Before ordering anything, where could I find a max tow package VIN on a 2015 F150 just to see if they have a better option that might fit my truck?

 

So what exactly is "towing way more than they should"? You know the trucks gvwr, payload, etc and the trailers weight and you know they are overloaded?

 

Well when I see a 30ft airstream with a family of 4 in the truck and the bed full - I'll take the bet they're over payload without a full on investigation.

 

If a person drives like an *******, but is still well within the towing weight and hitch specifications...the hitch will fail just as you demonstrate in your attached photo.
Towing 6000# (for example) and not slowing down for the dips in the roadways, or recognizing that things like elevated railway crossings and such require the driver to slow down places an significant amount of strain on the receiver and hitch...as well as ignoring the specifications for tongue weight.

Given that in your photo, it is clearly evidenced that the inside portion of the receiver is bent downwards some suggests this is possibly what has occurred.
The link between trailer and truck is a pivot point. Improper use and operation of the vehicle can and will place considerable strain on this area.

In the photo...the receiver is cracked and bent downward.
There are cracks in what appears to be both lower corners of the receiver.
The bent portion of the cracked receiver and the fact that both corners are cracked are to me a very clear indication that again, this is as a result of abuse and misuse of the hitch/receiver.
If people wish to blame this on inferiority then we have to make that "User" inferiority and not equipment inferiority.

 

Agreed. All I know is I'm super careful with a family onboard no crazy driving on my part. Potentially the former owner stressed it in many ways.

 

I'd bet there were stress cracks on this thing to a smaller extent when I purchased it. Anyway - looks like the hitch I have on order is ML3Z-19D520-C. No clue what the capacity is on this model but hopefully it will arrive with some sort of sticker with specs similar to my original... Link to part:
https://www.getoemparts.com/oem-part...SABEgIQJvD_BwE

 

i swapped my hitch out with a max tow hitch from ford...if you go that route make sure you get all new hardware as the 6 bolts are now thciker then the previous years max tow. My hitch was $260 I think and another $40 for the bolts/nuts and i installed myself

 

Part went from FL3Z-17D826-B to HL3Z17D826-G in 2017 to ML3Z-19D520C in 2021.

 

I installed the ML3Z-19D520-D on mine, it was $237 and the -C which was the lower rated hitch was $500+

 

Mark do you not have a tow package? I looked up that part # and it has a "w/o tow package" designation.