2013 FORD F650 Owners Manual

*Specific GCWR and maximum trailer weight applicable to a given
F–650/750 model is dependent on many variables including transmission
capability. Check with your sales consultant for the exact rating on your
vehicle.
ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
Service your vehicle more frequently if you tow a trailer. See your
scheduled maintenance information.
For load specification terms found on the Tire Label and Safety
Compliance Certification Label and for instructions on calculating your
vehicle’s load, seeLoad limitin theLoad Carryingchapter.
Hitches
Do not use a hitch that either clamps onto the bumper or attaches to the
axle.
Distribute the trailer load so 10-15% of the total trailer weight is on the
tongue.
Safety Chains
Note:Do not attach safety chains to the bumper.
Always connect the trailer’s safety chains to the frame or hook retainers
of your vehicle hitch.
To connect the trailer’s safety chains, cross the chains under the trailer
tongue and allow enough slack for turning tight corners. Do not allow the
chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
WARNING:Do not connect a trailer’s hydraulic brake system
directly to your vehicle’s brake system. Your vehicle may not have
enough braking power and your chances of having a crash greatly
increase.
Electric brakes and manual, automatic or surge-type trailer brakes are
safe if installed properly and adjusted to the manufacturer’s
specifications. The trailer brakes must meet local and federal regulations.
The braking system of the tow vehicle is rated for operation at
the GVWR not GCWR.
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USA(fus)

Trailer Lamps
WARNING:Never connect any trailer lamp wiring to the
vehicle’s tail lamp wiring; this may damage the electrical system
resulting in a fire. Contact an authorized dealer as soon as possible for
assistance in proper trailer tow wiring installation. Additional electrical
equipment may be required.
Trailer lamps are required on most towed vehicles. Make sure all running
lights, brake lights, turn signals and hazard lights are working.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing up to get the feel of your
vehicle-trailer combination before starting on a trip. When turning, make
wider turns so the trailer wheels clear curbs and other obstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
•Check your hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts
thoroughly after you have traveled 50 miles (80 kilometers).
•Place the gearshift lever in positionP(if equipped) or neutral to aid
in engine and transmission cooling and A/C efficiency during hot
weather while stopped in traffic.
•Turn off the speed control. The speed control may turn off
automatically when you are towing on long, steep grades.
•Shift to a lower gear when driving down a long or steep hill. Do not
apply the brakes continuously, as they may overheat and become less
effective.
•Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached. Anticipate
stops and brake gradually.
FIFTH-WHEEL OPERATION
WARNING:Failure to follow the fifth-wheel manufacturer’s
instructions for hooking and unhooking as well as sliding the
fifth-wheel could result in an accident, personal injury or death.
WARNING:When the tractor and trailer are parked unattended,
the trailer brake hand control should never be used to apply the
brake, since air may leak from the system, allowing vehicle movement,
resulting in possible property damage, personal injury or death.
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Before hook-up, make sure:
•The fifth-wheel jaws are fully opened.
•The fifth-wheel is fully tilted back to prevent body damage when the
tractor is backed under a trailer.
•The trailer wheels are blocked and the trailer spring brakes are
adjusted and applied. Never chase a trailer.
•The brake hoses and light cords are clear of the fifth-wheel.
Hook-up
1. Back the tractor squarely under the trailer, engaging the fifth-wheel
jaws on the kingpin. Always back up slowly, making sure the trailer is
neither too high nor too low. Avoid backing under the trailer from an
angle.
2. Connect the service and emergency brake hoses and trailer light
connector.
3. Inspect the jaws of the fifth-wheel to be sure they have fully closed
on the trailer kingpin and the trailer plate is resting securely on the
fifth-wheel.
4. Make sure the coupler release lever is in the locked position.
5. Charge the trailer brake system. Set the trailer brakes, either with
the hand valve or tractor protection valve. Pull against the trailer for
an additional check of proper hook-up. Do not pull hard enough to
damage or strain the equipment.
6. Set the tractor parking brakes and fully raise the trailer landing gear.
See theBrakeschapter for proper operation of the parking brake
and trailer brakes.
7. Check the operation of all trailer lights and correct any lights that
may be faulty.
Un-hook
1. Try to keep the tractor and trailer in a straight line.
2. Apply the parking brakes.
3. Lower the trailer landing gear, making sure it is on solid, level
ground. The weight of the trailer is to be on the landing gear.
4. Block the trailer wheels.
5. Disconnect the brake hoses and light cords. Be sure hoses and cords
are clear.
6. Pull coupler release lever to disengage the fifth-wheel jaws.
7. Release the tractor parking brakes.
8. Pull out from the trailer slowly, allowing the landing gear to take the
load gradually.
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2013 F-650/750(f67)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA(fus)

WRECKER TOWING
WARNING: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.
Note:Make sure the vehicle is securely connected to the tow vehicle
and that the tow vehicle’s parking brakes are applied before releasing the
disabled vehicle’s spring brakes.
Before moving the disabled vehicle, check for adequate road clearance of
vehicle components. It is recommended the disabled vehicle be unloaded
prior to being towed to reduce any abnormal load to the vehicle
components resulting from the towing procedures. Before towing, make
sure the parking brake is fully released. The spring-actuated type parking
brake can be reset by recharging the air system with at least 64 psi
(441 kPa) of air. If the brake system does not retain air pressure, then
the spring brakes must be released manually. SeeParking brakein the
Brakeschapter.
Towing the Vehicle with the Front Wheels Suspended
Note:To avoid transmission damage, vehicles should not be towed even
a short distance without suspending rear wheels or removing the axle
shafts or driveshaft.
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.
When it is necessary to tow a vehicle with the front wheels suspended,
extra precautions must be taken to avoid transmission or differential
damage:
•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 driveshaft is required.
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USA(fus)

Towing the Vehicle with the Rear Wheels Suspended
Note:To avoid damage to the cab roof or air deflector when towing the
vehicle backward (rear wheels suspended), the air deflector must be
removed.
Whenever possible, it is preferable to tow a disabled vehicle from the
rear by raising the rear of the chassis. When towing a vehicle with the
rear of the chassis suspended, the front wheels must be locked in the
straight-ahead position.
Vehicles equipped with a manual transmission must have at least 1.0 pint
(0.5 liter) of transmission fluid drained from the case. This prevents the
transmission fluid from entering the clutch housing and saturating the
clutch discs. Make sure that the transmission fluid is replaced before the
vehicle is returned to service.
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.
A. Side gear
B. Differential (plain) case half
C. Shift collar in the locked position
D. Actuator assembly and shift fork
E. Axle shaft
F. Interference between the shift
collar and housing
G. Shift collar in the unlocked
position
H. Outer splines: axle shaft to collar
I. Shift collar and differential case
splines
J. Inner splines: axle shaft to side
gear
E
D
CB
A
J
IH
G
F
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Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA(fus)

Removing Axle Shafts before Towing
1. Shift the main differential to the unlocked (disengaged) position; the
differential lock light turns off.
2. Remove the capscrews and washers or stud nuts and washers from
flanges of both axle shafts.
3. Loosen the tapered dowels in the flanges of both axle shafts by
holding a 1
12inch diameter brass drift or hammer against the axle
shaft center and hitting it with a five or six pound hammer.Note:Do
not use a chisel or wedge to loosen the axle shafts and dowels. Use
of a chisel or wedge can damage the hub, axle shafts and oil seals.
4. Remove the tapered dowels and both axle shafts from the axle
assembly.
5. Assemble a cover over openings of both wheel ends to prevent loss of
lubricant and keep dirt away from the wheel bearing cavities.
Note:One of the axle shafts has two sets of splines. One set to engage
with the differential side gear and one set to engage with the shift collar
for the differential lock. It may be necessary to rotate the shaft slightly
to align the gear spline teeth with the shift collar teeth in order to
remove the axle shaft.
Installing the Axle Shafts
1. Remove the covers from the wheel ends.
2. Shift the differential lock to the unlocked (disengaged) position.
3. Install the axle shafts.
•Place the gaskets on the wheel hub studs.
•Push the right-hand axle shaft and gasket into the wheel end and
housing until the shaft stops against the differential shift collar.
•Push down and in on the axle shaft flange and rotate the shaft
until the splines of the shaft and shift collar are engaged.
•Push the axle shaft further into the housing until the shaft stops
against the differential side gear.
•Push down on the axle shaft flange and rotate the shaft until the
splines of the shaft and side gear are engaged.
•Push the axle shaft completely into the housing until the axle
shaft flange and the gasket are flush against the wheel hub.
•Install the left-hand axle shaft and gasket into the wheel end.
4. If tapered dowels are required, install them at each stud and into the
flange of the axle shaft. Use a punch or drift and hammer, if needed.
5. Install the fasteners and tighten to correct torque value. See the
Workshop Manual.
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BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for approximately 300 miles
(480 kilometers). During this time, your vehicle may exhibit some unique
driving characteristics. Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000 miles
(1600 kilometers). Vary your speed frequently and change up through
the gears early. Do not labor the engine.
ECONOMICAL DRIVING
Fuel economy is affected by several things such as how you drive, the
conditions you drive under and how you maintain your vehicle.
There are some things to keep in mind that may improve your fuel
economy:
•Accelerate and slow down in a smooth, moderate fashion.
•Drive at steady speeds without stopping.
•Anticipate stops; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop.
•Close the windows for high-speed driving.
•Drive at reasonable speeds (traveling at 55 mph [88 km/h] uses 15%
less fuel than traveling at 65 mph [105 km/h]).
•Keep the tires properly inflated and use only the recommended size.
•Use the recommended engine oil.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance.
There are also some things you may not want to do because they may
reduce your fuel economy:
•Sudden or hard accelerations.
•Warm up your vehicle on cold mornings.
•Use the air conditioner or front defroster.
•Use the speed control in hilly terrain.
•Rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
•Carry unnecessary weight (approximately 1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for
every 400 pounds [180 kilograms] of weight carried).
•Add particular accessories to your vehicle (e.g., bug deflectors,
rollbars and light bars, running boards, ski racks).
•Drive with the wheels out of alignment.
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2013 F-650/750(f67)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA(fus)

DRIVING THROUGH WATER
If driving through deep or standing water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly especially if the depth is not known. Never drive through water
that is higher than the bottom of the hubs. Traction or brake capability
may be limited and your vehicle may stall. Water may also enter your
engine’s air intake and severely damage your engine, drive axles or the
transmission (through the breather ports).
Once through the water, always dry the brakes by moving your vehicle
slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal. Wet brakes do
not stop the vehicle as quickly as dry brakes.
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