2003 FORD F SERIES MOTORHOME AND COMMERCIAL CHASSIS wheel size

If driving through deep or standing water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly. Never drive through water that is higher than the bottom of the
hubs (for trucks) or the bottom of the wheel rims (for cars).
Once through the water, always try the brakes. Wet brakes do not stop
the vehicle as effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be improved by
moving your vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake
pedal.
Driving through deep water where the transmission vent tube is
submerged may allow water into the transmission and cause
internal transmission damage. Have the fluid checked and, if
water is found, replace the fluid.
VEHICLE LOADING
Your vehicle’s load capacity is designed by weight, not volume, so you
cannot necessarily use all available space with large or heavy loads.
Maximum safe vehicle weights as well as tire, rim sizes and inflation
pressures are specified for your vehicle on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label. A Certification Label was supplied by Ford Motor
Company to the Motorhome Manufacturer. The manufacturer uses this
information and supplies a Certification Label which is located inside the
vehicle to the left of the driver.
Before loading a vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms:
•Base Curb Weight:Weight of the vehicle including any standard
equipment, fluids, lubricants, etc. It does not include occupants or
aftermarket equipment.
•Payload:Combined maximum allowable weight of cargo, occupants
and optional equipment. The payload equals the gross vehicle weight
rating minus base curb weight.
•GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight):Base curb weight plus payload
weight. The GVW is not a limit or a specification.
•GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating):Maximum permissible total
weight of the base vehicle, occupants, optional equipment and cargo.
The GVWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the Certification
Label, located near the driver’s seat or on the driver’s door pillar.
•GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating):Carrying capacity for each axle
system. The GAWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the
Certification Label, located near the driver’s seat or on the driver’s
door pillar.
•GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating):Maximum permissible
combined weight of towing vehicle (including occupants and cargo)
and the loaded trailer.
Driving
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On vehicles equipped with dual rear wheels, retighten the wheel lug nuts
to the specified torque at 160 km (100 miles), and again at 800 km (500
miles) of new vehicle operation and after any wheel disturbance (tire
rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel removal, etc.).
Bolt size Wheel lug nut torque*
Nm Lb-ft
M14 x 1.5 200-225 150-165
* Torque specifications are for nut and bolt threads free of dirt and
rust. Use only Ford recommended replacement fasteners.
On all two-piece flat wheel nuts,
apply one drop of motor oil between
the flat washer and the nut. Do not
apply motor oil to the wheel nut
threads or the wheel stud threads.
When a wheel is installed, always remove any corrosion, dirt or
foreign materials present on the mounting surfaces of the wheel or
the surface of the front disc brake hub and rotor that contacts the wheel.
Installing wheels without correct metal-to-metal contact at the wheel
mounting surfaces can cause the wheel nuts to loosen and the wheel to
come off while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in loss of control.
JUMP STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
The gases around the battery can explode if exposed to flames,
sparks, or lit cigarettes. An explosion could result in injury or
vehicle damage.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid which can burn skin, eyes and
clothing, if contacted.
Do not attempt to push-start your vehicle. Automatic
transmissions do not have push-start capability; also, the
catalytic converter may become damaged.
Preparing your vehicle
When the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the
transmission must relearn its shift strategy. As a result, the transmission
may have firm and/or soft shifts. This operation is considered normal and
will not affect function or durability of the transmission. Over time, the
adaptive learning process will fully update transmission operation.
2003 Motorhome(mot)
Supplement(supplement)
USA English(fus)
Roadside emergencies
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economy under current driving conditions. Additionally, keeping records
during summer and winter will show how temperature impacts fuel
economy. In general, lower temperatures give lower fuel economy.
Driving style — good driving and fuel economy habits
Give consideration to the lists that follow and you may be able to change
a number of variables and improve your fuel economy.
Habits
•Smooth, moderate operation can yield up to 10% savings in fuel.
•Steady speeds without stopping will usually give the best fuel
economy.
•Idling for long periods of time (greater than one minute) may waste
fuel.
•Anticipate stopping; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop.
•Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy.
•Slow down gradually.
•Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 88 km/h [55 mph] uses 15%
less fuel than traveling at 105 km/h [65 mph]).
•Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
•Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
•You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between third and fourth gear occurs.
Unnecessary shifting of this type could result in reduced fuel
economy.
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
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 toLubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
Maintenance and specifications
75

Replacing the tires
Replace the tires when the wear
band is visible through the tire
treads.
When replacing full size tires, never mix radial bias-belted, or
bias-type tires. Use only the tire sizes that are listed on the
Certification Label. Make sure that all tires are the same size, speed
rating, and load-carrying capacity. Use only the tire combinations
recommended on the label. If you do not follow these precautions,
your vehicle may not drive properly and safely.
Make sure that all replacement tires are of the same size, type,
load-carrying capacity and tread design (e.g., “All Terrain”,
“Touring”, etc.), as originally offered by Ford.
Failure to follow these precautions may adversely affect the
handling of the vehicle, and increase the risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover and/or personal injury.
Tires that are larger or smaller than your vehicle’s original tires may also
affect the accuracy of your speedometer.
The tires on your vehicle have been match mounted to the original
equipment wheels. Replacement tires should be mounted so that the
match mount mark on the tire aligns with the small dimple in the face of
the wheel rim.
SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
Snow tires must be the same size and grade as the tires you
currently have on your vehicle.
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.
Maintenance and specifications
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