2015 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY trailer

TOWING A TRAILER
WARNINGS
Do not exceed the GVWR orthe GAWR specified on thecertification label.
Towing trailers beyond themaximum recommendedgross trailer weight exceeds thelimit of the vehicle and couldresult in engine damage,transmission damage, structuraldamage, loss of vehicle control,vehicle rollover and personalinjury.
Your vehicle may have electricalitems, such as fuses or relays,related to towing. See the Fuseschapter.
Your vehicle's load capacitydesignation is by weight, not byvolume, so you cannot necessarilyuse all available space whenloading a vehicle.
Towing a trailer places an extraload on your vehicle's engine,transmission, axle, brakes, tiresand suspension. Inspect thesecomponents periodically during,and after, any towing operation.
Load Placement
To help minimize how trailermovement affects your vehiclewhen driving:
•Load the heaviest items closestto the trailer floor.
•Load the heaviest itemscentered between the left andright side trailer tires.
•Load the heaviest items abovethe trailer axles or just slightlyforward toward the trailertongue. Do not allow the finaltrailer tongue weight to goabove or below 10-15% of theloaded trailer weight.
•Select a tow bar with thecorrect rise or drop. When boththe loaded vehicle and trailerare connected, the trailer frameshould be level, or slightlyangled down toward yourvehicle, when viewed from theside.
When driving with a trailer orpayload, a slight takeoff vibrationor shudder may be present due tothe increased payload weight.Additional information regardingproper trailer loading and settingyour vehicle up for towing islocated in another chapter of thismanual. See Load Limit (page178). You can also find theinformation in the RV & TrailerTowing Guide, available at anauthorized dealer.
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TRAILER SWAY CONTROL (IF
EQUIPPED)
WARNING
Turning off trailer sway controlincreases the risk of loss of vehiclecontrol, serious injury or death. Forddoes not recommend disabling this featureexcept in situations where speed reductionmay be detrimental (such as hill climbing),the driver has significant trailer towingexperience, and can control trailer swayand maintain safe operation.
Note:This feature does not prevent trailersway, but reduces it once it begins.
Note:This feature cannot stop all trailersfrom swaying.
Note:In some cases, if vehicle speed is toohigh, the system may activate multipletimes, gradually reducing vehicle speed.
This feature applies your vehicle brakes atindividual wheels and, if necessary, reducesengine power. If the trailer begins to sway,the stability control light flashes and themessage TRAILER SWAY REDUCESPEED appears in the information display.The first thing to do is slow your vehicledown, then pull safely to the side of theroad and check for proper tongue load andtrailer load distribution. See LoadCarrying (page 178).
RECOMMENDED TOWING
WEIGHTS
Note:Do not exceed a trailerweight of 5000 pounds (2268kilograms) when towing with, orby, bumper only.
Note:Make sure to take intoconsideration trailer frontal area.Do not exceed 60 feet2 (5.6
meters2) trailer frontal area.
Note:Exceeding this limitationmay significantly reduce theperformance of your towingvehicle. Selecting a trailer with alow aerodynamic drag and roundedfront design helps optimizeperformance and fuel economy.
Note:For high altitude operation,reduce the gross combined weightby 2% per 1000 feet (300 meters)starting at the 1000 foot (300meter) elevation point.
Note:Certain states requireelectric trailer brakes for trailersover a specified weight. Be sure tocheck state regulations for thisspecified weight. The maximumtrailer weights listed may be limitedto this specified weight, as yourvehicle's electrical system may notinclude the wiring connectorneeded to use electric trailerbrakes.
Your vehicle may tow a class I, II,III and IV trailer or fifth-wheeltrailer provided the maximumtrailer weight is less than or equalto the maximum trailer weightlisted for your vehicleconfiguration on the followingchart.
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Chassis cab
MaximumGCWRRear axle ratioEngineVehicle
26000 lb (11793kg)4.886.8L gas
F-550 (19000/19500 lbGVWR)
26000 lb (11793kg)
4.886.7L diesel35000 lb (15875
kg)*
Calculating the MaximumLoaded Trailer Weight for YourVehicle
1. Start with the gross combinedweight rating for your vehiclemodel and axle ratio. See theprevious chart.
2.Subtract all of the followingthat apply to your vehicle:
•Vehicle curb weight
•Hitch hardware weight, such asa draw bar, ball, locks or weightdistributing hardware
•Driver weight
•Passenger(s) weight
•Payload, cargo and luggageweight
•Aftermarket equipment weight.
This equals the maximum loadedtrailer weight for this combination.
Note:The trailer tongue load isconsidered part of the payload foryour vehicle. Reduce the totalpayload by the final trailer tongueweight.
Note:Consult an authorized dealerto determine the maximum trailer
weight allowed for your vehicle ifyou are not sure.
ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
Follow these guidelines for safetowing:
•Do not tow a trailer until youdrive your vehicle at least 1000miles (1600 kilometers).
•Consult your local motorvehicle laws for towing a trailer.
•See the instructions includedwith towing accessories for theproper installation andadjustment specifications.
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•Service your vehicle morefrequently if you tow a trailer.See your scheduledmaintenance information.
•If you use a rental trailer, followthe instructions the rentalagency gives you.
See Load limits in the LoadCarrying chapter for loadspecification terms found on thetire label and Safety Compliancelabel and instructions oncalculating your vehicle's load.
Remember to account for thetrailer tongue weight as part ofyour vehicle load when calculatingthe total vehicle weight.
Trailer Towing Connector
When attaching the trailer wiringconnector to your vehicle, only usea proper fitting connector thatworks with the vehicle and trailerfunctions. Some seven-positionconnectors may have the SAEJ2863 logo, which confirms that itis the proper wiring connector andworks correctly with your vehicle.
FunctionColor
Left turn signal and stoplampYellow
Ground (-)White
Electric brakesBlue
Right turn signal andstop lampGreen
Battery (+)Orange
Running lightsBrown
Reverse lightsGrey
Dynamic Hitching Using theRear View Camera System
Note:Active guidelines and fixedguidelines are only available whenthe transmission is in reverse (R).
Use the centerline (B) guidelineto assist you in setting yoursteering wheel properly to helpalign the trailer hitch and tongue.
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Active guidelinesA
CenterlineB
Fixed guideline: GreenzoneC
Fixed guideline: YellowzoneD
Fixed guideline: Red zoneE
Rear bumperF
Fixed guidelines are always shownin the display, but the activeguidelines only display when thesteering wheel is turned. To useactive guidelines, turn the steeringwheel to point the guidelinestoward an intended path. If thesteering wheel position is changedwhile reversing, your vehicle mightdeviate from the original intendedpath.
The active guidelines fade in andout depending on the steeringwheel position. The activeguidelines are not shown when thesteering wheel position is straight.
Always use caution whilereversing. Objects in the red zoneare closest to your vehicle andobjects in the green zone arefarther away. Objects are gettingcloser to your vehicle as theymove from the green zone to theyellow or red zones. Use the sideview mirrors and rear view mirrorto get better coverage on bothsides and rear of your vehicle.
Refer to the Rear View Camerasection for additional information.See Rear View Camera (page173).
Hitches
WARNING
On pick-up trucks, the trailerhitch provided on this vehicleenhances crash protection for thefuel system. Do not remove!
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Do not use a hitch that eitherclamps onto the bumper orattaches to the axle. You mustdistribute the load in your trailerso that 10-15% for conventionaltowing or 15-25% for fifth wheeltowing of the total weight of thetrailer is on the tongue.
Weight-distributing Hitches
WARNING
Do not adjust aweight-distributing hitch toany position where the rearbumper of the vehicle is higherthan it was before attaching thetrailer. Doing so will defeat thefunction of the weight-distributinghitch, which may causeunpredictable handling, and could
result in serious personal injury.
When hooking-up a trailer using aweight-distributing hitch, alwaysuse the following procedure:
1. Park the loaded vehicle,without the trailer, on a levelsurface.
2.Measure the height to the topof your vehicle's front wheelopening on the fender. This isH1.
3.Attach the loaded trailer toyour vehicle without theweight-distributing barsconnected.
4.Measure the height to the topof your vehicle's front wheelopening on the fender a secondtime. This is H2.
5.Install and adjust the tensionin the weight-distributing barsso that the height of yourvehicle's front wheel openingon the fender is approximatelyhalfway between H1 and H2.
6.Check that the trailer is level orslightly nose down toward yourvehicle. If not, adjust the ballheight accordingly and repeatSteps 2-6.
Once the trailer is level or slightlynose down toward the vehicle:
•Lock the bar tension adjusterin place.
•Check that the trailer tonguesecurely attaches and locksonto the hitch.
•Install safety chains, lighting,and trailer brake controls asrequired by law or the trailermanufacturer.
Fifth-wheel Trailer Hitch (IfEquipped)
WARNINGS
The mounting pads in the bedare specifically designed forcertain fifth-wheel trailer hitchesand gooseneck ball hitches. Donot use these mounting pads forother purposes. Doing so couldresult in vehicle structural
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WARNINGS
damage, loss of vehicle control,and personal injury. Contact anauthorized dealer to purchasegooseneck and fifth-wheel hitchesthat are compatible with yourvehicle.
Towing trailers beyond themaximum limit of the towingsystem could result in vehiclestructural damage, loss of vehiclecontrol and personal injury.
The hitch rating listed on thetrailer hitch label is themaximum possible trailer rating.To find the maximum trailerweight allowed for your specificvehicle, consult an authorizeddealer or the RV & Trailer TowingGuide provided by an authorizeddealer.
Your vehicle may be equippedwith a fifth-wheel prep package.This package enables your vehicleto accept certain fifth-wheeltrailer hitches and gooseneck ballhitches. The fifth-wheel trailerhitch attaches to the fourmounting pads in the pick-up bed.An optional 7-pin trailer wiringconnector may be in the bed aswell. The gooseneck ball hitch isa separate mounting pad from thefifth-wheel hitch, located in thecenter of the bed.
Shorter pick-up boxes, such as the6½-foot box on the F-250 andF-350, provide less clearancebetween the cab and thefifth-wheel and gooseneck trailercompared to longer box pick-ups,such as an 8-foot box on theF-250 or F-350. When selecting atrailer and tow vehicle, it is criticalto check that this combinationprovides clearance between thefront of the trailer and tow vehiclefor turns up to 90 degrees. Failureto follow this recommendationcould result in the trailercontacting the cab of the towvehicle during tight turns that aretypical during low-speed parkingand turning maneuvers. Thiscontact could result in damage tothe trailer and tow vehicle.
Safety Chains
Note:Do not attach safety chainsto the bumper.
Always connect the safety chainsto the frame or hook retainers ofyour vehicle hitch.
To connect the safety chains,cross the chains under the trailertongue and allow enough slack forturning tight corners. Do not allowthe chains to drag on the ground.
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Trailer Brakes
WARNING
Do not connect a trailer'shydraulic brake systemdirectly to your vehicle's brakesystem. Your vehicle may not haveenough braking power and yourchances of having a collisiongreatly increase.
Electric brakes and manual,automatic or surge-type trailerbrakes are safe if you install themproperly and adjust them to themanufacturer's specifications. Thetrailer brakes must meet local andfederal regulations.
The rating for the tow vehicle'sbraking system operation is atthe gross vehicle weight rating,not the gross combined weightrating.
Separate functioning brakesystems are required for safecontrol of towed vehicles andtrailers weighing more than1500 pounds (680 kilograms)when loaded.
Integrated Trailer BrakeController (If Equipped)
WARNING
The Ford trailer brakecontroller has been verifiedto be compatible with trailershaving electric-actuated drumbrakes (one to four axles) andsome electric-over-hydraulicbrakes. It will not activatehydraulic surge-style trailerbrakes. It is the responsibility ofthe customer to ensure that thetrailer brakes are adjustedappropriately, functioningnormally and all electricconnections are properly made.Failure to do so may result in lossof vehicle control, crash or serious
injury.
When used properly, the trailerbrake controller assists in smoothand effective trailer braking bypowering the trailer’s electric orelectric-over-hydraulic brakeswith a proportional output basedon the towing vehicle’s brakepressure.
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