Page 313 of 400
4. 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 help 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 F–250/F–350 Single Rear Wheel
(SRW) vehicles only:
5. Insert the hooked end of the jack
handle into the jack and use the
handle to slide the jack under the
vehicle.
6. Position the jack according to the
following guides:
•Front (4x2)
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
313
ProCarManuals.com
Page 315 of 400

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.
7. Turn the jack handle clockwise
until the wheel is completely off the
ground and high enough to install
the spare tire.
8. Remove the lug nuts with the lug
wrench.
9. 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.
10. Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
Go to step 19.
The following steps apply to F–350 Dual Rear Wheel (DRW) and
F–450/F–550 vehicles only:
11. 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.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
315
ProCarManuals.com
Page 317 of 400
•Front: F–450/F–550
•Rear: F-350 DRW
•Rear: F-450/F-550
13. Insert the jack handle into the
pump linkage.
14. 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.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
317
ProCarManuals.com
Page 318 of 400
15. Remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench.
16. 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.
17. Lower the wheel by slowly turning the release valve
counterclockwise. Opening the release valve slowly will provide a more
controlled rate of descent.
The following steps apply to all vehicles:
18. Remove the jack and fully
tighten the lug nuts in the order
shown. Refer toWheel lug nut
torque specificationslater in this
chapter for the proper lug nut
torque specification.
8–lug nut torque sequence
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
318
ProCarManuals.com
Page 319 of 400
10–lug nut torque sequence
19. Stow the flat tire. Refer toStowing the flat/spare tireif the vehicle
is equipped with a spare tire carrier.
Note:Do not stow the Harley-Davidson flat tire and wheel using the
spare tire winch mechanism; store the flat in the bed of the truck.
20. Stow the jack, jack handle and lug wrench. Make sure the jack is
securely fastened so it does not rattle when driving.
21. Unblock the wheels.
The following step applies to F–250/F–350 Single Rear Wheel
(SRW) vehicles only:
22. When installing the wheel center
ornaments, ensure that the
ornament retention towers on the
back side of the ornament are
aligned with the studs/lug nuts. The
retention towers are designed to be
installed over the studs/nuts and
retain to the flange on the lug nut.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
319
ProCarManuals.com
Page 320 of 400

If the ornament retention towers are
aligned between the studs/lug nuts,
the ornament is improperly
installed. This improper installation
may appear and sound correct, but
will not keep the ornament on the
vehicle. Ornaments improperly
installed in this manner will fall off
or become loose with minimal force
or impact.
Stowing the flat/spare tire
Note:Failure to follow spare tire stowage instructions may result in
failure of cable or loss of spare tire.
1. Lay the tire on the ground with the valve stem facing in the direction
specified on the Tire Changing Instructions located in the glove box.
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 authorized
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, perscheduled maintenance information),
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.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
320
ProCarManuals.com
Page 321 of 400

WHEEL LUG NUT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
On vehicles equipped with single rear wheels, retighten the lug nuts to
the specified torque at 500 miles (800 km) 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 100 miles (160 km), and again at 500 miles
(800 km) of new vehicle operation and after any wheel disturbance (tire
rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel removal, etc.).
Bolt size Wheel lug nut torque*
lb.ft. N•m
M14 x 1.5 150 200
* 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.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
321
ProCarManuals.com
Page 322 of 400

Inspect the wheel pilot hole prior to
installation. If there is visible
corrosion in wheel pilot hole,
remove loose particles by wiping
with clean rag and apply grease.
Apply grease only to the wheel pilot
hole surface by smearing a “dime”
(1 square cm) sized glob of grease
around the wheel pilot surface (1)
with end of finger. DO NOT apply
grease to lug nut/stud holes or
wheel-to-brake surfaces.
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 automatic transmission
vehicle. Automatic transmissions do not have push-start
capability. Attempting to push-start a vehicle with an automatic
transmission may cause transmission damage.
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.
1.Use only a 12–volt supply to start your vehicle.
2. Do not disconnect the battery of the disabled vehicle as this could
damage the vehicle’s electrical system.
3. Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of the disabled vehicle
making sure the two vehiclesdo nottouch. Set the parking brake on
both vehicles and stay clear of the engine cooling fan and other moving
parts.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
322
ProCarManuals.com