
PANEL DIMMER CONTROL
Use to adjust the brightness of the
instrument panel and all applicable
illuminated switches in the vehicle
during headlamp and parklamp
operation.
Move the control to the full upright
position, past detent, to turn on the
interior lamps.
AIMING THE HEADLAMPS
Your vehicle may be equipped with a sealed beam or aerodynamic
headlamp system. Sealed beam headlamps may be aimed in the vertical
(up/down) and the horizontal (left/right) directions using the procedures
following. The aerodynamic headlamps can only be aimed in the vertical
direction (up/down) using the following procedures. The headlamps on
your vehicle are properly aimed at the assembly plant and should not
normally need adjusting.
Vertical and horizontal aim adjustment (sealed beam headlamps)
The headlamps on your vehicle are intended to be aimed using
mechanical aimers. If mechanical aimers are used and the cross-car sight
line is in any way blocked, set the legs of the universal adaptor all to the
same setting, such that the cross-car sight line is no longer blocked, per
the instructions for the brand of mechanical aimer used. You can also
aim the headlamps visually using the procedure below.
To adjust the headlamps:
1. Park your vehicle on a level
surface about 25 feet (7.6 meters)
away from a vertical plain surface
(3). Check your headlamp alignment
at night or in a dark area so that
you can see the headlamp beam
pattern.
•(1) 8 feet (2.4 meters)
•(2) Center height of lamp to
ground
•(3) 25 feet (7.6 meters)
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Lights
82

•(4) Horizontal reference line
•(5) Center of headlamps
•(6) Center line of the vehicle
2. The center of the headlamp is marked either on the lens (a circle or
cross marker) or on the bulb shield, internal to the lamp (mark or
feature). Measure the height from the center of your headlamp to the
ground (2) and mark an 8 foot (2.4 meter) long horizontal line on the
wall or screen (1) at this height (masking tape works well).
3. Turn on the low beam headlamps
and open the hood.
4. Locate the high intensity area of
the beam pattern and place the top
edge of the intensity zone even with
the horizontal reference line (4). If
the top edge of the high intensity
area is not even with the horizontal
line, follow the next step to adjust
it.
5. Locate the vertical adjuster (2)
for each headlamp. Adjust the aim
by turning the adjuster control
either clockwise (to adjust up) or
counterclockwise (to adjust down).
6. In addition to the horizontal line
marked in step 2, a pair of vertical
lines (5) must be marked at the
center line of the headlamps on the
wall or screen.
7. On the wall or screen, locate the high intensity area of the beam
pattern. The left edge of the high intensity area should be even with the
vertical line corresponding to the headlamp under adjustment. If the left
edge of the high intensity area is not even with the vertical line, follow
the next step to adjust it.
8. Locate the horizontal adjuster (1) for each headlamp. Turn it
clockwise or counterclockwise, to place the left edge of the high
intensity area even with the vertical line corresponding to the headlamp
under adjustment.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Lights
83

Vertical aim adjustment (aerodynamic headlamps)
The headlamps on your vehicle can only be vertically adjusted. Your
vehicle does not require horizontal aim adjustments.
To adjust the headlamps:
1. Park the vehicle directly in front of a wall or screen on a level surface,
approximately 25 feet (7.6 meters) away.
•(1) 8 feet (2.4 meters)
•(2) Center height of lamp to ground
•(3) 25 feet (7.6 meters)
•(4) Horizontal reference line
2. Measure the height from the
center of your headlamp (indicated
by a 3.0 mm circle on the lens) to
the ground and mark an 8 foot
(2.4 meter) horizontal reference line
on the vertical wall or screen at this
height (a piece of masking tape
works well).
3. Turn on the low beam headlamps
to illuminate the wall or screen and open the hood. Cover one of the
headlamps so no light from that lamp hits the wall.
4. On the wall or screen you will
observe a light pattern with a
distinct horizontal edge towards the
right. If this edge is not at the
horizontal reference line, the beam will need to be adjusted so the edge
is at the same height as the horizontal reference line.
5. Locate the vertical adjuster on
each headlamp, then use a E5 Torx
socket to turn the adjuster either
counterclockwise (to adjust down)
or clockwise (to adjust up) aligning
the upper edge of the light pattern
up to the horizontal line.
6. Repeat Steps 3–5 for the other
headlamp.
7. Close the hood and turn off the
lamps.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Lights
84

BELT AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED if
the seat belt assembly “automatic locking retractor” feature or
any other seat belt function is not operating properly when checked
according to the procedures in theWorkshop Manual. Failure to
replace the belt and retractor assembly could increase the risk of
injury in collisions.
Energy Management Feature
•This vehicle has a seat belt system with an energy management
feature at the front outboard seating positions to help further reduce
the risk of injury in the event of a head-on collision.
•The front outboard seat belt systems have a retractor assembly that is
designed to pay out webbing in a controlled manner. This feature is
designed to help reduce the belt force acting on the occupant’s chest.
Safety belt pretensioner
Your vehicle is equipped with safety belt retractor pretensioners at the
driver and front outboard passenger seating positions.
The driver and front outboard passenger safety belt pretensioners are
designed to activate only during certain frontal or near-frontal collisions
with sufficient longitudinal deceleration. A safety belt pretensioner is a
device which tightens the webbing of the lap and shoulder belts during
some collisions in such a way that they fit more snugly against the body.
The driver and front outboard passenger safety belt system (including
retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be replaced if the vehicle
is involved in a collision that results in the activation of the safety belt
pretensioners. Refer to theSafety belt maintenancesection in this
chapter.
Failure to replace the safety belt assembly under the above
conditions could result in severe personal injuries in the event of
a collision.
Front safety belt height adjustment
The front outboard seating positions are equipped with safety belt height
adjusters.
Adjust the height of the shoulder belt so the belt rests across the middle
of your shoulder.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
162

Hitch TypeMaximum
Gross Trailer
Weight — lb.
(kg)Maximum
Tongue Weight
— lb. (kg)
6.8L DRW
Pickup
2.5” ID without
adapter
(requires 2.5”
drawbar)Weight carrying 8000 (3629) 800 (363)
Weight
distributing15000 (6804) 1500 (680)
6.8L DRW
Pickup
2.5” ID with
adapter
(requires 2”
drawbar)Weight carrying 6000 (2721) 600 (272)
Weight
distributing12500 (5670) 1250 (567)
All SRW Pickups
and 5.4L DRW
Pickups
2” receiverWeight carrying 6000 (2721) 600 (272)
Weight
distributing12500 (5670) 1250 (567)
Towing trailers beyond the maximum tongue weight exceeds the
limit of the towing system and could result in vehicle structural
damage, loss of vehicle control and personal injury.
Weight distributing hitch
When hooking up a trailer using a weight distributing hitch, always use
the following procedure:
1. Park the unloaded vehicle on a level surface. With the ignition on and
all doors closed, allow the vehicle to stand for several minutes so that it
can level.
2. Measure the height of a reference point on the front and rear bumpers
at the center of the vehicle.
3. Attach the trailer to the vehicle and adjust the hitch equalizers so that
the front bumper height is within
1 2” (13 mm) of the reference point.
After proper adjustment, the rear bumper should be no higher than in
Step 2.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
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