2003 FORD MUSTANG warning

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION
Wheels And Tires
WARNING: Do not mix different types of tires, such as radial, bias, or bias- belted, on the
same vehicle except in emergencies. Vehicle handling can be seriously affected and can result
in loss of control.
Factory-installed tires and wheels are designed to operate satisfactorily with loads up to and including
full- rated load capacity when inflated to recommended inflation pressures.
Tire and Wheel Runout
Excessive radial and lateral runout of a wheel and tire assembly can cause roughness, vibration,
wheel tramp, tire wear, and steering wheel tremor.
Before checking runout, and to avoid false readings caused by temporary flat spots in the tires, check
runout only after the vehicle has been driven far enough to warm the tires. For additional information,
refer to Section 100 - 04 .
SECTION 204-
04: Wheels and Tires 2003 Mustang Workshop Manual Klj . 1 ba
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DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING
Wheels And Tires
Inspection and Verification
WARNING: A vehicle equipped with a Traction- Lok® differential will always have both
wheels driving. If, while the vehicle is being serviced, only one wheel is raised off the ground
and the rear axle is driven by the engine, the wheel on the ground could drive the vehicle off
the stand or jack. Be sure both rear wheels are off the ground.
WARNING: Never run the engine with one wheel off the ground, for example, when
changing a tire. The wheel(s) resting on the ground could cause the vehicle to move.
WARNING: Do not balance the wheels and tires while they are mounted on the vehicle.
Possible tire disintegration or differential failure could result, causing personal injury and
extensive component damage. Use off- vehicle wheel and tire balancer only.
Be sure to follow the warnings when carrying out inspection and verification.
Road Test
Verify the customer concern by carrying out a road test on a smooth road. If any vibrations are
apparent, refer to Section 100 - 04 .
To maximize tire performance, inspect for signs of incorrect inflation and uneven wear, which may
indicate a need for balancing, rotation, or front suspension alignment.
Correct tire pressure and driving techniques have an important influence on tire life. Heavy cornering,
excessively rapid acceleration and unnecessary sharp braking increases tire wear.
Replacement tires must follow the recommended:
ztire sizes.
z speed rating.
z load range.
z tire construction type.
Use of any other tire size or type can seriously affect:
zride.
z handling.
z speedometer/odometer calibration.
z vehicle ground clearance.
z tire clearance between the body and chassis.
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GENERAL PROCEDURES
Wheel Leaks
WARNING: Wheel repairs that use welding or peening are not approved. An inner tube is
not an acceptable repair for leaking wheels or tires.
If the air pressure in a tire mounted on an aluminum wheel is found to be low, perform the
following procedure before considering installation of a new wheel.
1. Remove the tire and wheel assembly, and inspect the wheel for structural damage. If none exists, go to Step 2. If the wheel is damaged, install a new wheel.
2. With the tire mounted on the wheel, locate the air leak using a water bath or equivalent method, and mark the location. Check the complete wheel for possible additional leaks. When leaks are
marked, dismount the tire marking valve location on the tire for correct indexing.
3. On the tire side of the wheel, thoroughly clean the leaking area with an appropriate choke cleaner or use sandpaper of approximately 80- grit to remove all contamination. Using the
sandpaper, score the surface of the leaking area to improve adhesion of the sealer. If the valve
stem is close to the area, remove it.
4. Use a clean cloth to remove all cleaner or sanding dust.
5. NOTE: Do not use a torch containing oxyacetylene.
Heat the prepared area with a Heat Gun or a propane torch until aluminum wheel repair
compound flows. Apply the hot melt material over the prepared area using a liberal flow and
wiping action. Repair is most effective when heat is applied to the brake side of the rim, and the
sealer is melted by heat in the metal.
6. Apply only enough heat to melt the sealer, then remove the heat source. After repairing the leak, allow the wheel to cool until it can be handled safety.
7. CAUTION: Use caution when mounting the tire so as not to damage the sealer.
Index and assemble the tire and wheel. Inflate the tire to the recommended pressure as
indicated on the tire pressure decal.
8. Repeat Step 2 to verify repair.
9. When the repair is completed, balance the assembly and install it on the vehicle.
SECTION 204-
04: Wheels and Tires 2003 Mustang Workshop Manual Material
Item Specification
Professional Choke and
Linkage Cleaner
F8AZ-
19520- AB WSS-
M14P10-
B Aluminum Wheel Repair
Compound ESA-
M4G280-
A Klj . 1 ba
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Installation
1. WARNING: When a wheel is installed, always remove any corrosion, dirt or foreign
material present on the mounting surfaces of the wheel and the surface of the wheel hub,
brake drum or brake disc 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, causing loss of control.
Position the wheel and tire on the vehicle.
2. CAUTION: Failure to tighten the wheel nuts in a star pattern can result in high brake
disc runout, which will speed up the development of brake roughness, shudder and
vibration.
Install the wheel nuts hand- tight, then lower the vehicle. Tighten the wheel nuts to specification
in a star- pattern sequence.
3. Install the center cap, if so equipped. Klj . 2 ba
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Repair the axle as necessary. Make sure the axle lubricant is at the correct level. Refer to
Specifications in this section.
Axle Vent
NOTE:
If a plugged vent cannot be cleared, install a new one.
A plugged vent will cause excessive seal lip wear due to internal pressure buildup. If a leak occurs,
check the vent. Make sure the vent hose is not kinked. Remove the hose from the vent nipple and
clear the hose of any foreign material. While the hose is removed, pass a length of mechanics wire in
and out of the vent to clean it. Connect the hose when done.
Flange Yoke Seal
Leaks at the axle drive pinion seal originate for the following reasons:
zSeal was not correctly installed.
z Poor quality seal journal surface.
Any damage to the seal bore (dings, dents, gouges, or other imperfections) will distort the seal casing
and allow leakage past the outer edge of the axle drive pinion seal.
The axle drive pinion seal can be torn, cut, or gouged if it is not installed carefully. The spring that
holds the axle drive pinion seal against the pinion flange may be knocked out and allow leakage past
the lip.
The rubber lips can occasionally become hard (like plastic) with cracks at the oil lip contact point. The
contact point on the pinion flange may blacken, indicating excessive heat. Marks, nicks, gouges, or
rough surface texture on the seal journal of the pinion flange will also cause leaks.
When a seal leak occurs, install a new seal and check the vent and the vent hose to make sure they
are clean and free of foreign material.
Axle Shaft Seals
Axle shaft oil seals are susceptible to the same kinds of damage as axle drive pinion seals if incorrectly
installed. The seal bore must be clean and the lip handled carefully to avoid cutting or tearing it. The
axle shaft journal surface must be free of nicks, gouges, and rough surface texture.
Differential Seals
Refer to Section 205 - 02A or
Section 205 - 02B .
Analysis of Vibration WARNING: A vehicle equipped with a Traction- Lok® differential will always have both
wheels driving. If only one wheel is raised off the floor and the rear axle is driven by the engine,
the wheel on the floor could drive the vehicle off the stand or jack. Be sure both rear wheels are
off the floor.
Few vibration conditions are caused by the rear axle. On a vibration concern, follow the diagnosis
procedure in Section 100 - 04 unless there is a good reason to suspect the axle.
Tires Klj . 3 ba
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WARNING: Do not balance the wheels and tires while they are mounted on the vehicle.
Possible tire disintegration/differential failure could result, causing personal injury/extensive
component damage. Use an off- vehicle wheel and tire balancer only.
Most vibration in the rear end is caused by tires or driveline angle.
Vibration is a concern with modern, high- mileage tires if they are not "true" both radially and laterally.
They are more susceptible to vibration around the limits of radial and lateral runout of the tire and
wheel assembly. They also require more accurate balancing. Wheel and tire runout checks, truing and
balancing are normally done before axle inspection. Refer to Section 204 - 04 .
Driveline Angle
Driveline angularity is the angular relationship between the engine crankshaft (6303), the driveshaft,
and the rear axle pinion. Factors determining driveline angularity include ride height, rear spring, and
engine mounts.
Driveline Angle
An incorrect driveline (pinion) angle can often be detected by the driving condition in which the
vibration occurs.
zA vibration during coastdown from 72 to 56 km/h (45 to 35 mph) is often caused by an
excessive U-joint angle at the axle (pinion nose downward).
z A vibration during acceleration, from 56 to 72 km/h (35 to 45 mph) may indicate an excessive U- joint angle at the axle (pinion nose upward). Item Description
1 Bottom of the frame
2 Engine crankshaft centerline
3 Engine angle
4 Driveshaft and coupling shaft centerline
5 Driveshaft and coupling shaft angle
6 Rear axle pinion centerline
7 Axle pinion angle Klj . 4 ba
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If no improvement is noted, rotate the clamps in opposite directions, equal distances from the best
position determined in Step 8. Separate the clamp heads about 13 mm (1/2 inch) and recheck for
vibration at the road speed.
Repeat the process with increasing separation until the best combination is found or the vibration is
reduced to an acceptable level.
10. Install the wheels and road test (vibration noticeable on the hoist may not be evident during the road test). If the vibration is still not acceptable, install a new axle driveline vibration damper
first, if so equipped. If the vibration is still not acceptable, refer to Section 205 - 02A or
Section 205 - 02B for differential case and ring gear runout checks.
Driveshaft Vibrates 1. Road test the vehicle to determine the critical vibration points. Note the road speed, the engine RPM, and the shift lever positions at which the vibration occurs.
2. Stop the vehicle, place the transmission lever in neutral and run the engine through the critical speed ranges determined in Step 1.
3. If no vibration is felt, balance the driveshaft. Refer to Driveline Vibration in this section.
Traction- Lok® Differential Operation Check
A Traction-Lok® differential can be checked for correct operation without removing it from the rear axle
housing.
WARNING: A vehicle equipped with a Traction- Lok® differential will always have both
wheels driving. If only one wheel is raised off the floor and the rear axle is driven by the engine, the wheel on the floor could drive the vehicle off the stand or jack. Be sure both rear wheels are Klj . 14 ba
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Remove the axle shafts. For additional information, refer to
Axle Shaft in this section.
3. Wipe the lubricant from the internal working parts and inspect the parts for wear and damage.
4. Rotate the differential assembly to check for roughness indicating bearing/gear damage.
5. Using a suitable dial indicator and the special tool, measure and note the ring gear backface runout.
6. CAUTION: Mark the position and location of the bearing caps, as the arrows may
not be visible. Always install the bearing caps in their identical locations and positions.
Remove the bearing caps. 1. Remove the bolts.
2. Remove the bearing caps.
7. WARNING: Do not allow the differential assembly to fall. Failure to follow these
instructions may result in personal injury and component damage. CAUTION: Place a wood block between the pry bar and the differential housing Klj . 2 ba
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