Front brakes
Hoses:Checked for cracked, worn or frayed hoses.
Make sure all couplings are secured.
Chambers:Make sure brake chambers are not cracked or
dented and that they are securely mounted.
Slack adjuster:Check for broken, loose or missing parts; the
angle between the push rod and adjuster arm
should be approximately 90 degrees when the
brakes are applied. When pulled by hand, the
push rod should not move more than
approximately 2.5 cm (one inch).
Drum:Make sure there are no cracks, dents or holes
and no loose or missing bolts. Make sure brake
linings are not worn or dangerously thin or
contaminated by lubricant.
Front wheels
Rims:Check for damaged or bent rims. Rims should
not have welding repairs and no rust trails that
indicate it is loose on the wheel.
Lug nuts:Make sure all lug nuts are present and not
loose (look for rust trails around the lug nuts).
There should be no cracks radiating from the
lug bolt holes or distortion of the bolt holes.
Hub oil seal:Check wheel hub oil seal for leaks, and if sight
glass if present, check to see that the oil level
is adequate.
Oil-lubricated front
wheel bearing:If the hubcap has a transparent window, check
for proper lubrication level. If the hubcap does
not have a transparent window, remove the
rubber fill-plug and check for proper level.
If a wheel must be changed, obtain expert tire service help.
Mounting and un-mounting of tires should only be performed by
a qualified technician using necessary safety procedures and
equipment, otherwise the result could be property damage, personal
injury or death.
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Vehicle inspection guide
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Truck/Tractor
Air/Electric lines:Make sure that air hoses are not cut, cracked,
chafed or worn (steel braid should not show
through). Listen for audible air leaks, Make
sure air and electrical lines are not tangled,
crimped or pinched or being dragged against
any truck/tractor parts. Electrical line
insulation should not be cut, cracked, chafed
or worn. None of the air or electrical line
should be spliced or taped. Check for
corrosion on pins and in electrical sockets to
ensure continuity and reduced heat build-up
potential.
Deck plate:Make sure deck plate is clean, securely bolted
to the tractor frame and clear of loose objects.
Lights, reflectors:Make sure reflectors are clean and none are
missing or broken. Check for proper color (red
on rear, amber elsewhere). All running lights
should be clean, not broken and proper color.
All running lights must be checked separately
from signal, flasher and brake lights.
Tractor - coupling system
Mounting bolts:Check for loose or missing mounting brackets,
clamps, bolts or nuts. Both fifth wheel and
slide mounting must be solidly attached.
Platform:Check for cracks or breaks in the platform
structure.
Safety latch:Make sure safety latch is engaged.
Release arm:Make sure safety latch is in the engaged
position and that any safety latch is in place.
Kingpin/Apron:Make sure kingpin is not bent or worn. Also
make sure that the apron lies flat on the fifth
wheel skid plate and that the visible part of
the apron is not bent, worn, cracked or
broken.
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To reduce the risk of personal injury or property damage when
manually releasing the spring brakes, be sure to block the wheels
so the vehicle cannot move once the brakes are released.
Towing the vehicle with the front wheels suspended
When it is necessary to tow a vehicle with the front wheels suspended,
extra precautions must be taken to avoid transmission or differential
damage. Proceed as follows:
•Remove the axle shafts from the axle assembly to prevent the wheels
from driving the differential and the transmission.
•The wheel hub ends must be covered to prevent loss of axle lubricant
and entrance of other contaminants. If the axle shafts are not
removed, removal of the propeller shafts is required.
Note:To avoid transmission damage, vehicles should not be towed even
a short distance without suspending rear wheels or removing the axle
shaft or propeller shaft.
Note:In the event the chassis is equipped with a tandem axle and the
vehicle is to be towed from the front, the forward rear axle may be
raised to clear the road surface and secured to the frame by chains or
U-bolts, allowing only the rear rear axle to contact the road surface. Axle
shafts must be removed from the rear rear axle assembly. The wheel hub
ends must be covered to prevent loss of axle lubricant and entrance of
contaminants. Use extreme care in securing the chains or U-bolts to
avoid possible damage to the brake lines, hoses or other components.
Towing vehicles equipped with a driver-controlled differential lock
Note:If the vehicle must be towed to a service facility with the drive
axle wheels on the ground, it is necessary to remove the axle shafts
before the vehicle is towed.
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Check to make sure that the axle mounting U-bolt nuts, attaching or
mounting bolts and nuts are securely tightened. Regularly check front
axle for damage, binding, worn parts and adequate lubrication.
At regular intervals, or during other scheduled maintenance, (tire
rotation/service, wheel bearing service, alignment, etc.) the kingpins
should be checked for excessive wear. Refer to the service manual for
proper procedures.
Toe-in setting - general inspection
Inspecting steer axle tires in the first 4,800–16,000 service km
(3,000–10,000 service miles) will generally show if tires are wearing
normally.
Rapid outside shoulder wear on both tires indicates too much toe-in.
Rapid inside shoulder wear on both tires indicates too much toe-out. In
P&D-type service, which includes school buses, left-to-right steer tire
tread life differentials up to 40% can be observed depending on routes
and other variables.
Follow the tire manufacturer’s recommended cold inflation pressure for
the tire size, load range (ply rating) and steer axle loading typical for
their operation (each steer axle tire will equal
1⁄2steer axle loading).
Special applications may warrant a setting based on past experience with
the type of tire operating loads and conditions. Radial tires are more
sensitive to toe-in setting than bias ply tires. While not insensitive to
vehicle alignment, fine tuning school bus alignment to line-haul truck
standards will not drastically improve tire tread life.
It is essential that correct toe-in and tire pressure be maintained for
optimum tire wear.
Rear axle - general inspection
Check to make sure that the axle mounting U-bolts, attaching or
mounting bolts and nuts are securely tightened. Refer toU-bolt nut
torque chartin this chapter. Regularly check the rear axle for damaged,
binding or worn parts.
NoSpin Detroit Locker positive locking differential
Vehicle equipped with this type differential have the operator’s manual
supplied with the vehicle. Refer to this manual for maintenance checks.
Brake system - general inspection
Your vehicle is equipped with non-asbestos brake linings. However,
exposure to excessive amounts of brake material (whether asbestos or
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•Check that torque rod mounting fasteners are tight.
•Check to be sure the suspension alignment is maintained at all time.
•Check U-bolts after the chassis has been operating under load for
1,600 km (1,000 miles) or six months, whichever comes first, the
U-Bolt nuts must be re-torqued. The U-Bolt nuts thereafter must be
re-torqued every 58,000 km (36,000 miles). The U-Bolt and nut
threads and seats should be cleaned and lubricated to assure a“like
new”condition when re-torquing.
Note:See theU-Bolt Nut Torquechart later in this section.
Supporting your vehicle for service
When performing service repairs on your vehicle, first prepare the
vehicle by doing the following:
1. Park the vehicle on a level concrete floor.
2. Set the parking brake and block the wheels to prevent the vehicle
from moving.
3. Select a jack (floor jack preferred) with a rated capacity sufficient to
lift and hold up the vehicle.
4. Raise the vehicle with the jack applied to the axle(s). DO NOT use the
bumper as a lifting point.
5. Support the vehicle with floor stands under the axle(s). If the axle or
the suspension are being serviced, support the vehicle with floor stands
under the frame side-members, preferably between the axles.
Do not use a jack when working under a vehicle. It may give
way, causing the vehicle to fall and result in property damage,
personal injury or death. Always use floor stands to support the
vehicle.
FRAME AND TOW HOOKS
Your vehicles chassis is manufactured with frame rails of either mild
carbon steel, or HSLA steel. Each must be handled in a specific manner
to assure maximum service life. Before attempting frame repair or
modification, consult the service manual or your dealer.
It is important, particularly on vehicles where the tow hooks are used
frequently to inspect the front and rear tow hooks for damage or a loose
mounting.
2004 F650/750(f67)
Supplement
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and specifications
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