2023 FORD F150 ground clearance

OFF-ROAD DRIVING
WHAT IS OFF-ROAD DRIVING
Off-road driving is driving your vehicle onunsurfaced roads or trails, made from dirt,rocks, sand and mud.
OFF-ROAD DRIVINGPRECAUTIONS - RAPTOR
WARNING: If you continue to driveyour vehicle when the engine isoverheating, the engine could stopwithout warning. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in the loss ofcontrol of your vehicle.
Before going off-road driving, consult withall the appropriate government entities todetermine where you are legally allowedto operate your vehicle and what permitsor registrations are required to do so.
Inspect your vehicle before and after anyoff-road driving.
Familiarize yourself with the dimensionsof your vehicle including approach angles,breakover angles, and ground clearance.
Also familiarize yourself with the featuresof your vehicle. Some of these featuressuch as drive modes and cameras canimprove your off-road driving experience.
Secure loose objects inside your vehicleand in the cargo area.
BASIC OFF-ROAD DRIVINGTECHNIQUES - EXCLUDING:RAPTOR
Off-road Driving Hints
Before taking your vehicle off-roading, abasic vehicle inspection should be done tomake sure that the vehicle is in top workingcondition. It is always recommended thatat least two vehicles are used whileoff-roading. The buddy system helps makesure that help is close at hand should avehicle become stuck or damaged. It is alsowise to take supplies such as a first aid kit,supply of water, tow strap, cell or satellitephone with you any time an off-roadexcursion is planned.
1.Grip the steering wheel with thumbson the outside of the rim. This willreduce the risk of injury due to abruptsteering wheel motions that occurwhen negotiating rough terrain.
2.Throttle, brake and steering inputsshould be made in a smooth andcontrolled manner. Sudden inputs tothe controls can cause loss of tractionor upset the vehicle, especially whileon loose terrain or while crossingobstacles such as rocks or logs.
3.Look ahead on your route notingupcoming obstacles, or any otherfactors which may indicate a changein available traction, and adjust thevehicle speed and route accordingly.
4.When driving off-road, if the front orrear suspension is bottoming outand/or excessive contact with theskid-plates is encountered, reducevehicle speed to avoid potentialdamage to the vehicle.
5.When with other vehicles, it isrecommended that communication isused, and the lead vehicle notify othervehicles of obstacles that could causepotential vehicle damage.
466
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMDriving Hints

6.Always keep available groundclearance in mind and pick a route thatminimizes the risk of catching theunderside of the vehicle on an obstacle.
7.When negotiating low speed obstacles,applying light brake pressure inconjunction with the throttle will helpprevent the vehicle from jerking andwill allow you to negotiate the obstaclein a more controlled manner. Using 4Lwill also help with this.
8.Off-roading requires a high degree ofconcentration. Even if your local lawdoes not prohibit alcohol use whiledriving off-road, Ford stronglyrecommends against drinking if youplan to off-road.
Crossing Obstacles
•Review the path ahead beforeattempting to cross any obstacle. It isbest if the obstacle is reviewed fromoutside the vehicle so that there is agood understanding of terrain conditionboth in front of and behind theobstacle.
•Approach obstacles slowly.
•If a large obstacle such as a rockcannot be avoided, choose a path thatplaces the rock directly under the tirerather than the undercarriage of thevehicle. This will help prevent damageto the vehicle.
•Ditches and washouts should becrossed at a 45° angle, allowing eachwheel to independently cross theobstacle.
Hill Climbing
WARNING: Extreme care shouldbe used when steering the vehicle inreverse down a slope so as not to causethe vehicle to swerve out of control.
•Always attempt to climb a steep hillalong the fall line of the slope and notdiagonally.
•If the vehicle is unable to make it upthe hill, DO NOT attempt to turn backdown the slope. Place the vehicle inlow range and slowly back down inreverse.
•When descending a steep slope, selectlow gear and engage hill descentcontrol. Use the throttle and brakepedals to control your descent speed.
Note:Hill descent control is functional inreverse and should be used in this situation.
BASIC OFF-ROAD DRIVINGTECHNIQUES - RAPTOR
Grip the steering wheel with your thumbson the outside of the rim. This reduces therisk of injury due to abrupt steering wheelmotions that occur when negotiating roughterrain.
If you are driving in a dusty area, be sure toleave ample distance between your vehicleand any other vehicles to allow foradequate vision.
DRIVING OFF-ROAD - RAPTOR
Driving In Snow and Ice
WARNING: Do not becomeoverconfident in the ability of four-wheeldrive vehicles. Although a four-wheeldrive vehicle may accelerate better thana two-wheel drive vehicle in low tractionsituations, it won't stop any faster thantwo-wheel drive vehicles. Always driveat a safe speed.
Make sure you allow sufficient distancebetween your vehicle and other vehiclesfor stopping.
467
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMDriving Hints

Vehicles used to traverse water should beperiodically inspected for signs of wateringestion in all of the vehicle's fluids. Ifwater is found inside your vehicle fluids,service your vehicle or see an authorizeddealer.
Avoid Getting High-Centered
Always keep available ground clearancein mind and pick a route that minimizes therisk of catching the underside of the vehicleon an obstacle and getting high-centered.
Freeing A Stuck Vehicle
WARNING: Do not spin the wheelsat over 34 mph (55 km/h). The tires mayfail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Recovery hooks are mounted to thevehicle's structure and are used to pull outthe vehicle from a surface or location whenstuck. Recover your vehicle using varioustowing apparatus attached to yourrecovery hook such as winch, open hook,or strap.
Note:Do not use recovery hooks torecreationally tow your vehicle. SeeRecreationally Towing Your Vehicle (page485).
Note: Do not rock your vehicle if the engineis not at normal operating temperature asdamage to the transmission could occur.
Note:Do not rock your vehicle for morethan a minute as damage to thetransmission and tires could occur or theengine could overheat.
If you are unable to free your vehicle callroadside assistance. See RoadsideAssistance (page 478).
Crossing A Ravine, Gully, Ditch,Washout Or Rut
Review the path ahead before attemptingto cross any obstacle.
Driving Over Logs
Review the path ahead before attemptingto cross any obstacle.
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE AT HIGHSPEEDS - RAPTOR
If you plan on using your vehicle for severe,high speed off-road use, we recommendthe following:
•Equipping your vehicle with the safetyequipment appropriate for off-roadrecovery.
•Using personal safety equipment,including a certified helmet andapproved neck restraint device.
•Doing a low speed reconnaissance runin unfamiliar areas to become awareof any obstacles that you couldencounter.
Your vehicle can incur damage if drivenbeyond its capabilities. Skid plates, shockguards and running boards are designedto help limit damage to vital componentsand exterior finishes, but cannot preventall damage if driven in extreme off-roadconditions. Damage to skid plates, shockguards, running boards and exteriorfinishes as well as bent, cracked or brokenbody, frame and chassis components maynot be covered by warranty.
469
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMDriving Hints

CHANGING A FLAT TIRE -
EXCLUDING: RAPTOR
If you get a flat tire when driving, do notapply the brake heavily. Instead, graduallydecrease your speed, hold the steeringwheel firmly and slowly move to a safeplace on the side of the road.
Have a flat serviced by an authorizeddealer to prevent damage to the systemsensors. See Tire Pressure MonitoringSystem Precautions (page 555).Replacethe spare tire with a road tire as soon aspossible. When repairing or replacing theflat tire, have the authorized dealer inspectthe system sensor for damage.
Note:Only use tire sealants in roadsideemergencies as they may damage the tirepressure monitoring system sensor.
Note:The tire pressure monitoring systemindicator light illuminates when the sparetire is in use. To restore the full functionalityof the monitoring system, all road wheelsthat come with tire pressure monitoringsensors must be mounted on the vehicle.
Dissimilar Spare Wheel and TireAssembly Information
WARNING: Failure to follow theseguidelines could result in an increasedrisk of loss of vehicle control, injury ordeath.
If you have a dissimilar spare wheel andtire, the intent of the spare wheel is fortemporary use only. This means that if youneed to use it, replace it as soon aspossible with a road wheel and tireassembly that is the same size and typeas the road tires and wheels originallyprovided by Ford.
A dissimilar spare wheel and tire assemblyis defined as a spare wheel and tireassembly that is different in brand, size orappearance from the road tires andwheels.
Full-size dissimilar spare
When driving with the full-size dissimilarspare wheel and tire assembly, do not:
•Exceed 70 mph (113 km/h).
•Use more than one dissimilar sparewheel and tire assembly at a time.
•Use snow chains on the end of thevehicle with the dissimilar spare wheeland tire assembly.
•Engage any four-wheel drive mode.See Four-Wheel Drive Limitations(page 275).
•Engage any four-wheel drive.
Using a full-size dissimilar spare wheel andtire assembly can compromise theeffectiveness of the following:
•Handling, stability and brakingperformance.
•Comfort and noise.
•Ground clearance and parking at curbs.
•Winter weather driving capability.
•Wet weather driving capability.
•Four-wheel drive capability.
When driving with the full-size dissimilarspare wheel and tire assembly, giveadditional caution to:
•Towing a trailer.
•Driving vehicles that come with acamper body.
•Driving vehicles with a load on thecargo rack.
Drive cautiously when using a full-sizedissimilar spare wheel and tire assemblyand seek service as soon as possible.
561
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMChanging a Road Wheel

When driving with the full-size dissimilarspare wheel and tire assembly, do not:
•Exceed 70 mph (113 km/h).
•Use more than one dissimilar sparewheel and tire assembly at a time.
•Use snow chains on the end of thevehicle with the dissimilar spare wheeland tire assembly.
•Engage any four-wheel drive mode.See Four-Wheel Drive Limitations(page 275).
•Engage any four-wheel drive.
Using a full-size dissimilar spare wheel andtire assembly can compromise theeffectiveness of the following:
•Handling, stability and brakingperformance.
•Comfort and noise.
•Ground clearance and parking at curbs.
•Winter weather driving capability.
•Wet weather driving capability.
•Four-wheel drive capability.
When driving with the full-size dissimilarspare wheel and tire assembly, giveadditional caution to:
•Towing a trailer.
•Driving vehicles that come with acamper body.
•Driving vehicles with a load on thecargo rack.
Drive cautiously when using a full-sizedissimilar spare wheel and tire assemblyand seek service as soon as possible.
Tire Change Procedure
WARNING: To help prevent yourvehicle from moving when changing awheel, shift the transmission into park(P), set the parking brake and use anappropriate block or wheel chock tosecure the wheel diagonally opposite tothe wheel being changed. For example,when changing the front left wheel,place an appropriate block or wheelchock on the right rear wheel.
WARNING: The jack supplied withthis vehicle is only intended for changinga flat tire in an emergency. Do notattempt to do any other work on yourvehicle when it is supported by the jack,as your vehicle could slip off the jack.Failure to follow this instruction couldresult in personal injury or death.
WARNING: Do not attempt tochange a tire on the side of the vehicleclose to moving traffic. Pull far enoughoff the road to not obstruct the flow oftraffic and avoid the danger of being hitwhen operating the jack or changing thewheel.
WARNING: Only use the jackprovided as original equipment with yourvehicle.
WARNING: Do not get under avehicle that is supported by a jack.
WARNING: The jack should beused on level firm ground whereverpossible.
WARNING: Never place anythingbetween the vehicle jack and the ground.
569
2023 F-150 (TFD) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202206, DOMChanging a Road Wheel