2004 Ford F150 Owner Guide 5th Printing - Page 208

Roadside Emergencies • Seven lug nut wheel 12. Stow the flat tire. Refer to Stowing the flat/spare tire. 13. Stow the jack and lug wrench. Make sure the jack is fastened so it does not rattle when you drive. 14. Unblock the wheels. Stowing the flat/spare tire Note: Failure to follow spare tire stowage instructions may result in failure of cable or loss of spare tire. 1. Lay the tire on the ground with the valve stem facing in the direction specified on the Tire Changing Instructions located with the jack hardware. 2. Slide the wheel partially under the vehicle and install the retainer through the wheel center. Pull on the cable to align the components at the end of the cable. 3. Turn the jack handle clockwise until the tire is raised to its stowed position underneath the vehicle. The effort to turn the jack handle increases significantly and the spare tire carrier ratchets or slips when the tire is raised to the maximum tightness. Tighten to the best of your ability, to the point where the ratchet/slip occurs, if possible. The spare tire carrier will not allow you to overtighten. If the spare tire carrier ratchets or slips with little effort, take the vehicle to your dealer for assistance at your earliest convenience. 4. Check that the tire lies flat against the frame and is properly tightened. Try to push or pull, then turn the tire to be sure it will not move. Loosen and retighten, if necessary. Failure to properly stow the spare tire may result in failure of the winch cable and loss of the tire. 5. Repeat this tightness check procedure when servicing the spare tire pressure (every six months, per Scheduled Maintenance Guide), or at any time that the spare tire is disturbed through service of other components. 208 2004 F150 (f12) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA English (fus)