2003 FORD F350 Owners Manual

Tire change procedure
1. Park on a level surface, activate
hazard flashers and set the parking
brake.
•Automatic transmission: Place
gearshift lever in P (Park).
•Manual transmission: Place
gearshift lever in R (Reverse).
•Electronic Shift On the Fly 4WD:
Place transfer case in any
position.
•Manual shift transfer case 4WD:
Place transfer case in 2H, 4H or
4L.
To prevent the vehicle from
moving when you change a
tire, be sure the parking brake is
set, then block (in both
directions) the wheel that is
diagonally opposite (other side
and end of the vehicle) to the tire
being changed.
2. Turn engine off and block the diagonally opposite wheel (block not
provided).
3. Remove the jack, jack handle, lug wrench and spare tire from the
stowage locations.
4. Use the tip of the lug wrench to remove any wheel trim.
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5. Loosen each wheel lug nut
one-half turn counterclockwise but
do not remove them until the wheel
is raised off the ground.
When one of the rear wheels is off the ground, the transmission
alone will not prevent the vehicle from moving or slipping off the
jack, even if the transmission is in P (Park) (automatic transmission)
or R (Reverse) (manual transmission). To prevent the vehicle from
moving when you change the tire, be sure that the parking brake is set
and the diagonally opposite wheel is blocked.
If the vehicle slips off the jack, you or someone else could be
seriously injured.
The following steps apply to F250/F350 only:
6. Insert the hooked end of the jack
handle into the jack and use the
handle to slide the jack under the
vehicle.
7. Position the jack according to the
following guides:
•Front (4x2)
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•Front passenger side (4x4)
•Front driver side (4x4)
Make sure the jack fits into the
notched area next to the differential
housing.
•Rear
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Never use the front or rear
differential as a jacking point.
To lessen the risk of
personal injury, do not put
any part of your body under the
vehicle while changing a tire. Do
not start the engine when your
vehicle is on the jack. The jack is
only meant for changing the tire.
8. Turn the jack handle clockwise
until the wheel is completely off the
ground and high enough to install
the spare tire.
9. Remove the lug nuts with the lug
wrench.
10. Replace the flat tire with the
spare tire, making sure the valve
stem is facing outward for all front wheels and single rear wheel vehicles.
If replacing an inboard rear tire on dual rear wheel vehicles, the valve
stem must be facing outward. If replacing the outboard wheel, the valve
stem must be facing inward. Reinstall the lug nuts until the wheel is
snug against the hub. Do not fully tighten the lug nuts until the wheel
has been lowered.
11. Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
Go to step 19.
The following steps apply to F350 Chassis Cab F450/F550 only:
12. Slide the notched end of the
jack handle over the release valve
and use the handle to slide the jack
under the vehicle. Make sure the
valve is closed by turning it
clockwise.
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13. Position the jack according to the following guides:
•Front (4x2) F350
•Front (4x2) F450/550
•Front driver side (4x4)
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•Front passenger side (4x4)
•Rear
14. Insert the jack handle into the
pump linkage.
15. Use an up-and-down motion
with the jack handle to raise the
wheel completely off the ground.
Hydraulic jacks are equipped
with a pressure release valve
that prevents lifting loads which
exceed the jack’s rated capacity.
16. Remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench.
17. Replace the flat tire with the spare tire, making sure the valve stem
is facing outward on all front an inboard rear wheels. If replacing the
outboard wheel, the valve stem must be facing inward. Reinstall the lug
nuts until the wheel is snug against the hub. Do not fully tighten the lug
nuts until the wheel has been lowered.
18. Lower the wheel by slowly turning the release valve
counterclockwise. Opening the release valve slowly will provide a more
controlled rate of descent.
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The following steps apply to all vehicles:
19. Remove the jack and fully
tighten the lug nuts in the order
shown.
20. Stow the flat tire. Refer to
Stowing the spare tireif the
vehicle is equipped with a spare tire
carrier.
21. Stow the jack, jack handle and
lug wrench. Make sure the jack is
securely fastened so it does not
rattle when driving.
22. Unblock the wheels.
On vehicles equipped with single rear wheels, retighten the lug nuts to
the specified torque at 800 km (500 miles) after any wheel disturbance
(tire rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel removal, etc.).
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.
1
3 4
27 6
5 8
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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.
Stowing the flat/spare tire
1. Lay the tire on the ground with the valve stem facing in the direction
specified on the Tire Changing Instructions located with the jack
hardware.
2. Slide the wheel partially under the vehicle and install the retainer
through the wheel center. Pull on the cable to align the components at
the end of the cable.
3. Turn the jack handle clockwise until the tire is raised to its stowed
position underneath the vehicle. The effort to turn the jack handle
increases significantly and the spare tire carrier ratchets or slips when
the tire is raised to the maximum tightness. Tighten to the best of your
ability, to the point where the ratchet/slip occurs, if possible. The spare
tire carrier will not allow you to overtighten. If the spare tire carrier
ratchets or slips with little effort, take the vehicle to your dealer for
assistance at your earliest convenience.
4. Check that the tire lies flat against the frame and is properly
tightened. Try to push or pull, then turn the tire to be sure it will not
move. Loosen and retighten, if necessary. Failure to properly stow the
spare tire may result in failure of the winch cable and loss of the tire.
5. Repeat this tightness check procedure when servicing the spare tire
pressure (every six months, per scheduled maintenance guide), or at any
time that the spare tire is disturbed through service of other
components.
6. If removed, install the spare tire lock (if equipped) into the bumper
drive tube with the spare tire lock key (if equipped) and jack handle.
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