2016 FORD F650 suspension

Front of vehicle
Verify running lights are clean and unbroken.
Inspect for any missing or loose fasteners, power steering
fluid leaks and damage to power steering hoses.
Steering gear
Verify connecting links, arms and rods are not worn or cracked.
Steering linkage
Verify joints, sockets and boot seals are not worn or loose.
Verify cotter keys, nuts and bolts are not loose or missing.
Inspect front and rear tow hooks for damage or loose
mounting. This is particularly important on vehicles that use
them frequently.
Tow hooks Front suspension
Inspect for missing, broken or shifted leaves, or leaves that
may be in contact with (or nearly contacting) a tire, rim, brake
drum, frame or body component.
Springs
Note: Never apply grease to spring pads.
Make sure there the following items are properly tightened
and that there are no cracks, breaks, wear, damage to spring
hangers, bolts, bushings, axle mounting bolts, and nuts.
Spring mounts
Inspect for any cracks, leaks, or missing or broken bolts or
bushings.
Shock absorbers
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Tractor-coupling system
Inspect for loose or missing mounting brackets, clamps, bolts
or nuts. Verify solid attachment of both fifth wheel and the
slide mounting.
Mounting bolts
Inspect for cracks or breaks in the platform structure.
Platform
Verify engagement of the safety latch.
Safety latch
Verify the safety latch is in the engaged position, and that
any safety latch is in place.
Release arm
Verify the kingpin is not bent or worn, the apron lies flat on
the fifth-wheel skid plate and that the visible part of the apron
is not bent, worn, cracked or broken.
Kingpin and apron Rear suspension
Inspect for missing, broken or shifted leaves, or leaves that
may be in contact with (or nearly contacting) a tire, rim, brake
drum, frame or body component.
Springs (if equipped)
Inspect for any cracked or broken spring hangers; broken
missing or loose bolts; missing or damaged bushings; broken,
loose or missing axle mounting parts.
Spring mounts (if
equipped)
Verify torsion arm is not cracked, broken or missing.
Torsion arm and shock
absorbers
Inspect the shock absorber for cracks or leaks. There should
be no missing or broken mounting bolts or worn bushings.
Inspect for missing, broken or leaking components.
Air suspension (if
equipped) Inspect for any cracked, broken or loose bolts; missing or
damaged bushings; broken, loose or missing axle mounting
parts.
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Rear brakes
Inspect for cracked, worn or frayed hoses, and that all coup-
lings are secure.
Hoses
Verify that there are no cracks or dents, and that the cham-
bers are securely mounted.
Brake chambers
Inspect for broken, loose or missing parts.
Slack adjusters
Note: The angle between the push rod and adjuster arm
should be approximately 90 degrees when the brakes are
applied. When pulled by hand, the push rod should not move
more than approximately
1 in (2.5 cm).
Verify that there are no cracks, dents, holes, and no loose or
missing bolts and that the brake linings are not worn,
dangerously thin or contaminated by lubricant.
Drums Rear wheels
Check for even separation of dual wheels, and that the tires
are not touching each other.
Spacers
Inspect for damaged or bent rims. They should not have
welding repairs, and there should be no rust trails, which
indicate it is loose on the wheel.
Rims
Verify all lug nuts are present and not loose (look for rust
trails around the lug nuts). There should be no cracks radiating
from the lug bolt holes or distortion of the bolt holes.
Lug nuts
Trailer
If you are pulling a trailer, perform an
inspection of the trailer similar to that of
the tractor. 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. Regularly inspect the transmission's
neutral start switch. The engine should
only start in neutral (N) or park (P) (if
equipped with a park position).
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Quality service parts are available through
an authorized dealer. If dealer parts are not
used, make sure the replacement parts are
of equivalent quality.
Working with the Engine Off
1. Set the parking brake and shift to
neutral (N) or park (P).
2. Switch off the engine.
3. Block the wheels.
Working with the Engine On WARNING
To reduce the risk of vehicle damage
and/or personal burn injuries, do not
start your engine with the air cleaner
removed and do not remove it while the
engine is running. 1. Set the parking brake and shift to
neutral (N) or park (P).
2. Block the wheels
Supporting Your Vehicle for
Service WARNING
Do not use a jack when working
under a vehicle. It may give way,
causing the vehicle to fall and result
in property damage, personal injury or
death. Always use floor stands to support
the vehicle. Prepare your vehicle for service repairs by
doing the following:
1. Park your vehicle on a level, concrete
floor.
2. Set the parking brake and block the wheels to prevent your vehicle from
moving. 3. Select a jack with a rated capacity
sufficient to lift and hold up your
vehicle.
4. Raise your vehicle with the jack applied
to the axle(s). Do not use the bumper
as a lifting point.
5. Support your vehicle with floor stands under the axle(s). When servicing the
axle or the suspension, support your
vehicle with floor stands under the
frame side-members, preferably
between the axles.
OPENING AND CLOSING THE
HOOD WARNINGS
Always set the parking brake fully
before opening the hood. Failure to
follow this warning could result in
serious personal injury or death. Do not stand under the hood when
you raise or lower it. Failure to follow
this warning could result in serious
personal injury or death. If the engine is running while the
hood is open, stay clear of moving
engine components. Failure to follow
this warning could result in serious
personal injury or death. Opening the Hood
Before opening the hood, set the parking
brake fully, shift into park (P) or neutral
(N) and switch the ignition off.
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Follow the tire manufacturer's
recommended cold inflation pressure for
the tire size, load range (ply rating) and
steer axle loading typical for their operation
(each steer axle tire equals ½ steer axle
loading).
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. Fine tuning school bus
alignment to line-haul truck standards
does not drastically improve tire tread life.
STEERING SYSTEM
INSPECTION
WARNING
Failure to maintain the steering
system in proper condition can cause
reduced steering ability resulting in
property damage, personal injury or death. Note:
Have any steering problems
immediately corrected by a qualified service
technician.
Ask your service technician to examine the
steering mechanism. Only minor
adjustments may be necessary.
Regular inspections should include:
• Checking the tie rod, drag link end
clamp bolts and ball joints for proper
tightness.
• Checking for installation and spread of
cotter pins and tightness of nuts at
both ends of the tie rod and drag link.
• Checking that the pitman arm (steering
arm at steering gear) mounting is tight
and locked. Check system for leaks or
hose chafing. Repair immediately, if
necessary. •
Maintaining proper steering gear and
power steering pump lubricant levels.
• Checking steering column joint bolts
and steering linkage, particularly for
body-to-chassis clearance.
Steering Column Joint Bolts
As a good maintenance practice, check
steering column joint bolt tightness every
60,000 mi (96,000 km) or annually,
whichever occurs first. Do not overtighten
the bolts.
Hydraulic System
Whenever draining and refilling the power
steering's hydraulic system for any reason,
bleed air from the system before returning
the vehicle to service. Failure to bleed the
hydraulic system properly can result in
degradation of power system performance.
Consult an authorized dealer who is aware
of the proper procedures for filling and
bleeding the system.
SUSPENSION SYSTEM
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.
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•
For proper suspension alignment.
Maintain proper alignment at all times.
• U-bolts. After the chassis has been
operating under load for 1,000 mi
(1,600 km) or six months (whichever
comes first), the U-bolt nuts must be
re-torqued. Re-torque the U-bolt nuts
every
37,000 mi (60,000 km)
thereafter. Clean and lubricate the
U-bolt and nut threads and seats to
make sure a like new condition when
re-torqueing. See
Spring U-Bolt
Check (page 223).
FRAME AND TOW HOOK
INSPECTION
Your vehicle's chassis is manufactured
with frame rails of either HSLA steel or
heat-treated steel. Handle each in a
specific manner to make sure maximum
service life. Consult the service manual or
an authorized dealer before attempting
frame repair or modification.
It is important, particularly on vehicles that
use tow hooks frequently, to inspect the
front and rear tow hooks for damage or a
loose mounting.
REAR AXLE FLUID CHECK
Your rear axle may have an optional
synthetic lubricant that 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. Only use a
lubricant that meets manufacturer
specifications. Use of a non-approved rear
axle lubricant may cause internal axle
component damage. See Capacities and
Specifications
(page 256). Checking the Fluid Level
1. Park your vehicle on level ground.
2. Set the parking brake and shift into
position neutral (N) or park (P). Turn
the engine off.
3. Clean any dirt from around the 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
Note: Drain the rear axle while the lubricant
is warm.
1. Park your vehicle on level ground.
2. Set the parking brake and shift into position neutral (N) or park (P). Turn
the engine off.
3. Clean any dirt from around the axle filler and drain plugs.
4. 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.
5. Clean and install the drain plug securely.
6. Add lubricant through the filler plug opening.
7. Clean and install the filler plug securely.
SPRING U-BOLT CHECK
Check U-bolt nuts and re-torque every
37,000 mi (60,000 km)
after initial
1,000 mi (1,600 km) re-torque. Clean and
lubricate the U-bolt and nut threads and
seats to make sure they are in peak
condition when re-torqued.
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U-bolt Nut Torque
lb.ft (Nm)
Suspension
220–260 lb.ft
(298– 352 Nm)
Front axle
270–320 lb.ft
(366–434 Nm)
Rear axle
See U-bolt re-torqueing and installation
information below.
U-bolt Checks and Re-torqueing
Procedures
1. Inspect the threads of the U-bolt and nut for rust and debris. Clean the
threads if contaminated.
2. Using a torque wrench, determine if you can turn any nuts with a force
below the specified torque.
3. Using the lowest discovered torqued nut as a starting point, re-tighten the
nuts using the sequence under U-bolt
and U-bolt nut installation.
U-bolt and U-bolt Nut Installation
1. Inspect the threads of the U-bolt and nut for rust and debris. Clean the
threads if contaminated.
2. Install the U-bolts and nuts and torque
the nuts to seat the cap flat which is
about 74 lb.ft (100 Nm) using a
diagonal pattern. Use the same
diagonal pattern for each of the
following U-bolt nut re-torque steps.
3. Tighten U-bolt nuts in increments of 74 lb.ft (100 Nm)
until tightened to
final torque for the particular
suspension.
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describes the fundamental
characteristics of the tire and also
provides a U.S. DOT Tire
Identification Number for safety
standard certification and in case
of a recall.
This begins with the letters DOT
and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards. The next
two numbers or letters are the
plant code designating where it
was manufactured, the next two
are the tire size code and the last
four numbers represent the week
and year the tire was built. For
example, the numbers 317 mean
the 31st week of 1997. After 2000
the numbers go to four digits. For
example, 2501 means the 25th
week of 2001. The numbers in
between are identification codes
used for traceability. This
information is used to contact
customers if a tire defect requires
a recall.
Tire Replacement
Requirements
Your vehicle is equipped with tires
designed to provide a safe ride
and handling capability.
WARNINGS
Only use replacement tires
and wheels that are the same
size, load index, speed rating and
type (such as P-metric versus
LT-metric or all-season versus
all-terrain) as those originally
provided by Ford. The
recommended tire and wheel size WARNINGS
may be found on either the Safety
Compliance Certification Label or
the Tire Label. If this information
is not found on these labels then
you should contact your
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. Use of any tire or wheel
not recommended by Ford can
affect the safety and performance
of your vehicle, which could result
in an increased risk of loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
personal injury and death.
Additionally the use of
non-recommended tires and
wheels could cause steering,
suspension, axle, transfer case or
power transfer unit failure. If you
have questions regarding tire
replacement, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. To reduce the risk of serious
injury, when mounting
replacement tires and wheels, you
should not exceed the maximum
pressure indicated on the sidewall
of the tire to set the beads without
additional precautions listed
below. If the beads do not seat at
the maximum pressure indicated,
re-lubricate and try again
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