Ford Low Cab Forward (Ford year). Manual — part 40

Prior to re-installing rear aluminum hub-piloted wheels, clean each wheel
locator pad on the hub from all dirt, rust and foreign material. Apply a
light coat of chassis grease, never-seize or disc brake corrosion control
grease, only to the wheel locator pad.

When installing the tire and rim assembly on disc-brake equipped axles,
make sure the tire valve stem clears the brake caliper. The use of a tire
manufacturer’s stem forming tool is the only acceptable method of
obtaining clearance when necessary.

Note: Always observe the following instructions:

Failure to follow these instructions could result in property
damage, personal injury or death

• Never use cracked, bent or badly rusted parts.
• Always inflate tires in a safety cage.

Proper torque

It is important to tighten and maintain wheel mounting nuts to the
proper torque. Loose nuts or overtightened nuts can lead to premature
wear and possible failure of the wheel and/or mounting hardware.

Wheel lug nut torque

Size

Nut mounting

Torque

Ft. lb.

N

•m

M14

Flange

140–160

189–217

Note: Do not use lubrication on dry threads. Where excessive corrosion
exists, a light coat of lubricant on the first three threads of the stud bolt
is permitted. Keep lubricant away from flange nut washer surface and
flat on the disc wheel.

Changing wheel types

Consult your dealer or wheel/rim distributor before attempting any wheel
or fastener changes.

Use only the same type and style wheels and mounting hardware
to replace original parts. Failure to do so may result in an

assembly that looks fine, but does not fit together properly. This could
possibly cause wheel or fastener failures which could result in property
damage, personal injury or death.

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162

Note: Do not attempt to mix stud-piloted wheels or fasteners with
hub-piloted wheels or fasteners.

Note: Do not change from aluminum wheels to steel wheels or
vice-versa without changing the mounting hardware required or, with
flange-nut mounting systems, changing the hub and stud assembly.

Tire rotation

Rotating your tires will help your tires wear more evenly, providing
better tire performance and longer tire life.

Six tire rotation

It is recommended that front and
rear tires (in pairs) be rotated only
side to side, with the rear tires
maintaining original vehicle position.
After tire rotation, inflation
pressures must be adjusted for the
tires new positions in accordance
with vehicle requirements.

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

Note: If your tires show uneven wear ask a qualified technician at a
reputable repair facility to check for and correct any wheel misalignment,
tire imbalance or mechanical problem involved before tire rotation.

Maintenance and Specifications

163

TIRE INFORMATION

Inflation

Always maintain your tires in good condition. Frequently check
and maintain correct inflation pressures as specified by tire

manufacturers. Inspect periodically for abnormal wear patterns and
repair/replace cut or broken tire casing. Always use experienced,
trained personnel with proper equipment and correct procedures to
mount or remove tires and wheels. Failure to adhere to these warnings
could result in wheel or tire malfunction, damage to your vehicle,
personal injury, or death.

To avoid personal injury or death, always follow these
instructions when mounting radial tires on wheels:

• Only personnel that have had proper training and experience should

mount or remove tires from rims or wheels.

• Use only heavy-duty rims or approved rims for radial tires. It may be

necessary to contact your wheel and rim distributor to determine if
your rims are approved for radial tires.

• If a tube is to be used, make sure special radial tire tubes are used

because of the increased flexing of the sidewalls on radial tires.

• Never use anti-freeze, silicones, or petroleum based lubricants when

mounting radial tires. Only an approved lubricant should be used as
an aid for mounting tires.

• Always inflate tires in a safety cage.

• Do not attempt to mix stud piloted wheels or fasteners with hub

piloted wheels or fasteners. To do so may cause premature wheel
failure resulting in property damage, personal injury, or death.

• Do no mix foreign (not made in North America) wheel mounting parts

with domestic (made in North America) parts. Many foreign wheel
components look similar to, but not exactly the same as domestic
made components. Mixing components could cause wheel or fastener
failures and result in property damage, personal injury, or death.

• Do not change from aluminum wheels to steel wheels or vice-versa

without changing the mounting hardware where required or, in some
cases with flange nut mounting systems, changing the hub and stud
assembly. Mixing components could cause wheel or fastener failures
and result in property damage, personal injury, or death.

Maintenance and Specifications

164

Do not mount tube type tires on tubeless wheels or tubeless
tires on tube type wheels. To do so could result in tire or wheel

failure and cause property damage, personal injury or death.

Preserving proper inflation pressure is a very important maintenance
practice to insure safe vehicle operation and long life for the tires.

Failure to maintain correct inflation pressure may result in sudden tire
destruction, improper vehicle handling, and may cause rapid and
irregular tire wear. Therefore, inflation pressures should be checked daily
and always before long distance trips.

Follow the tire manufacturer’s recommended cold inflation pressure for
the tire size, type, load range (ply rating) and axle loading typical for
your operation. (Each steer axle tire load will equal

1

⁄

2

steer axle loading;

each drive tire load will be

1

⁄

4

the axle loading if fitted with four tires).

Checking inflation

Always check inflation pressure when tires are cold. Never bleed air from
hot tires to relieve normal pressure build-up. Normal increases in
pressure due to service conditions will be 10 to 15 psi, which is allowable
in truck tires.

It is particularly important to keep moisture from the inside of tires, and
proper selection of air compressor equipment, proper air line routing,
and the use of shop air dryers is strongly recommended to avoid
moisture in the high pressure air used for tire inflation.

Under inflation

Tires should not be permitted to become under-inflated. Increased
flexing due to under-inflation causes heat build-up within the tire
components. This leads to reduced strength, breakdown of the rubber
compounds, and possible separation of the tire components (i.e., ply and
tread separation and reduced retreadability).

Under inflation is the primary cause of premature tire concerns including
sudden loss of air. In addition, low inflation causes an increase in rolling
resistance. This results in reduced fuel mileage, a loss in tread mileage,
and uneven wear due to increased tread movement. To determine proper
inflation refer to the tire inflation range stated on the tire sidewall.

Inspection

Check condition of tires for abnormal wear patterns, and proper inflation
pressures. Cut or broken tire casing must be repaired or replaced.

Maintenance and Specifications

165