It’s easy to forget the difficulty in cutting excess weight from a vehicle. Well Ford->ke4236 has made an infographic showing the extreme lengths it went to in order to trim the fat off its newest F-150.

Sure, everybody knows about the aluminum body cutting weight, but the diet extends further. The 8.8-inch rear axle, for example, has been substantially strengthened over last year’s unit, allowing the truck to run the smaller axle, saving weight as compared to the heavier 9.75-inch axle offered previously. Ford says that alone cuts 35 pounds. Engineers also cut nearly 27 pounds by moving to an electronic parking brake. The e-brake also allows computer-controlled functions like drive-away releasing. Who knew a ratchet pedal and some thin steel cables ever weighed so much?

The savings continues into the mechanicals. The 4WD’s transfer case->ke4846 uses a magnesium housing, saving 3.8 pounds. More impressively, the cast iron steering knuckles were swapped out with aluminum examples, saving 23.1 pounds between the two.

Ford also touts the weight-savings within the F-150’s seats, saying the front seat cuts up to 34.7 pounds while the new rear seat cuts up to 14.7 pounds. That’s nearly 50 pounds in total. The seats were also torture tested with large men in dirty pants – that is they were wearing paints with “special test dirt” to simulate a lifetime of abuse. The leather seats are said to have withstood 10,000 repetitions with out wearing out.

Check out the full infographic by clicking “Continue Reading.” There you’ll see all the information and its accompanying press release.

Continue reading to learn more about Ford F-150's weight.

Why it matters

Cutting weight has multiple advantages. First, it saves fuel consumption. It’s less weight for the powertrain to move, so it uses less fuel. Secondly, it increases the truck’s overall ability to carry loads. It’s measured as its Gross Vehicle Weight Ratio, or simply GVWR. The measurement accounts for the weight of the truck, its passengers, fluids, and cargo. The less the truck weight, the more it can carry. Providing its powertrain, frame, suspension, and hitch are up to the task.

Ford says the F-150 is rated to tow a maximum of 12,200 pounds on the hitch and carry 3,300 pounds in the bed. Those are numbers that surpass HD trucks from less than 10 years ago. Impressive.

2015 Ford F-150 - Weight Infographic