2015 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY weight

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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•When you switch the engineoff, the controller output isdisabled and the display andmodule shut down. Thecontroller module and displayturn on when you switch theignition on.
•The trailer brake controller isonly a factory-installed ordealer-installed item. Ford isnot responsible for warranty orperformance of the controllerdue to misuse or customerinstallation.
Trailer Lamps
WARNING
Never connect any trailerlamp wiring to the vehicle'stail lamp wiring; this may damagethe electrical system resulting infire. Contact your authorizeddealer as soon as possible forassistance in proper trailer towwiring installation. Additionalelectrical equipment may berequired.
Trailer lamps are required on mosttowed vehicles. Make sure allrunning lights, brake lights, turnsignals and hazard lights areworking.
Using a Step Bumper (IfEquipped)
The rear bumper is equipped withan integral hitch and only requiresa ball with a one-inch (25.4millimeter) shank diameter. Thebumper has a 5000-pound (2268kilogram) trailer weight and a500-pound (227 kilogram) tongueweight capacity
If it is necessary to relocate thehitch ball position, you must installa frame-mounted trailer hitch.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping andbacking up to get the feel of yourvehicle-trailer combination beforestarting on a trip. When turning,
make wider turns so the trailerwheels clear curbs and otherobstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
•Do not drive faster than 70mph (113 km/h) during the first500 miles (800 kilometers).
•Do not make full-throttlestarts.
•Check your hitch, electricalconnections and trailer wheel
lug nuts thoroughly after youhave traveled 50 miles (80kilometers).
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•When stopped in congested orheavy traffic during hotweather, place the gearshift inposition P to aid engine andtransmission cooling and tohelp A/C performance.
•Turn off the speed control withheavy loads or in hilly terrain.The speed control may turn offautomatically when you aretowing on long, steep grades.
•Shift to a lower gear whendriving down a long or steephill. Do not apply the brakescontinuously, as they mayoverheat and become lesseffective.
•If your transmission is equippedwith a Grade Assist orTow/Haul feature, use thisfeature when towing. Thisprovides engine braking andhelps eliminate excessivetransmission shifting foroptimum fuel economy andtransmission cooling.
•If your vehicle is equipped withAdvanceTrac with RSC, thissystem may turn on duringtypical cornering maneuverswith a heavily loaded trailer.This is normal. Turning thecorner at a slower speed whiletowing may reduce thistendency.
•If you are towing a trailerfrequently in hot weather, hillyconditions, at the grosscombined weight rating (or anycombination of these factors),consider refilling your rear axlewith synthetic gear lubricant (ifthe axle is not already filledwith it). See Capacities andSpecifications (page 301).
•Allow more distance forstopping with a trailerattached. Anticipate stops andbrake gradually.
•Avoid parking on a grade.However, if you must park on agrade:
1. Turn the steering wheel topoint your vehicle tires awayfrom traffic flow.
2.Set your vehicle parking brake.
3.Place the automatictransmission in position P.
4.Place wheel chocks in frontand back of the trailer wheels.(Chocks not included withvehicle.)
Your vehicle may be equippedwith a temporary or conventionalspare tire. A "temporary" spare tireis different in size (diameter orwidth), tread-type (All-Season orAll Terrain) or is from a differentmanufacturer than the road tireson your vehicle. Consultinformation on the tire label orSafety Compliance label forlimitations when using.
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Launching or Retrieving a Boator Personal Watercraft (PWC)
Note:Disconnect the wiring to thetrailer before backing the trailerinto the water.
Note:Reconnect the wiring to thetrailer after you remove the trailerfrom the water.
When backing down a rampduring boat launching or retrieval:
•Do not allow the static waterlevel to rise above the bottomedge of the rear bumper.
•Do not allow waves to breakhigher than 6 inches (15centimeters) above the bottomedge of the rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allowwater to enter vehiclecomponents:
•Causing internal damage to thecomponents.
•Affecting driveability,emissions, and reliability.
Replace the rear axle lubricantanytime the rear axle has beensubmerged in water. Water mayhave contaminated the rear axlelubricant, which is not normallychecked or changed unless a leakis suspected or other axle repair isrequired.
TOWING POINTS
WARNINGS
Using recovery hooks is dangerousand should only be done by a personfamiliar with proper vehicle recoverysafety practices. Improper use of recoveryhooks may cause hook failure or separationfrom the vehicle and could result in seriousinjury or death.
Always slowly remove the slack fromthe recovery strap prior to pulling.Failure to do so can introducesignificantly higher loads which can causethe recovery hooks to break off, or therecovery strap to fail which can causeserious injury or death.
Never link two straps together witha clevis pin. These heavy metalobjects could become projectiles ifthe strap breaks and can cause seriousinjury or death.
Your vehicle comes equipped withframe-mounted front recovery hooks.These hooks should never have a loadapplied to them greater than the grossvehicle weight rating of your vehicle.
Before using recovery hooks:
•Make sure all attaching points aresecure and capable of withstandingthe applied load.
•Never use chains, cables or tow strapswith metal hook ends.
•Only use recovery straps that have aminimum breaking strength two tothree times the gross vehicle weight ofthe stuck vehicle.
•Make sure the recovery strap is in goodcondition and free of visible cuts, tearsor damage.
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•Use a damper device such as a tarp,heavy blanket or piece of carpetdraped over the recovery strap to helpabsorb the energy in the event thestrap breaks.
•Make sure the stuck vehicle is notloaded heavier than its gross vehicleweight rating specified on thecertification label.
•Always align the tow vehicle and stuckvehicle in a straight line (within 10degrees).
•Keep bystanders to the sides of thevehicle, at a distance of at least twicethe length of the recovery strap. Thishelps avoid injury from the hazard of arecovery hook or strap breaking, or avehicle lurching into their path.
TRANSPORTING THE VEHICLE
If you need to have your vehicle towed,contact a professional towing service or,if you are a member of a roadsideassistance program, your roadsideassistance service provider.
We recommend the use of a wheel lift anddollies or flatbed equipment to tow yourvehicle. Do not tow with a slingbelt. FordMotor Company has not approved aslingbelt towing procedure. Vehicledamage may occur if towed incorrectly, orby any other means.
Ford Motor Company produces a towingmanual for all authorized tow truckoperators. Have your tow truck operatorrefer to this manual for proper hook-upand towing procedures for your vehicle.
It is acceptable to have your two-wheeldrive vehicle towed with the front wheelson the ground (without dollies) and therear wheels off the ground.
We recommend towing a four-wheel drivevehicle with all wheels off the ground, suchas using a wheel lift and dollies or flatbedequipment. However, it is acceptable touse a wheel lift to raise the rear of yourvehicle so long as, depending on vehicleconfiguration, you perform the followingbefore towing:
•If your vehicle is equipped with amanual-shift transfer case, make surethe front wheel hub locks are in theFREE position before towing.
•If your vehicle is equipped with anelectronic shift-on-the-fly transfercase, make sure you turn thefour-wheel drive control to the 2Hposition before towing.
Note:Towing an electronic shift-on-the-flyfour-wheel drive vehicle with the frontwheels on the ground without disengagingthe front hubs may cause damage to theautomatic transmission.
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BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires forapproximately 300 miles (480kilometers). During this time, your vehiclemay exhibit some unusual drivingcharacteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000miles (1600 kilometers). Vary your speedfrequently and change up through thegears early. Do not labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first 1000 miles(1600 kilometers).
ECONOMICAL DRIVING
Your fuel economy is affected by severalthings, such as how you drive, theconditions you drive under, and how youmaintain your vehicle.
You may improve your fuel economy bykeeping these things in mind:
•Accelerate and slow down in a smooth,moderate fashion.
•Drive at steady speeds withoutstopping.
•Anticipate stops; slowing down mayeliminate the need to stop.
•Combine errands and minimizestop-and-go driving.
•Close the windows for high-speeddriving.
•Drive at reasonable speeds (travelingat 55 mph [88 km/h] uses 15% lessfuel than traveling at 65 mph [105km/h]).
•Keep the tires properly inflated and useonly the recommended size.
•Use the recommended engine oil.
•Perform all regularly scheduledmaintenance.
Avoid these actions; they reduce your fueleconomy:
•Sudden accelerations or hardaccelerations.
•Revving the engine before turning it off.
•Idle for periods longer than one minute.
•Warm up your vehicle on coldmornings.
•Use the air conditioner or frontdefroster.
•Use the speed control in hilly terrain.
•Rest your foot on the brake pedal whiledriving.
•Drive a heavily loaded vehicle or tow atrailer.
•Carry unnecessary weight(approximately 1 mpg [0.4 km/L] islost for every 400 lb [180 kilogram] ofweight carried).
•Driving with the wheels out ofalignment.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing atrailer may reduce fuel economy at anyspeed.
•Adding certain accessories to yourvehicle (for example bug deflectors,rollbars, light bars, running boards, skiracks or luggage racks) may reducefuel economy.
•To maximize the fuel economy, drivewith the tonneau cover installed (ifequipped).
•Using fuel blended with alcohol maylower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lowertemperatures during the first 8–10miles (12–16 kilometers) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improvedfuel economy as compared to drivingon hilly terrain.
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Driving Hints

To install the floor mats, position the floormat eyelet over the retention post andpress down to lock in position.
Remove in reverse order.
SNOWPLOWING
Ford recommends that the Super DutyF-Series used for snow removal includethe snowplow package option.
Installing the Snowplow
Weight limits and guidelines for selectingand installing the snowplow are in the FordTruck Body Builders Layout Book,snowplow section, found atwww.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas. A typicalinstallation affects the following:
•Certification to government safety lawssuch as occupant protection and airbagdeployment, braking, and lighting. Lookfor an Alterer’s Label on the vehiclefrom the snowplow installer certifyingthat the installation meets allapplicable Federal Motor VehicleSafety Standards (FMVSS).
•The Total Accessory Reserve Capacity(TARC) is on the lower right side of thevehicle’s Safety ComplianceCertification Label. This applies toFord-completed vehicles of 10,000pounds (4,536 kilograms) GVWR orless. This is the weight ofpermanently-attached auxiliaryequipment, such as snowplowframe-mounting hardware, that canbe added to the vehicle and satisfyFord compliance certification toFMVSS. Exceeding this weight mayrequire the auxiliary equipment installeradditional safety certificationresponsibility. The Front AccessoryReserve Capacity (FARC) is forcustomer convenience.
•Rear ballast weight behind the rearaxle may be required to preventexceeding the FGAWR, and providefront-to-rear weight balance for properbraking and steering.
•Front wheel toe may requirere-adjustment to prevent prematureuneven tire wear. Specifications are inthe Ford Workshop Manual.
•Headlight aim may requirere-adjustment.
•The tire air pressures recommendedfor general driving are on the vehicle’sSafety Certification Label. Themaximum cold inflation pressure forthe tire and associated load rating ison the tire sidewall. Tire air pressuremay require re-adjustment within thesepressure limits to accommodate theadditional weight of the snowplowinstallation.
•Federal and some local regulationsrequire additional exterior lamps forsnowplow-equipped vehicles. Consultyour authorized dealer for additionalinformation.
Operating the Vehicle with theSnowplow Attached
Note:Do not use your vehicle for snowremoval until you have driven at least 500miles (800 kilometers).
Ford recommends vehicle speed does notexceed 44.7 mph (72 km/h) whensnowplowing.
The attached snowplow blade restrictsairflow to the radiator, and may cause theengine to run at a higher temperature:Attention to engine temperature isespecially important when outsidetemperatures are above freezing. Anglethe blade to maximize airflow to theradiator and monitor engine temperatureto determine whether a left or right angleprovides the best performance.
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Driving Hints

The traction grades, from highestto lowest are AA, A, B, and C. Thegrades represent the tire’s abilityto stop on wet pavement asmeasured under controlledconditions on specifiedgovernment test surfaces ofasphalt and concrete. A tiremarked C may have poor tractionperformance.
Temperature A B C
WARNING
The temperature grade forthis tire is established for atire that is properly inflated andnot overloaded. Excessive speed,underinflation, or excessiveloading, either separately or incombination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
The temperature grades are A(the highest), B and C,representing the tire’s resistanceto the generation of heat and itsability to dissipate heat whentested under controlled conditionson a specified indoor laboratorytest wheel. Sustained hightemperature can cause thematerial of the tire to degenerateand reduce tire life, and excessivetemperature can lead to suddentire failure. The grade Ccorresponds to a level ofperformance which all passengercar tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle SafetyStandard No. 139. Grades B and Arepresent higher levels ofperformance on the laboratorytest wheel than the minimumrequired by law.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
*Tire label: A label showing theoriginal equipment tire sizes,recommended inflation pressureand the maximum weight thevehicle can carry.
*Tire Identification Number(TIN): A number on the sidewallof each tire providing informationabout the tire brand andmanufacturing plant, tire size anddate of manufacture. Also referredto as DOT code.
*Inflation pressure: A measureof the amount of air in a tire.
*Standard load: A class ofP-metric or Metric tires designedto carry a maximum load at setpressure. For example: ForP-metric tires 35 psi (2.4 bar) or36 (2.5 bar) depending on tire sizeand for Metric tires 36 psi (2.5bar). Increasing the inflationpressure beyond this pressure willnot increase the tire’s loadcarrying capability.
*Extra load: A class of P-metricor Metric tires designed to carry aheavier maximum load at 42 psi(2.9 bar). Increasing the inflationpressure beyond this pressure willnot increase the tire’s loadcarrying capability.
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Wheels and Tires