2004 Ford F350 Owner Guide 3rd Printing - Page 187

Driving • Your vehicle may be equipped with a temporary or conventional spare tire. If the spare tire is different in size (diameter and/or width), tread type (All-Season or All-Terrain) or is from a different manufacturer other than the road tires on your vehicle, your spare tire is considered "temporary". Consult information on the spare tire label for limitations when using. Servicing after towing If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more frequent service intervals. Refer to your Scheduled Maintenance Guide for more information. Trailer towing tips • Practice turning, stopping and backing up before starting on a trip to get the feel of the vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles. • Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached. • The trailer tongue weight should be 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight. • After you have traveled 50 miles (80 km), thoroughly check your hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts. • To aid in engine/transmission cooling and A/C efficiency during hot weather while stopped in traffic, place the gearshift lever in P (Park) (automatic transmission) or N (Neutral) (manual transmissions). • Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer's wheels. Launching or retrieving a boat When backing down a ramp during boat launching or retrieval, • Do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of the rear bumper. • Do not allow waves to break higher than 6 inches (15 cm) above the bottom edge of the rear bumper. • Disconnect the trailer tow electrical connector to prevent blown fuses caused by water entering into your trailer's electrical wiring. Exceeding these limits may allow water to enter critical vehicle components, adversely affecting driveability, emissions and reliability. Replace front and rear axle lubricants any time the axles have been submerged in water. Axle lubricant quantities are not to be checked unless a leak is suspected. 187 2004 F250/350/450/550 (f23) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA English (fus)