Ford Excursion (2005 year). Manual — part 38

The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear.

Tire rotation

vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)

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• Rear Wheel Drive (RWD)

vehicles/Four Wheel Drive
(4WD)/ All Wheel Drive (AWD)
vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)

Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.

Note: If your tires show uneven wear ask a qualified technician at a
Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealership to check for and correct any wheel
misalignment, tire imbalance or mechanical problem involved before tire
rotation.

Note: Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. A
dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is
different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel it is intended for temporary use
only and should not be used in a tire rotation.

Note: After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.

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SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS

Snow tires must be the same size and grade as the tires you
currently have on your vehicle.

The tires on your vehicle have all weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow
tires and chains. If you need to use chains, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and specifications) be used, as chains may chip
aluminum wheels.

Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
• Use only SAE Class S chains.
• Install chains securely, verifying that the chains do not touch any

wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.

• Drive cautiously. If you hear the chains rub or bang against your

vehicle, stop and re-tighten the chains. If this does not work, remove
the chains to prevent damage to your vehicle.

• If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
• Remove the tire chains when they are no longer needed. Do not use

tire chains on dry roads.

• The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle

damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when
using snow tires and chains.

VEHICLE LOADING – WITH AND WITHOUT A TRAILER

This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or
trailer, to keep your loaded vehicle weight within its design rating
capability, with or without a trailer. Properly loading your vehicle will
provide maximum return of vehicle design performance. Before loading
your vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining
your vehicle’s weight ratings, with or without a trailer, from the vehicle’s
Safety Certification Label and Tire Label:

Base Curb Weight – is the weight of the vehicle including a full tank of
fuel and all standard equipment. It does not include passengers, cargo, or
optional equipment.

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Vehicle Curb Weight – is the weight of your new vehicle when you
picked it up from your dealer plus any aftermarket equipment.

Payload – is the combined weight of cargo and passengers that the
vehicle is carrying. The maximum payload for your vehicle can be found
on the Tire Label on the B-Pillar or the edge of the driver’s door. Look
for “THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO
SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX kg OR XXX lb.” for maximum
payload. The payload listed on the tire label is the maximum payload for
the vehicle as built by the assembly plant. If any aftermarket or dealer
installed equipment has been installed on the vehicle, the weight of the
equipment must be subtracted from the payload listed on the tire label
in order to determine the new payload.

The appropriate loading capacity of your vehicle can be limited
either by volume capacity (how much space is available) or by

payload capacity (how much weight the vehicle should carry). Once
you have reached the maximum payload of your vehicle, do not add
more cargo, even if there is space available. Overloading or improperly
loading your vehicle can contribute to loss of vehicle control and
vehicle rollover.

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