or when Ford will offer a four-wheel steering option on the Ford F-150 or Super Duty.