2004 Ford F150 Driving Your SUV or Truck 2nd Printing (Spanish) - Page 29

Vehicle Characteristics How your vehicle differs from other vehicles SUV and trucks can differ from some other vehicles in a few noticeable ways. Your vehicle may be: • Higher - to allow higher load carrying capacity and to allow it to travel over rough terrain without getting hung up or damaging underbody components. • Shorter - to give it the capability to approach inclines and drive over the crest of a hill without getting hung up or damaging underbody components. All other things held equal, a shorter wheelbase may make your vehicle quicker to respond to steering inputs than a vehicle with a longer wheelbase. • Narrower - to provide greater maneuverability in tight spaces, particularly in off-road use. As a result of the above dimensional differences, SUV's and trucks often will have a higher center of gravity and a greater difference in center of gravity between the loaded and unloaded condition. These differences that make your vehicle so versatile also make it handle differently than an ordinary passenger car. 5