GENERAL INFORMATION
WARNING:Making modifications to various parts, components
and systems of the vehicle, such as brake and steering systems,
can adversely affect the quality, reliability and operation of your vehicle
and could result in property damage, personal injury or death. Such
modifications must be avoided.
WARNING:Failure to properly perform maintenance and
servicing procedures could result in vehicle damage, personal
injury or death.
WARNING:Take care when performing any maintenance,
system check or service on your vehicle. Some of the materials
may also be hazardous if used, serviced or handled improperly and
could result in property damage, personal injury or death.
Always use care when performing vehicle maintenance, repairs or system
checks. Improper or incomplete service could result in the vehicle not
working properly which may result in personal injury or damage to the
vehicle or equipment. It is the operator’s responsibility to see that the
vehicle receives proper care and maintenance. If you have any questions
about performing service, have the service done by a qualified technician.
Servicing Guidelines
When servicing your vehicle:
•always wear safety glasses for eye protection.
•always set the parking brake or chock the wheels.
•always use support stands, not a jack, when working under a raised
vehicle.
•always turn off the ignition unless a procedure requires the engine to
be running.
•always avoid contact with hot metal parts. Allow the components to
cool before working with, or around, them.
•always operate the engine in a well-ventilated area.
•do not wear loose-fitting clothing, hanging jewelry, watches or rings.
•do not smoke.
•do not work on the brakes or the clutch unless the proper
precautions are taken to avoid inhaling friction material dust.
Quality service parts are available through your dealer. If dealer parts are
not used, make sure the replacement parts are of equivalent quality.
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Special applications may warrant a setting based on experience with the
type of tire operating loads and conditions. Radial tires are more
sensitive to toe-in setting than bias ply tires. While not insensitive to
vehicle alignment, fine tuning school bus alignment to line-haul truck
standards does not drastically improve tire tread life.
Rear Axle
Regular inspections should include:
•checking for proper tightness of axle mounting U-bolt nuts, attaching
or mounting bolts and nuts. SeeSpring U-bolt checkslater in this
chapter.
•checking the axle for damage, binding, worn parts and adequate
lubrication.
NoSpin Detroit Locker Positive Locking Differential
Vehicles equipped with this type differential have the operator’s manual
supplied with the vehicle. See that manual for maintenance inspections.
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Brake System
Note:Persons handling brake linings should follow all precautions listed
below:
WARNING:
1. Always wear a respirator approved by the National Institute of
Occupational Studies of Health (NIOSH) or Mine Safety and Appliance
(MSA) during all brake service procedures. Wear the respirator from
removal of the wheels through assembly.
2.Neveruse compressed air or dry brushing to clean brake parts or
assemblies.
3. Clean brake parts and assemblies in open air. During assembly,
carefully place all parts on the floor to avoid getting dust in the air. Use
an industrial vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter system to clean dust
from the brake drums, backing plates and other brake parts. After using
the vacuum, remove any remaining dust with a rag soaked in water and
wrung until nearly dry.
4.Neveruse compressed air or dry sweeping to clean the work area.
Use an industrial vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter system and rags
soaked in water and wrung until nearly dry. Dispose of used rags with
care to avoid getting dust in the air. Use an approved respirator when
emptying vacuum cleaners and handling used rags.
5.Worker clean-up:Wash your hands before eating, drinking or
smoking. Vacuum your work clothes after use and then launder them
separately, without shaking them, to prevent fiber dust getting into the
air.
Your vehicle is equipped with non-asbestos brake linings. However,
exposure to excessive amounts of brake material (whether asbestos or
non-asbestos, fiberglass, mineral wool, aramid or carbon) may be a
serious health hazard.
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Chassis-mounted Charge Air Cooler
Visually inspect the core assembly for debris and clogging of external fins
with the engine off. Prior to engine operation, remove any debris
blocking the core.
•Turbocharger-to-charge air cooler
•Charge air cooler-to-intake manifold pipe
•Mounting bracket
•Chassis-mounted charge air cooler core
Inspect air intake piping:
•Check for accumulation of salt deposits (where applicable).
If present, disassemble and clean the complete air intake piping
system. If the intake piping is pitted, use Motorcraft® Silicone Gasket
and Sealant TA-30 to seal joints against leakage.
•Check for loose hoses and clamps.
•Check for ruptured or collapsed hoses.
•Check air cleaner housing for cracks.
Suspension Inspection
Note:Do not adjust air suspension height to any setting other than the
specified setting. Altering the height setting changes the driveline angle
and may result in unwarrantable component damage, such as
transmission component damage.
Verify drive axle air suspension height and height control valve
performance at engine oil change intervals.
Periodically check:
•Condition of spring leaves for evidence of fatigue, bending or
breakage.
•Condition of suspension mounting brackets and bushings.
•Torque rod mounting fasteners for tightness.
•For proper suspension alignment. This must be maintained at all
times.
•U-bolts. After the chassis has been operating under load for
1000 miles (1600 kilometers) or six months (whichever comes first),
the U-bolt nuts must be re-torqued. The U-bolt nuts must be
re-torqued every 36000 miles (60000 kilometers) thereafter. The
U-bolt and nut threads and seats should be cleaned and lubricated to
make sure a like new condition when re-torquing.
Note:SeeSpring U-bolt checklater in this chapter.
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•In case of emergency, a large amount of water without engine coolant
may be added in order to reach a vehicle service location. In this
instance, the cooling system must be drained, chemically cleaned with
Motorcraft® Premium Cooling System Flush, and refilled with prediluted
engine coolant as soon as possible. Water alone (without engine coolant)
can cause engine damage from corrosion, overheating or freezing.
•Do not use alcohol, methanol, brine or any engine coolants mixed with
alcohol or methanol antifreeze (coolant). Alcohol and other liquids can
cause engine damage from overheating or freezing.
•Do not add extra inhibitors or additives to the coolant. These can be
harmful and compromise the corrosion protection of the engine coolant.
Unscrew the cap slowly. Any pressure escapes as you unscrew the cap.
Add prediluted engine coolant meeting the Ford specification.
SeeCapacities and Specificationsfor more information.
Whenever coolant has been added, the coolant level in the coolant
reservoir should be checked the next few times you drive the vehicle.
If necessary, add enough prediluted engine coolant to bring the coolant
level to the proper level.
Recycled Engine Coolant
Ford Motor Company does not recommend the use of recycled engine
coolant since a Ford-approved recycling process is not yet available.
Always dispose of used automotive fluids in a responsible manner. Follow
your community’s regulations and standards for recycling and disposing
of automotive fluids.
Severe Climates
If you drive in extremely cold climates:
•It may be necessary to have a Ford authorized dealer increase the
coolant concentration above 50%.
•A coolant concentration of 60% provides improved freeze point
protection. Engine coolant concentrations above 60% decrease the
overheat protection characteristics of the engine coolant and may
cause engine damage.
If you drive in extremely hot climates:
•It may be necessary to have a Ford authorized dealer decrease the
coolant concentration to 40%.
•A coolant concentration of 40% provides improved overheat
protection. Engine coolant concentrations below 40% decrease the
corrosion and freeze protection characteristics of the engine coolant
and may cause engine damage.
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Checking Fluid Level
1. Park the vehicle on level ground.
2. Set the parking brake, shift into first gear and turn the engine off.
3. Clean any dirt from around the filler plug.
4. Remove the filler plug and inspect the fluid level. The fluid level
should be at the bottom of the filler plug opening.
5. Add fluid, if necessary, through the filler plug opening.
6. Clean and install the filler plug securely.
Changing Fluid
Drain and refill your transmission fluid while it is warm.
1. Park the vehicle on level ground.
2. Set the parking brake, shift into first gear and turn the engine off.
3. Clean any dirt from around the filler and drain plugs.
4. Remove the filler and drain plugs and drain the fluid into a suitable
container. Dispose of all used automotive fluids in a responsible
manner following your local authorized standards.
5. Clean and install the drain plug securely.
6. Add fluid through the filler plug opening.
7. Clean and install the filler plug securely.
DRIVESHAFT
Check the universal joints for any evidence of wear or looseness at the
regular lubrication interval. Stop the vehicle immediately, should
driveshaft vibrations occur, to avoid possible hazardous consequences or
damage to other components.
REAR AXLE FLUID
Your rear axle may be filled with an optional synthetic lubricant which
allows the use of extended service intervals. A tag on the filler plug
identifies the use of the synthetic lubricant.
Only use a lubricant that meets manufacturer specifications. See the
Capacities and Specificationschapter.Use of a non-approved rear
axle lubricant may cause internal axle component damage.
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Checking the Fluid Level
See theScheduled Maintenancechapter for rear axle lubricant level
check intervals.
1. Park the vehicle on level ground.
2. Set the parking brake and shift into positionNorP(automatic
transmission), or first gear (manual transmission). Turn the engine
off.
3. Clean any dirt from around the rear axle filler plug.
4. Remove the filler plug and inspect the lubricant level. It should be at
the bottom of the filler plug opening.
5. Add lubricant, if necessary, through the filler plug opening.
6. Clean and install the filler plug securely.
Changing the Fluid
See theScheduled Maintenancechapter for rear axle lubricant change
intervals.
1. Drain the rear axle while the lubricant is warm.
2. Park the vehicle on level ground.
3. Set the parking brake and shift into positionNorP(automatic
transmission), or first gear (manual transmission). Turn the engine
off.
4. Clean any dirt from around the rear axle filler and drain plugs.
5. Remove the filler and drain plugs. Drain the lubricant into a suitable
container. Dispose of all used automotive fluids in a responsible
manner following your local authorized standards.
6. Clean and install the drain plug securely.
7. Add lubricant through the filler plug opening.
8. Clean and install the filler plug securely.
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6. Release the parking brake. With your foot on the brake pedal and
with the A/C on, put the vehicle in positionP(automatic
transmission) or neutral (manual transmission) and allow the engine
to idle for at least one minute.Note:If you do not allow the engine
to relearn its idle trim, the idle quality of your vehicle may be
adversely affected until the idle trim is eventually relearned.
7. Drive the vehicle to complete the relearning process.
If the battery has been disconnected or a new battery has been installed,
the clock and radio settings must be reset once the battery is
reconnected.
Always dispose of automotive
batteries in a responsible manner.
Follow your local authorized
standards for disposal. Call your
local authorized recycling center to
find out more about recycling
automotive batteries.
CHECKING THE WIPER BLADES
Run the tip of your fingers over the edge of the blade
to check for roughness.
Clean the wiper blades with washer fluid or water
applied with a soft sponge or cloth.
L
E
A
D
RETURN
RECYCLE
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