2012 FORD F450 wheel alignment

Safety Practices
WARNING: If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc., do
not rapidly spin the tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and
cause an explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three to five seconds.
WARNING: Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h).
The tires may fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Driving habits have a great deal to do with your tire mileage and safety.
• Observe posted speed limits
• Avoid fast starts, stops and turns
• Avoid potholes and objects on the road
• Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
Highway Hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there’s always the possibility that you
may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If
you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest repair
facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
Tire and Wheel Alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause damage to your tires. If your vehicle
seems to pull to one side when you’re driving, the wheels may be out of
alignment. Have an authorized dealer check the wheel alignment periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by an authorized dealer.
Front-wheel drive vehicles and those with an independent rear
suspension (if equipped) may require alignment of all four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear. Tires, Wheels and Loading
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Tire Rotation
WARNING: If the tire label shows different tire pressures for
the front and rear tires and the vehicle is equipped with TPMS
(tire pressure monitoring system), then the settings for the TPMS
sensors need to be updated. Always perform the TPMS reset procedure
after tire rotation. If the system is not reset, it may not provide a low
tire pressure warning when necessary. See the TPMS reset procedure
in this chapter.
Note: If your tires show uneven wear ask an authorized dealer to check
for and correct any wheel misalignment, tire imbalance or mechanical
problem involved before tire rotation.
Note: Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire and
wheel assembly. A dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire or
wheel that is different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires
and wheels. If you have a dissimilar spare tire and wheel assembly, it is
intended for temporary use only and should not be used in a tire
rotation.
Note: After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
Scheduled Maintenance chapter) will help your tires wear more evenly,
providing better tire performance and longer tire life.
• Rear-wheel drive (RWD)
vehicles/Four-wheel drive (4WD)
vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)Tires, Wheels and Loading
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• Some noise is normal during operation. If excessive, check for low
power steering pump fluid level before seeking service by your dealer.
• Heavy or uneven efforts may be caused by low power steering fluid.
Check for low power steering pump fluid level before seeking service
by your dealer.
• Do not fill the power steering pump reservoir above the MAX mark on
the reservoir, as this may result in leaks from the reservoir.
If the power steering system breaks down (or if the engine is turned
off), you can steer the vehicle manually, but it takes more effort.
If the steering wanders or pulls, check for:
• an improperly inflated tire
• uneven tire wear
• loose or worn suspension components
• loose or worn steering components
• improper steering alignment
If any steering components are serviced or replaced, install new
fasteners (many are coated with thread adhesive or have prevailing
torque features which may not be re-used). Never re-use a bolt or nut.
Torque fasteners to specifications in Workshop Manual .
A high crown in the road or high crosswinds may also make the steering
seem to wander/pull.
ELECTRONIC LOCKING DIFFERENTIAL (ELD) (IF EQUIPPED)
The electronic locking differential (ELD) is a device housed in the rear
axle which allows both rear wheels to turn at the same speed. It provides
added traction on slippery and/or off road surfaces, particularly when
one wheel is on a poor traction surface. The ELD may be locked or
unlocked by the vehicle operator and can be engaged or disengaged on
the fly. When the axle is unlocked it will function like a standard rear
axle. When the axle is locked it will not allow the rear wheels to rotate
at different speeds when turning. It is not recommended for use on good
traction surfaces such as dry pavement. Doing so may result in abnormal
driving behavior and noise while cornering and excessive tire wear.
The ELD is affected by the following conditions of your vehicle:
• On 2WD vehicles and 4WD vehicles in 2H (4X2) or 4H (4X4 High),
the ELD will not engage if the vehicle speed is above 25 mph
(40 km/h). Driving
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• 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 Maintenance product
specifications and capacities in this chapter.
• Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in scheduled maintenance information.
Conditions
• Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
• Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] 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.
• To maximize the fuel economy, drive with the tonneau cover installed
(if equipped).
• Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
• Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
• Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
• Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
• Four-wheel-drive operation (if equipped) is less fuel efficient than
two-wheel-drive operation.
• Close windows for high speed driving. Maintenance and Specifications
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SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ................................149–150
Servicing your vehicle ..............370
Setting the clock ...................61, 63
Snowplowing .................7, 316–317
SOS Post Crash Alert ...............189
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................410, 415
Special notice ................................8
ambulance conversions ..............8
diesel-powered vehicles .............7
four-wheel drive vehicles .......318
utility-type vehicles ....................7
Speed control ............................110
Starting a flex fuel vehicle .......268
Starting your vehicle ........265–268
jump starting ..........................348
Steering wheel
controls ....................................112
tilting .........................................99
SYNC  ..........................................77
T
Tailgate ......................................123
Tilt steering wheel ......................99
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
Tires, Wheels and Loading ....237
Tires ...........................219–220, 331
alignment ................................229
care ..........................................225
changing ..................331, 334, 337
checking the pressure ............224
inflating ...................................221
label .........................................236
replacing ..................................227 rotating ....................................230
safety practices .......................229
sidewall information ...............232
snow tires and chains ............243
spare tire .................................332
terminology .............................220
tire grades ...............................220
treadwear ........................219, 226
Towing .......................................252
recreational towing .................263
Trailer Brake
Controller-Integrated ..............256
trailer towing ..........................252
wrecker ....................................351
Traction control ........................274
Trailer Brake
Controller-Integrated ................256
Trailer sway control ..................281
Transfer case
fluid checking .........................404
Transmission .............................287
brake-shift interlock (BSI) ....285
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................400
fluid, refill capacities ..............411
Turn signal ..................................91
U
Universal garage door opener ..116
Upfitter controls .......................114
USB port ......................................71
V
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ..........................................417
Vehicle loading ..........................244
Ventilating your vehicle ...........269 Index
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