2011 Ford E150 Cargo Owner's Manual - Page 191

Tires, Wheels and Loading When descending long, steep downhill grades, always use a lower gear to provide engine braking to save wear on brakes. Use D (Overdrive OFF) on moderately steep hills, 2 (Second) on steep hills, and 1 (First) on very steep hills. Do not apply your brakes continuously, as they may overheat and become less effective. Servicing after towing If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more frequent service intervals. Refer to your scheduled maintenance information for more information. Trailer towing tips • The trailer tongue weight should be 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight. • 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. • To aid in engine/transmission cooling and A/C efficiency during hot weather while stopped in traffic, place the gearshift lever in P (Park). • After you have traveled 50 miles (80 km), thoroughly check your hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts. • If you will be towing a trailer frequently in hot weather, hilly conditions, at GCWR, or any combination of these factors, consider refilling your rear axle with synthetic gear lube if not already so equipped. Refer to the Maintenance and Specifications chapter for the lubricant specification. Remember that regardless of the rear axle lube used, do not tow a trailer for the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of a new vehicle, and that the first 500 miles (800 km) of towing be done at no faster than 70 mph (113 km/h) with no full throttle starts. • Do not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles (800 km) after changing the rear axle lube. • 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. 191 2010 Econoline (eco) Owners Guide, 3rd Printing USA (fus)