wheel alignment FORD F250 SUPER DUTY 2005 Owners Manual

Safety practices
Driving habits have a great deal to do with your tire mileage and safety.
• Observe posted speed limits
• Avoid fast starts, stops and turns
• Avoid potholes and objects on the road
• Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc., do not rapidly
spin the tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and cause an
explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three to five seconds.
Never spin the tires in excess of the 35 mph (55 km/h) point
indicated on the speedometer.
Highway hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there’s always the possibility that you
may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If
you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest repair
facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
Tire and wheel alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause damage to your tires. If your
vehicle seems to pull to one side when you’re driving, the wheels may be
out of alignment. Have a qualified technician at a Ford or
Lincoln/Mercury dealer check the wheel alignment periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by a qualified technician
at a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer. Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles
and those with an independent rear suspension (if equipped) may
require alignment of all four wheels.
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Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
Note: If your tires show uneven wear ask a qualified technician at a
reputable repair facility to check for and correct any wheel misalignment,
tire imbalance or mechanical problem involved before tire rotation.
Note: Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. A
dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is
different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel it is intended for temporary use
only and should not be used in a tire rotation.
Note: After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
Snow tires must be the same size and grade as the tires you
currently have on your vehicle.
Note: Do not use snow chains on front tires of Harley-Davidson vehicles.
The tires on your vehicle have all weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow
tires and chains. If you need to use chains, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and specifications) be used, as chains may chip
aluminum wheels.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
• Use only SAE Class S chains.
• Install chains securely, verifying that the chains do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
• Drive cautiously. If you hear the chains rub or bang against your
vehicle, stop and re-tighten the chains. If this does not work, remove
the chains to prevent damage to your vehicle.
• If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
• Remove the tire chains when they are no longer needed. Do not use
tire chains on dry roads.
• The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle
damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when
using snow tires and chains.
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If the steering wanders or pulls, check for:
• an improperly inflated tire
• uneven tire wear
• loose or worn suspension components
• loose or worn steering components
• improper steering alignment
If any steering components are serviced or replaced, install new
fasteners (many are coated with thread adhesive or have prevailing
torque features which may not be re-used). Never re-use a bolt or nut.
Torque fasteners to specifications in Workshop Manual .
A high crown in the road or high crosswinds may also make the steering
seem to wander/pull.
TRACTION-LOK AXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
This axle provides added traction on slippery surfaces, particularly when
one wheel is on a poor traction surface. Under normal conditions, the
Traction-Lok axle functions like a standard rear axle. The axle may
exhibit a slight noise or vibration in tight turns with low vehicle speed.
This is normal behavior and indicates the axle is working.
PREPARING TO DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than
other types of vehicles.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a safety belt.
Your vehicle has larger tires and increased ground clearance, giving the
vehicle a higher center of gravity than a passenger car.
Vehicles with a higher center of gravity such as utility and
four-wheel drive vehicles handle differently than vehicles with a
lower center of gravity. Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles are not
designed for cornering at speeds as high as passenger cars any more
than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under
off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns, excessive speed and abrupt
maneuvers in these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously could result in
an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death.
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Maintenance
• Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
• Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
• Use recommended engine oil. Refer to Lubricant specifications in
this chapter.
• Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide .
Conditions
• Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
• Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] of weight carried).
• Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
• Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
• Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
• Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
• Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
• Four-wheel-drive operation (if equipped) is less fuel efficient than
two-wheel-drive operation.
• Close windows for high speed driving.
EPA window sticker
Every new vehicle should have the EPA window sticker. Contact your
dealer if the window sticker is not supplied with your vehicle. The EPA
window sticker should be your guide for the fuel economy comparisons
with other vehicles.
It is important to note the box in the lower left corner of the window
sticker. These numbers represent the Range of MPG (L/100 km)
expected on the vehicle under optimum conditions. Your fuel economy
may vary depending upon the method of operation and conditions.
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Power steering ..........................185
fluid, checking and adding ....273
fluid, refill capacity ................283
fluid, specifications .........286, 289
Power Windows ...........................57
Preparing to drive your
vehicle ........................................186
R
Radio ..........................20, 22, 25, 28
Relays ........................................215
Remote entry system .................81
illuminated entry ......................84
locking/unlocking doors ...........79
Reverse sensing system ...........193
Roadside assistance ..................213
S
Safety Belt Maintenance ..........107
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ............................96–100
Safety defects, reporting ..........239
Safety restraints ..................96–100
belt minder .............................103
extension assembly ................106
for adults ...........................97–100
for children .....................116–117
lap belt ....................................101
safety belt maintenance .........107
warning light and
chime ...............................102–103
Safety seats for children ..........119
Seat belts
(see Safety restraints) ...............96
Seats ............................................89
child safety seats ....................119 cleaning ...................................244
Servicing your vehicle ..............247
Snowplowing .................8, 210–212
Spark plugs, specifications ......282,
289
Special notice ................................9
ambulance conversions ..............8
diesel-powered vehicles .............7
four-wheel drive vehicles .......212
utility-type vehicles ....................7
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................286, 289
Speed control ..............................62
Starting your vehicle .......178–179,
182
jump starting ..........................224
Steering wheel
controls ......................................65
tilting .........................................55
T
Tailgate ..................................77–78
Tilt steering wheel ......................55
Tires ...................................130–132
alignment ................................156
care ..........................................155
changing ..................................141
checking the pressure ............133
inspecting and inflating .........133
label .........................................154
replacing ..................................136
rotating ....................................157
safety practices .......................156
sidewall information ...............149
snow tires and chains ............159
spare tire .........................137–138
terminology .............................132
tire grades ...............................131
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