Ford F-53 Motorhome Chassis (2017 year). Manual — part 30

Highway Hazards

No matter how carefully you drive
there’s always the possibility that
you may eventually have a flat tire
on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic.
This may further damage the flat
tire, but your safety is more
important.

If you feel a sudden vibration or
ride disturbance while driving, or
you suspect your tire or vehicle
has been damaged, immediately
reduce your speed. Drive with
caution until you can safely pull
off the road. Stop and inspect the
tires for damage. If a tire is
under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and
replace it with your spare tire and
wheel. If you cannot detect a
cause, have the vehicle towed to
the nearest repair facility or tire
dealer to have the vehicle
inspected.

Tire and Wheel Alignment

A bad jolt from hitting a curb or
pothole can cause the front end
of your vehicle to become
misaligned or cause damage to
your tires. If your vehicle seems to
pull to one side when you’re
driving, the wheels may be out of
alignment. Have an authorized
dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically.

Wheel misalignment in the front
or the rear can cause uneven and
rapid treadwear of your tires and
should be corrected by an
authorized dealer. Front-wheel
drive vehicles and those with an
independent rear suspension may
require alignment of all four
wheels.

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

Tire Rotation

Note: If your tires show uneven
wear ask an authorized dealer 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
wheel and tire assembly. A
dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly is defined as a spare
wheel and tire assembly that is
different in brand, size or
appearance from the road tires and
wheels. If you have a dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly 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.

Rotating your tires at the
recommended interval (as
indicated in the Scheduled
Maintenance chapter) will help
your tires wear more evenly,
providing better tire performance
and longer tire life.

Dual rear wheel drive vehicle - six
tire rotation

E161439

If your vehicle is equipped with
dual rear wheels it is
recommended that the front and
rear tires (in pairs) be rotated only
side to side. We do not
recommend splitting up the dual

rear wheels. Rotate them side to
side as a set. 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.

USING SNOW CHAINS

WARNING

Snow tires must be the same size,
load index, and speed rating as those
originally provided by Ford. Use of

any tire or wheel not recommended by
Ford can affect the safety and
performance of your vehicle, which could
result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover, personal injury,
and death. Additionally, the use of
non-recommended tires and wheels could
cause steering, suspension, axle, transfer
case, or power transfer unit failure. It is also
strongly advised to follow the Ford
recommended tire inflation pressure found
on the Safety Compliance Certification
Label (affixed to either the door hinge
pillar, door-latch post, or the door edge
that meets the door-latch post, next to the
driver’s seating position), or Tire Label
which is located on the B-Pillar or the edge
of the driver door. Failure to follow the tire
pressure recommendations can cause
uneven treadwear patterns and adversely
affect the way your vehicle handles.

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 cables. If you need
to use cables, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and
specifications) be used, as cables may chip
aluminum wheels.

Note: The suspension insulation and
bumpers help prevent vehicle damage. Do
not remove these components from your
vehicle when using snow tires and chains.

Follow these guidelines when using snow
tires and chains:

•

If possible, avoid fully loading your
vehicle.

•

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 retighten the chains. If this does
not work, remove the chains to prevent
damage to your vehicle.

•

Remove the tire chains when they are
no longer needed. Do not use tire
chains on dry roads.

If you have any questions regarding snow
chains or cables, please contact your
authorized dealer.

CHANGING A ROAD WHEEL

If you get a flat tire while driving, do not
apply the brake heavily. Instead, gradually
decrease your speed. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and slowly move to a safe
place on the side of the road.

Dissimilar Spare Wheel and Tire
Assembly Information

WARNING

Failure to follow these guidelines
could result in an increased risk of
loss of vehicle control, injury or death.

If you have a dissimilar spare wheel and
tire, then it is intended for temporary use
only. This means that if you need to use it,
you should replace it as soon as possible
with a road wheel and tire assembly that
is the same size and type as the road tires
and wheels that were originally provided
by Ford. If the dissimilar spare tire or wheel
is damaged, it should be replaced rather
than repaired.

A dissimilar spare wheel and tire assembly
is defined as a spare wheel and tire
assembly that is different in brand, size or
appearance from the road tires and wheels
and can be one of three types:

1. T-type mini-spare: This spare tire
begins with the letter T for tire size and
may have Temporary Use Only molded in
the sidewall.

2. Full-size dissimilar spare with label
on wheel: This spare tire has a label on
the wheel that states: THIS WHEEL AND
TIRE ASSEMBLY FOR TEMPORARY USE
ONLY.

When driving with one of the dissimilar
spare tires listed above, do not:

•

Exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).

•

Load the vehicle beyond maximum
vehicle load rating listed on the Safety
Compliance Label.

•

Tow a trailer.

•

Use snow chains on the end of the
vehicle with the dissimilar spare tire.

•

Use more than one dissimilar spare tire
at a time.

•

Use commercial car washing
equipment.

•

Try to repair the dissimilar spare tire.

Use of one of the dissimilar spare tires
listed above at any one wheel location can
lead to impairment of the following:
•

Handling, stability and braking
performance.

•

Comfort and noise.

•

Ground clearance and parking at curbs.

•

Winter weather driving capability.

•

Wet weather driving capability.

•

All-wheel driving capability.

3. Full-size dissimilar spare without
label on wheel

When driving with the full-size dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly, do not:
•

Exceed 70 mph (113 km/h).

•

Use more than one dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly at a time.

•

Use commercial car washing
equipment.

•

Use snow chains on the end of the
vehicle with the dissimilar spare wheel
and tire assembly.

The usage of a full-size dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly can lead to
impairment of the following:
•

Handling, stability and braking
performance.

•

Comfort and noise.

•

Ground clearance and parking at curbs.

•

Winter weather driving capability.

•

Wet weather driving capability.

•

All-wheel driving capability.

When driving with the full-size dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly additional
caution should be given to:
•

Towing a trailer.

•

Driving vehicles equipped with a
camper body.

•

Driving vehicles with a load on the
cargo rack.

Drive cautiously when using a full-size
dissimilar spare wheel and tire assembly
and seek service as soon as possible.

Tire Change Procedure

WARNINGS

When one of the front wheels is off
the ground, the transmission alone
will not prevent the vehicle from

moving or slipping off the jack, even if the
transmission is in park (P).

To help prevent the vehicle from
moving when you change a tire, be
sure to place the transmission in park

(P), set the parking brake and block (in
both directions) the wheel that is
diagonally opposite (other side and end of
the vehicle) to the tire being changed.

Never get underneath a vehicle that
is supported only by a jack. If the
vehicle slips off the jack, you or

someone else could be seriously injured.

Do not attempt to change a tire on
the side of the vehicle close to
moving traffic. Pull far enough off the

road to avoid the danger of being hit when
operating the jack or changing the wheel.

Always use the jack provided as
original equipment with your vehicle.
If using a jack other than the one

provided as original equipment with your
vehicle, make sure the jack capacity is
adequate for the vehicle weight, including
any vehicle cargo or modifications.

1.

Park on a level surface, set the parking
brake and activate the hazard flashers.

2. Place the transmission in park (P) and

turn the engine off.