2017 FORD F450 SUPER DUTY suspension

Maintenance and Modifications
The suspension and steering systems onyour vehicle have been designed andtested to provide predictable performancewhether loaded or empty. For this reason,we strongly recommend that you do notmake modifications such as adding orremoving parts (i.e. lift kits or stabilizerbars) or by using replacement parts notequivalent to the original factoryequipment.
We recommend that you use caution whenyour vehicle has either a high load or device(i.e. ladder or luggage racks). Anymodifications to your vehicle that raise thecenter of gravity may cause your vehicleto roll over when there is a loss of vehiclecontrol.
Failure to maintain your vehicle correctlymay void the warranty, increase your repaircost, reduce vehicle performance andoperational capabilities and adverselyaffect you and your passenger's safety. Werecommend you frequently inspect yourvehicle's chassis components when yourvehicle is subject to off road usage.
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Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNINGS
Vehicle modifications involvingbraking system, aftermarket roofracks, suspension, steering system,tire construction and wheel and tire sizemay change the handling characteristicsof your vehicle and may adversely affectthe performance of the electronic stabilitycontrol system. In addition, installing anystereo loudspeakers may interfere withand adversely affect the electronic stabilitycontrol system. Install any aftermarketstereo loudspeaker as far as possible fromthe front center console, the tunnel, andthe front seats in order to minimize the riskof interfering with the electronic stabilitycontrol sensors. Reducing theeffectiveness of the electronic stabilitycontrol system could lead to an increasedrisk of loss of vehicle control, vehiclerollover, personal injury and death.
Remember that even advancedtechnology cannot defy the laws ofphysics. It’s always possible to losecontrol of a vehicle due to inappropriatedriver input for the conditions. Aggressivedriving on any road condition can causeyou to lose control of your vehicleincreasing the risk of personal injury orproperty damage. Activation of theelectronic stability control system is anindication that at least some of the tireshave exceeded their ability to grip the road;this could reduce the operator’s ability tocontrol the vehicle potentially resulting ina loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,personal injury and death. If your electronicstability control system activates, SLOWDOWN.
The system automatically turns on eachtime you switch the ignition on.
If a fault occurs in either the stabilitycontrol or the traction control system, youmay experience the following conditions:
•The stability and traction control lightilluminates steadily.
•The stability control and tractioncontrol systems do not enhance yourvehicle's ability to maintain traction ofthe wheels.
•The Adaptive Steering system (ifequipped) automatically changes thesteering function to a fixed steeringratio. See Steering (page 256).
If a driving condition activates either thestability control or the traction controlsystem you may experience the followingconditions:
•The stability and traction control lightflashes.
•Your vehicle slows down.
•Reduced engine power.
•A vibration in the brake pedal.
•The brake pedal is stiffer than usual.
•If the driving condition is severe andyour foot is not on the brake, the brakepedal may move as the system applieshigher brake force.
The stability control system has severalfeatures built into it to help you maintaincontrol of your vehicle:
Electronic Stability Control
The system enhances your vehicle’s abilityto prevent skids or lateral slides byapplying brakes to one or more of thewheels individually and, if necessary,reducing engine power.
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Stability Control

If the power steering system breaks down(or if the engine is turned off), you cansteer the vehicle manually, but it takesmore effort.
If the steering wanders or pulls, check for:
•an improperly inflated tire
•uneven tire wear
•loose or worn suspension components
•loose or worn steering components
•improper vehicle alignment
If any steering components are serviced orreplaced, install new fasteners (many arecoated with thread adhesive or haveprevailing torque features which may notbe re-used). Never re-use a bolt or nut.Torque fasteners to specifications.
A high crown in the road or high crosswindsmay also make the steering seem towander or pull.
Adaptive Steering (If Equipped)
WARNING
The adaptive steering system hasdiagnostic checks that continuouslymonitor the system. If a fault isdetected a message displays in theinformation display. Stop your vehicle assoon as it is safe to do so. This warningmessage may clear if the fault is no longerpresent. If an adaptive steering systemwarning message appears each time youstart your vehicle, have the systemchecked as soon as possible.
The adaptive steering system continuallychanges the steering ratio with changes tovehicle speed, optimizing the steeringresponse in all conditions. The system alsochanges when you switch on thetransmission tow/haul feature. When youselect the tow/haul button, the adaptivesteering system reduces vehicle sensitivityto steering inputs at higher vehicle speeds,while maintaining the ease of parking andmaneuverability at low speeds.
Note:The adaptive steering system isdesigned with a locking device. With thelock engaged, the adaptive steering systemremains mechanically locked at a fixedsteering ratio. You may also notice a clickwhen you switch the vehicle on or after youswitch it off, as the lock disengages orengages.
Note:If your vehicle loses electrical poweror detects a fault when you are driving, thesystem automatically shuts down and youretain normal steering function with a fixedsteering ratio. During this time it is possiblethat the steering wheel may not be straightwhen the vehicle is driving straight ahead.In addition, the driver may notice that thesteering wheel angle required to steer thevehicle may be different.
Note:During parking maneuvers, theadaptive steering system balances the driverwork load for various steering wheel inputsand vehicle loading conditions. Underextreme operating conditions the systemlocking device may engage. This strategyprevents overheating and permanentdamage to the adaptive steering system.Typical steering and driving maneuversallow the system to cool and return tonormal operation.
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Driving Aids

TOWING A TRAILER
WARNINGS
Towing trailers beyond themaximum recommendedgross trailer weight exceeds thelimit of your vehicle and couldresult in engine damage,transmission damage, structuraldamage, loss of vehicle control,vehicle rollover and personalinjury.
Do not exceed the GVWR orthe GAWR specified on thecertification label.
Note: See RecommendedTowing Weights (page 277).
Your vehicle may have electricalitems, such as fuses or relays,related to towing. See Fuses(page 312).
Your vehicle's load capacitydesignation is by weight, not byvolume, so you cannot necessarilyuse all available space whenloading a vehicle or trailer.
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 ball mount with thecorrect rise or drop and loadcapacity. When both theloaded vehicle and trailer areconnected, 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 (page261).
You can also find information inthe RV & Trailer Towing Guideavailable at your authorizeddealer, or online.
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Towing

Sticker lost:
•Check for the following if you receivethe lost sticker message while usingthe system.
•Stop your vehicle as soon as themessage displays.
•Make sure the sticker is visible inthe rear view camera image.
•Clean the sticker and camera tomake sure they are unobstructed.
•Remove any items that may beblocking the view of the sticker.Depending on your trailerconfiguration and any equipmentmounted to your trailer it is possiblefor the sticker to be blocked fromview of the camera as it rotates onthe hitch ball but not be blockedduring setup. Remove theobstruction if possible. It will be
necessary to remove the stickerfrom it’s current location if theobstruction cannot be cleared andplace a new sticker that will bevisible to the camera in all positionsof the trailer behind your vehicle.
•You can change your stickerlocation by going into the trailermenu, selecting trailer options,selecting change trailer settingsand then selecting the changesticker option. The previous stickermust be removed.ONLY ONESTICKER SHOULD BE PLACEDON THE TRAILER FOR CORRECTSYSTEM FUNCTION.
•The camera system uses theentered measurements to helplocate the sticker. Inaccuratemeasurements will reduce thesystem’s ability to locate thesticker. Check the measurementsentered into the system are correct.Refer to the step 4 of TrailerReverse Guidance setup forinstructions on measurements.
•You can change your measurementby going into the trailer menu,selecting trailer options, selectingchange trailer setting and thenselecting the change sticker option.Disregard the prompt to removethis sticker and continue to the nextstep if you only plan to update themeasurements for the currentsticker location.
System will not backup straight:
•Factors such as the drawbarconnection to the hitch receiver, roadcamber, road grade and compliance inthe trailer suspension can influencehow straight the system is able to backyour trailer when the wheel is notturned. You can compensate for thetrailer drifting to the right or left by
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Towing

Wheel misalignment in the frontor the rear can cause uneven andrapid treadwear of your tires andshould be corrected by anauthorized dealer. Front-wheeldrive vehicles and those with anindependent rear suspension mayrequire alignment of all fourwheels.
The tires should also be balancedperiodically. An unbalanced tireand wheel assembly may result inirregular tire wear.
Tire Rotation
WARNING
If the tire label showsdifferent tire pressures for thefront and rear tires and the vehicle
has a tire pressure monitoringsystem, then you need to updatethe settings for the systemsensors. Always perform thesystem reset procedure after tirerotation. If you do not reset thesystem, it may not provide a lowtire pressure warning whennecessary.
Note:If your tires show unevenwear ask an authorized dealer tocheck for and correct any wheelmisalignment, tire imbalance ormechanical problem involvedbefore tire rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may beequipped with a dissimilar sparewheel and tire assembly. Adissimilar spare wheel and tireassembly is defined as a sparewheel and tire assembly that isdifferent in brand, size orappearance from the road tires andwheels. If you have a dissimilarspare wheel and tire assembly it isintended for temporary use onlyand should not be used in a tirerotation.
Note:After having your tiresrotated, inflation pressure must bechecked and adjusted to thevehicle requirements.
Rotating your tires at therecommended interval (asindicated in the ScheduledMaintenance chapter) will helpyour tires wear more evenly,providing better tire performanceand longer tire life. Sometimeirregular tire wear can becorrected by rotating the tires.
Rear-wheel drive vehicles and
four-wheel drive vehicles (fronttires at left of diagram).
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Wheels and TiresE142548

USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNING
Snow tires must be the same size,load index, speed rating as thoseoriginally provided by Ford. Use ofany tire or wheel not recommended byFord can affect the safety andperformance of your vehicle, which couldresult in an increased risk of loss of vehiclecontrol, vehicle rollover, personal injury anddeath. Additionally, the use ofnon-recommended tires and wheels couldcause steering, suspension, axle, transfercase or power transfer unit failure.
Note:Do not use snow chains on vehicleswith 20 inch wheels and tires.
The tires on your vehicle have all-weathertreads to provide traction in rain and snow.However, in some climates, you may needto use snow tires and cables. If you needto use cables, it is recommended that steelwheels (of the same size andspecifications) be used, as cables may chipaluminum wheels.
Note:The suspension insulation andbumpers will help prevent vehicle damage.Do not remove these components from yourvehicle when using snow tires and chains.
Follow these guidelines when using snowtires and chains:
•If possible, avoid fully loading yourvehicle
•Use only SAE Class S chains.
•Install chains securely, verifying thatthe chains do not touch any wiring,brake lines or fuel lines.
•Drive cautiously. If you hear the chainsrub or bang against your vehicle, stopand retighten the chains. If this doesnot work, remove the chains to preventdamage to your vehicle.
•Remove the tire chains when they areno longer needed. Do not use tirechains on dry roads.
If you have any questions regarding snowchains or cables, please contact yourauthorized dealer.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM
Vehicle Tire Pressure MonitoringSystem
WARNING
The tire pressure monitoring systemis not a substitute for manuallychecking tire pressures. You shouldperiodically check tire pressures using apressure gauge. Failure to correctlymaintain tire pressures could increase therisk of tire failure, loss of control, vehiclerollover and personal injury.
Each tire, including the spare (ifprovided), should be checkedmonthly when cold and inflatedto the inflation pressure recommended bythe vehicle manufacturer on the vehicleplacard or tire inflation pressure label. (Ifyour vehicle has tires of a different sizethan the size indicated on the vehicleplacard or tire inflation pressure label, youshould determine the proper tire inflationpressure for those tires.)
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Wheels and Tires

Tightening lug nuts
Tighten the lug nuts to the specified torque at 500 miles(800 km) after any wheel disturbance (such as tire rota-tion, changing a flat tire or wheel removal).
Vehicles with single rearwheels
Tighten the wheel lug nuts to the specified torque at 100miles (160 km), and again at 500 miles (800 km) of newvehicle operation and after any wheel disturbance (suchas tire rotation, changing a flat tire or wheel removal).
Vehicles with dual rearwheels
Note:Tighten the lug nuts to the specified torque. See Technical Specifications (page413).
Multi-point Inspection
In order to keep your vehicle running right,it is important to have the systems on yourvehicle checked regularly. This can helpidentify potential issues and prevent majorproblems. We recommend having thefollowing multi-point inspection performedat every scheduled maintenance intervalto help make sure your vehicle keepsrunning great.
Multi-point inspection
Horn operationAccessory drive belt(s)
Radiator, cooler, heater and A/C hosesBattery performance
Suspension component for leaks ordamageEngine and cabin air filter
Steering and linkageExhaust system
Tires (including spare) for wear and proper
pressure**Exterior lamps and hazard warning systemoperation
Windshield for cracks, chips or pitsFluid levels*; fill if necessary
Washer spray and wiper operationFor oil and fluid leaks
* Brake, coolant recovery reservoir, automatic transmission, power steering and windowwasher.**If your vehicle is equipped with a temporary mobility kit, check the tire sealant expirationUse By date on the canister. Replace as needed.
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Scheduled Maintenance