2001 Ford F250 Owner's Manual - Page 162

Driving 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 no more than 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight. • After you have traveled 80 km (50 miles), thoroughly check your hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts. • When stopped in traffic for long periods of time in hot weather, place the gearshift in P (Park) (automatic transmissions) or N (Neutral) (manual transmissions). 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. 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 (6 inches) 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. All Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) vehicles This applies to all cars and 4x2 trucks/sport utilities with rear wheel drive capability. An example of recreational towing is towing your vehicle behind a motorhome. The following recreational towing guidelines are designed to ensure that your transmission is not damaged. 162