2013 FORD F650 suspension

Fuel and Refueling 113
Fuel quality.........................................114
Running out of fuel....................................116
Refueling...........................................117
Fuel consumption.....................................118
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF).............................120
Transmission 132
Transmission operation.................................136
Brakes 147
Brakes.............................................147
Hints on driving with anti-lock brakes......................151
Traction Control 164
TractionControl™ ....................................164
Cruise Control 166
Using cruise control...................................166
Driving Aids 168
Steering............................................170
Air suspension.......................................171
Upfitter controls......................................172
Load Carrying 173
Vehicle loading.......................................174
Towing 175
Trailertowing........................................175
Wrecker towing......................................179
Driving Hints 182
Economical driving....................................182
Table of Contents3
2013 F-650/750(f67)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA(fus)

VEHICLE INSPECTION INFORMATION
To be sure your vehicle is ready to operate, conduct a pre-trip inspection
at the beginning of each work period. Follow the steps listed in this
section to ensure a proper vehicle inspection procedure. The pages in
this section may be produced locally and used on a regular basis.
WARNING:Exercise great caution when working on a vehicle
equipped with an automatic fan clutch. The fan starts in motion
only after the engine coolant reaches a predetermined temperature or
the refrigerant pressure (if equipped with air conditioning) reaches a
predetermined setting. The fan starts at this point with no advance
warning. Never reach near, or permit objects to protrude into, the fan
blade radius while the engine is running as this could result in vehicle
damage, personal injury or death.
WARNING:Do not operate the vehicle if any suspension
conditions listed in the following charts are evident. Loss of
steering or suspension could result in property damage, personal injury
or death.
WARNING:If a wheel must be changed, obtain expert tire
service help. Mounting and un-mounting of tires should only be
performed by a qualified technician using necessary safety procedures
and equipment, otherwise the result could be property damage,
personal injury or death.
Note:Always make sure the parking brake is applied before starting the
engine.
14Vehicle Inspection Guide
2013 F-650/750(f67)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA(fus)

Front Suspension
SpringsInspect for leaves that may be:
•missing
•broken
•shifted
•in contact with (or nearly contacting) a tire,
rim, brake drum, frame or body component.
Note:Never apply grease to spring pads.
Spring MountsInspect the following for cracks, breaks, wear,
damage and tightness:
•spring hangers
•bolts
•bushings
•axle mounting bolts
•nuts.
Shock AbsorbersInspect for:
•cracks
•leaks
•missing or broken bolts or bushings.
Front Brakes
Hoses•Inspect for cracked, worn or frayed hoses.
•Verify all couplings are secured.
Brake ChambersVerify:
•there are no cracks or dents
•they are securely mounted.
Slack AdjustersInspect for broken, loose or missing parts.
Note:The angle between the push rod and
adjuster arm should be approximately 90° when
the brakes are applied. When pulled by hand,
the push rod should not move more than
approximately one inch (2.5 cm).
DrumsVerify:
•there are no cracks, dents, holes, and no loose
or missing bolts
•the brake linings are not worn, dangerously
thin or contaminated by lubricant.
20Vehicle Inspection Guide
2013 F-650/750(f67)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA(fus)

Tractor-Coupling System
Mounting BoltsInspect for loose or missing mounting brackets,
clamps, bolts or nuts. Both fifth-wheel and slide
mounting must be solidly attached.
PlatformInspect for cracks or breaks in the platform
structure.
Safety LatchVerify safety latch is engaged.
Release ArmVerify:
•the safety latch is in the engaged position
•any safety latch is in place.
Kingpin and
ApronVerify:
•the kingpin is not bent or worn
•the apron lies flat on the fifth-wheel skid plate
•the visible part of the apron is not bent, worn,
cracked or broken.
Rear Suspension
Springs•Inspect for broken or shifted leaves or leaves
that are in contact with (or nearly contacting) a
tire, rim, brake drum, frame or body component.
•Inspect for missing or broken leaves in the leaf
spring.
Spring MountsInspect for:
•cracked or broken spring hangers
•broken, missing or loose bolts
•missing or damaged bushings
•broken, loose or missing axle mounting parts.
Torsion Arm and
Shock Absorbers•Verify torsion arm is not cracked, broken or
missing.
•Inspect the shock absorber for cracks or leaks.
There should be no missing or broken mounting
bolts or worn bushings.
Vehicle Inspection Guide23
2013 F-650/750(f67)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA(fus)

Trailer
If you are pulling a trailer, an inspection of the trailer similar to that of
the tractor should be done. The inspection should follow trailer
manufacturer recommendations and should include at a minimum:
general condition, landing gear, doors, sides, lights, reflectors,
suspension, brakes, tires, wheels, cargo placement, stability and
tie-downs.
Transmission
WARNING:If the unit starts in gear and/or the neutral start
switch is not functioning correctly, the vehicle may inadvertently
move which could result in property damage, personal injury or death.
If your vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission, regularly
inspect the transmission’s neutral start switch. The engine should only
start in positionNorP.
Inspect the transmission fluid level and shift linkage for proper
operation.
Vehicle Inspection Guide25
2013 F-650/750(f67)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA(fus)

WARNING:Driving a vehicle with the brake system warning
light on is dangerous. A significant decrease in braking
performance may occur. It takes you longer to stop the vehicle. Have
the vehicle checked by your authorized dealer. Driving extended
distances with the parking brake engaged can cause brake failure and
the risk of personal injury.
Charging System
It illuminates when the 12–volt battery is not charging properly.
Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible. This
indicates a problem with the electrical system or a related
component.
Check Fuel Cap (gasoline engine only)
It illuminates when the fuel cap may not be properly installed.
Continued driving with this light on may cause the service
engine soon warning indicator to come on.
Check Suspension
It illuminates when the air suspension dump switch has been
activated.
Check Transmission (Allison automatic transmission only)
It illuminates while driving if a problem has been detected in
the transmission; shifting may be restricted. Depending on the
severity of the problem, the shifter’s digital read-out may turn
blank.
On MD 3000 series transmissions,operation may continue in order to
reach service assistance. The control unit may not respond to shift
selector requests, since operating limitations are being placed on the
transmission (i.e. upshifts and downshifts may be restricted). Direction
changes do not occur.
Cruise Control
It illuminates when you switch this feature on.
CK
SUSP
Instrument Cluster69
2013 F-650/750(f67)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA(fus)

Hot Weather
•Use a permanent-type engine coolant to protect the engine against
damage from overheating.
•Fill the fuel tank at the end of daily operation to prevent
condensation in the fuel system.
•Keep external surfaces of the engine, radiator, charge air cooler, A/C
condenser and accessories clean to avoid dirt build-up.
•Above normal coolant temperatures could be experienced while
driving in a transmission gear ratio which lugs the engine. To correct
this problem, engine speed should be increased by downshifting into
the next lower gear.
STEERING
Your vehicle is equipped with power steering. Power steering uses energy
from the engine to decrease the driver’s effort in steering the vehicle.
To help prevent damage to the power steering pump:
•Never hold the steering wheel to the extreme right or the extreme
left for more than a few seconds when the engine is running.
•Do not operate the vehicle with the power steering pump fluid level
below the ADD mark on the MAX. COLD side of the power steering
reservoir dipstick.
•Some noise is normal during operation. If the noise is excessive,
check for low power steering pump fluid level before seeking service
by your authorized dealer.
•Heavy or uneven steering efforts may be caused by low power
steering pump fluid level. Check for low power steering pump fluid
level before seeking service by your authorized dealer.
•Do not fill the power steering pump reservoir above the FULL mark
on the MAX. HOT side of the power steering reservoir dipstick, 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:
•underinflated tire(s) on any wheel(s)
•uneven vehicle loading
•high crown in center of road
•high crosswinds
•wheels out of alignment
•loose or worn suspension components.
170Driving Aids
2013 F-650/750(f67)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA(fus)

AIR SUSPENSION (IF EQUIPPED)
Note:
The vehicle must not be operated without air in the suspension
springs. Operating the vehicle without air in the suspension springs damages
the suspension, degrades ride performance and may cause property damage.
The air suspension system automatically adjusts to different loads to
maintain a constant frame height, allows for ease of vehicle loading and
provides improved vehicle ride and increased driver comfort.
Air Suspension Dump Switch
Note:The suspension dumps air when the ignition is in the accessory or
on position, but fills only when the ignition is in the on position.
The system is controlled by a switch
located in the overhead switch
pack. It operates only when the
ignition is in the accessory or on
position and the air tanks have
sufficient pressure to fill the air
springs. When the ignition is turned
off, the suspension remains in
whatever state it was last set.
Pressing the lower portion of the switch exhausts air from the air
springs, lowering the frame for loading. Pressing the upper portion of the
switch fills the air springs so the vehicle remains at normal ride height.
System Indicator Light
The air suspension indicator light illuminates when the switch
has been activated to release air pressure in the rear air shocks.
Never drive the vehicle when the warning lamp is illuminated
and there is low (or no) air pressure in the shocks.
Connecting and Disconnecting a Trailer with Air Suspension and
Air Suspension Dump Switch
When connecting to a trailer:
•Press the lower portion of the switch to exhaust air from the air
suspension system.
•Press the upper portion of the switch, then raise the landing gear
after making the connection to the trailer.
When disconnecting the trailer:
•Lower the landing gear, then press the lower portion of the switch.
•Disconnect the brake hoses, trailer-side and rear light connectors,
then pull the release lever on the fifth-wheel.
CK
SUSP
Driving Aids171
2013 F-650/750(f67)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA(fus)