2005 Ford F150 Owner Guide 5th Printing - Page 187

Tires, Wheels and Loading • 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 Disconnect the wiring to the trailer before backing the trailer into the water. Reconnect the wiring to the trailer after the trailer is removed from the water. 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. Exceeding these limits may allow water to enter vehicle components: • causing internal damage to the components. • affecting driveability, emissions and reliability. Replace the rear axle lubricant any time the axle has been submerged in water. Rear axle lubricant quantities are not to be checked or changed unless a leak is suspected or repair required. RECREATIONAL TOWING Follow these guidelines if you have a need for recreational towing. An example of recreational towing would be towing your vehicle behind a motorhome. These guidelines are designed to ensure that your transmission is not damaged. 4x4 vehicles equipped with manual-shift transfer case: • Release the parking brake. • Turn the key in the ignition to the OFF position. • Place the transmission in N (Neutral). 187 2005 F-150 (f12) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA (fus)