1997 Ford F150 Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 127

Driving • Allow more room for stopping with a trailer attached. • Practice turning, stopping and backing in an area before starting on a trip to get the feel of the vehicle/trailer combination. • When turning, drive slightly beyond the normal turning point so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles. • When stopped in traffic for long periods of time in hot weather, place the automatic transmission gearshift in P (Park) to increase idle speed. This aids engine cooling and air conditioner efficiency. • 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. • After you have travelled about 80 km (50 miles), thoroughly check your hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts. 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 and • Do not allow waves to break higher than 15 cm (six inches) above the bottom edge of the rear bumper. 128