2023 FORD F650/750 Owners Manual

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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Vehicle Inspection Guide

Front 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
Front wheels
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
Inspect wheel hub oil seal for leaks and, if sight glass if
present, verify the oil level is adequate. Hub oil seals
Inspect for proper lubrication level if the hubcap has a trans-
parent window. If the hubcap does not have a transparent
window, remove the rubber fill-plug and inspect for proper
level. Oil-lubricated front
wheel bearings
Fuel area
Verify the tank(s) and cap(s) are secure and that there are
no leaks from the tank(s). Fuel tank(s)
Inspect for leaks from the tank(s). Leaks
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Vehicle Inspection Guide

Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) area
Verify the tanks and caps are secure and that there are no
leaks from the tanks. DEF tanks
Inspect for leaks from the tanks. Leaks
Underbody
Verify that the driveshaft is not bent or cracked and that all
driveshaft couplings are secure. Driveshaft
Verify that the visible outside parts are securely mounted and
that there are no cracks, holes or severe dents. Exhaust system
Inspect for cracks or bends in longitudinal frame members.
Verify there are no loose, cracked, bent, broken or missing
crossmembers or crossmember fasteners. Frame
Rear of vehicle
Verify there are no cuts, cracks, chafing or wear on the air
hoses and electrical line insulation. Listen for audible air leaks. Air hoses and electrical
lines
Verify air and electrical lines are not tangled, crimped or
pinched or being dragged against any truck parts. None of
the air or electrical line should be spliced or taped.
Inspect for corrosion on pins and in electrical sockets to verify
continuity and reduced heat build-up potential.
Verify the deck plate is clean, bolted securely to the frame
and is clear of loose objects. Deck plate
Verify that both brake lights illuminate when the pedal is
applied, each signal flashes and that the four-way flashers
work properly. Turns signals, brake
lights and flashers
Verify all exterior lights illuminate and are clean. Lights and reflectors
Verify reflectors are clean, unbroken and of proper color (red
on rear, amber elsewhere).
Verify running lights are clean and unbroken.
Note: Inspect rear running lights separately from signal,
flasher and brake lights.
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Vehicle Inspection Guide

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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Vehicle Inspection Guide

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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Vehicle Inspection Guide

Inspect the transmission fluid level and
shift linkage for proper operation.
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Vehicle Inspection Guide

GENERAL INFORMATION
WARNING: Making modifications
to various parts, components and
systems of the vehicle, such as brake and
steering systems, can adversely affect
the quality, reliability and operation of
your vehicle and could result in property
damage, personal injury or death. Such
modifications must be avoided.
WARNING: Failure to properly
perform maintenance and servicing
procedures could result in vehicle
damage, personal injury or death.
WARNING: Take care when
performing any maintenance, system
check or service on your vehicle. Some
of the materials may also be hazardous
if used, serviced or handled improperly
and could result in property damage,
personal injury or death.
If the owner or operator of the vehicle is a
skilled technician and intends on
performing the vehicle maintenance and
service, he is strongly urged to purchase a
service manual.
Always use care when performing vehicle
maintenance, repairs or system checks.
Improper or incomplete service could result
in your vehicle not working properly which
may result in personal injury or damage to
your vehicle or equipment. It is the
operator’s responsibility to see that your
vehicle receives proper care and
maintenance. If you have any questions
about performing service, have the service
done by a qualified technician.
To help you service your vehicle, we
provide scheduled maintenance
information which makes tracking routine
service easy. See Scheduled
Maintenance (page 319).If your vehicle requires professional service,
an authorized dealer can provide the
necessary parts and service. Check your
warranty information to find out which
parts and services are covered.
Use only recommended fuels, lubricants,
fluids and service parts conforming to
specifications. Motorcraft® parts are
designed and built to provide the best
performance in your vehicle.
Servicing Guidelines
WARNING: The use of inferior parts
can adversely affect the quality and
reliability of your vehicle and could result
in property damage, personal injury or
death.
When servicing your vehicle:
• Always wear safety glasses for eye
protection.
• Always set the parking brake or chock
the wheels.
• Always use support stands, not a jack,
when working under a raised vehicle.
• Always turn off the ignition unless a
procedure requires the engine to be
running.
• Always avoid contact with hot metal
parts. Allow the components to cool
before working with, or around, them.
• Always operate the engine in a
well-ventilated area.
• Do not wear loose-fitting clothing,
hanging jewelry, watches or rings.
• Do not smoke.
• Do not work on the brakes or the clutch
unless you take the proper precautions
to avoid inhaling friction material dust.
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Maintenance

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
WARNING: Before opening the
hood, fully apply the parking brake, shift
into park (P) or neutral (N) and switch
the ignition off.
WARNING: 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.
WARNING: 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.
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Maintenance