Derrick Wyatt's original concept for Lockdown was a freakish "Frankenstein's monster" look, due to his nature of using other Transformers' parts. It was altered to better fit Lockdown's more business-like nature; Wyatt described the final design as "skull-like head and an undertaker's tux."
Ratchet's line, "Don't call me sir. I work for a living," is a common sentiment of sergeants and other non-commissioned officers in the armed forces.
The new car horn Bumblebee gets at the beginning of the episode played a part of the The Transformers (1984).