2004 FORD RANGER tire type

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.
Loaded vehicles, with a higher center of gravity, may handle
differently than unloaded vehicles. Extra precautions, such as
slower speeds and increased stopping distance, should be taken when
driving a heavily loaded vehicle.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION (IF EQUIPPED)
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift interlock feature that prevents
the gearshift lever from being moved from P (Park) when the ignition is
in the ON position unless the brake pedal is depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift lever out of P (Park) with ignition in
the ON position and the brake pedal depressed:
1. Apply the parking brake, turn ignition key to LOCK, then remove the key.
2. Insert the key and turn it to OFF. Apply the brake pedal and shift
to N (Neutral) .
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Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature or damage to the transmission may occur.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few minutes or damage
to the transmission and tires may occur or the engine may
overheat.
Do not spin the wheels at over 56 km/h (35 mph). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Emergency maneuvers
• In an unavoidable emergency situation where a sudden sharp turn
must be made, remember to avoid “over-driving ”your vehicle, i.e.,
turn the steering wheel only as rapidly and as far as required to avoid
the emergency. Excessive steering will result in less vehicle control,
not more. Additionally, smooth variations of the accelerator and/or
brake pedal pressure should be utilized if changes in vehicle speed are
called for. Avoid abrupt steering, acceleration or braking which could
result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover
and/or personal injury. Use all available road surface to return the
vehicle to a safe direction of travel.
• In the event of an emergency stop, avoid skidding the tires and do not
attempt any sharp steering wheel movements.
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.
• If the vehicle goes from one type of surface to another (i.e., from
concrete to gravel) there will be a change in the way the vehicle
responds to a maneuver (steering, acceleration or braking). Again,
avoid these abrupt inputs.
4WD Systems
4WD (when you select a 4WD mode) uses all four wheels to power the
vehicle. This increases traction, enabling you to drive over terrain and
road conditions that a conventional two-wheel drive vehicle cannot.
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Avoid sudden braking as well. Although a 4WD vehicle may accelerate
better than a two-wheel drive vehicle in snow and ice, it won’t stop any
faster, because as in other vehicles, braking occurs at all four wheels. Do
not become overconfident as to road conditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient distance between you and other vehicles
for stopping. Drive slower than usual and consider using one of the lower
gears. Your vehicle is equipped with a Four Wheel Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS); apply the brake steadily. Do not “pump ”the brakes. Refer
to the Brakes section of this chapter for additional information on the
operation of the anti-lock brake system.
Never drive with chains on the front tires of 4WD vehicles without also
putting them on the rear tires. This could cause the rear to slide and
swing around during braking.
Tires, Replacement Requirements
Do not use a size and type of tire and wheel other than that
originally provided by Ford Motor Company because it can affect
the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could result in an
increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, and/or serious
personal injury or death.
Make sure all tires and wheels on the vehicle are of the same size, type,
tread design and load-carrying capacity. If you have questions regarding
tire replacement, see an authorized Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer.
If you nevertheless decide to equip your 4WD for off-road use with tires
larger than what Ford Motor Company recommends, you should not use
these tires for highway driving.
If you use any tire/wheel combination not recommended by Ford Motor
Company, it may adversely affect vehicle handling and could cause
steering, suspension, axle or transfer case failure as well as the increased
risk of loss of vehicle control.
Do not use “aftermarket lift kits ”or other suspension modifications,
whether or not they are used with larger tires and wheels.
These “aftermarket lift kits ”could adversely affect the vehicle ’s handling
characteristics, which could lead to loss of vehicle control or rollover and
serious injury.
Tires can be damaged during off-road use. For your safety, tires that are
damaged should not be used for highway driving because they are more
likely to blow out or fail.
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Do not use replacement tires with lower load carrying capacities
than the originals because they may lower the vehicle’s GVWR
and GAWR limitations. Replacement tires with a higher limit than the
originals do not increase the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
Exceeding any vehicle weight rating limitation could result in
serious damage to the vehicle and/or personal injury.
Special loading instructions for owners of pickup trucks and
utility-type vehicles
For important information regarding safe operation of this type
of vehicle, see the Preparing to drive your vehicle section in
this chapter.
Loaded vehicles may handle differently than unloaded vehicles.
Extra precautions, such as slower speeds and increased stopping
distance, should be taken when driving a heavily loaded vehicle.
Your vehicle can haul more cargo and people than most passenger cars.
Depending upon the type and placement of the load, hauling cargo and
people may raise the center of gravity of the vehicle.
Calculating the load your vehicle can carry/tow
1. Use the appropriate maximum GCWR chart (in the Trailer Towing
section in this chapter) for your type of engine and rear axle ratio.
2. Weigh your vehicle without cargo. To obtain correct weights, take your
vehicle to a shipping company or an inspection station for trucks.
3. Subtract your loaded weight from the maximum GCWR in the chart.
This is the maximum trailer weight your vehicle can tow. It must be
below the maximum trailer weight shown in the chart.
TRAILER TOWING
Your vehicle may tow a class I, II or III trailer provided the maximum
trailer weight is less than or equal to the maximum trailer weight listed
for your engine and rear axle ratio on the following charts.
Your vehicle ’s load capacity is designated by weight, not by volume, so
you cannot necessarily use all available space when loading a vehicle.
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•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 to Lubricant specificationsin
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
0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] 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
12–16 km (8 –10 miles) of driving.
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INFORMATION ABOUT UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
New vehicles are fitted with tires
that have a rating on them called
Tire Quality Grades. The Quality
grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For
example:
•Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
These Tire Quality Grades are determined by standards that the United
States Department of Transportation has set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to new pneumatic tires for use on passenger
cars. They do not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches or limited production tires as defined in
Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 575.104(c)(2).
U.S. Department of Transportation-Tire quality grades: The U.S.
Department of Transportation requires Ford to give you the following
information about tire grades exactly as the government has written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices, and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire ’s ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
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•Extra load: A class of P-metric or Metric tires designed to carry a
heavier maximum load at 41 psi [43 psi (2.9 bar) for Metric tires].
Increasing the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not increase
the tires load carrying capability.
• kPa: Kilopascal, a metric unit of air pressure.
• PSI: Pounds per square inch, a standard unit of air pressure.
• B-pillar: The structural member at the side of the vehicle behind the
front door.
• Bead area of the tire: Area of the tire next to the rim.
• Sidewall of the tire: Area between the bead area and the tread.
• Tread area of the tire: Area of the perimeter of the tire that
contacts the road when mounted on the vehicle.
• Rim: The metal support (wheel) for a tire or a tire and tube assembly
upon which the tire beads are seated.
INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE TIRE SIDEWALL
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized
information on the sidewall of all tires. This information identifies and
describes the fundamental characteristics of the tire and also provides a
tire identification number for safety standard certification and in case of
a recall.
Information on “P ” type tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of a
tire size, load index and speed
rating. The definitions of these
items are listed below. (Note that
the tire size, load index and speed
rating for your vehicle may be
different than this example.)
1. P: Indicates a tire, designated by
the Tire and Rim Association
(T&RA), that maybe used for
service on cars, SUVs, minivans and
light trucks.
Note: If your tire size does not
begin with a letter this may mean it
is designated by either ETRTO
(European Tire and Rim Technical Organization) or JATMA (Japan Tire
Manufacturing Association).
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2.215: Indicates the nominal width of the tire in millimeters from sidewall
edge to sidewall edge. In general, the larger the number, the wider the tire.
3. 65: Indicates the aspect ratio which gives the tire ’s ratio of height to
width.
4. R: Indicates a “radial ”type tire.
5. 15: Indicates the wheel or rim diameter in inches. If you change your
wheel size, you will have to purchase new tires to match the new wheel
diameter.
6. 95: Indicates the tire ’s load index. It is an index that relates to how
much weight a tire can carry. You may find this information in your
owner ’s guide. If not, contact a local tire dealer.
Note: You may not find this information on all tires because it is not
required by federal law.
7. H: Indicates the tire ’s speed rating. The speed rating denotes the
speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for extended periods of
time under a standard condition of load and inflation pressure. The tires
on your vehicle may operate at different conditions for load and inflation
pressure. These speed ratings may need to be adjusted for the difference
in conditions. The ratings range from 159 km/h (99 mph) to 299 km/h
(186 mph). These ratings are listed in the following chart.
Note: You may not find this information on all tires because it is not
required by federal law.
Letter rating Speed rating - km/h (mph)
Q 159 km/h (99 mph)R 171 km/h (106 mph) S 180 km/h (112 mph)
T 190 km/h (118 mph)
U 200 km/h (124 mph)
H 210 km/h (130 mph) V 240 km/h (149 mph)
W 270 km/h (168 mph) Y 299 km/h (186 mph)
Note: For tires with a maximum speed capability over 240 km/h (149
mph), tire manufacturers sometimes use the letters ZR. For those with a
maximum speed capability over 299 km/h (186 mph), tire manufacturers
always use the letters ZR.
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