Wrecker Towing - Ford 2013 F-650 Owner's Manual

WRECKER TOWING

WARNING: To reduce the risk of personal injury or property
damage when manually releasing the spring brakes, be sure to
block the wheels so the vehicle cannot move once the brakes are
released.
Note: Make sure the vehicle is securely connected to the tow vehicle
and that the tow vehicle's parking brakes are applied before releasing the
disabled vehicle's spring brakes.
Before moving the disabled vehicle, check for adequate road clearance of
vehicle components. It is recommended the disabled vehicle be unloaded
prior to being towed to reduce any abnormal load to the vehicle
components resulting from the towing procedures. Before towing, make
sure the parking brake is fully released. The spring-actuated type parking
brake can be reset by recharging the air system with at least 64 psi
(441 kPa) of air. If the brake system does not retain air pressure, then
the spring brakes must be released manually. See Parking brake in the
Brakes chapter.
Towing the Vehicle with the Front Wheels Suspended
Note: To avoid transmission damage, vehicles should not be towed even
a short distance without suspending rear wheels or removing the axle
shafts or driveshaft.
Note: In the event the chassis is equipped with a tandem axle and the
vehicle is to be towed from the front, the forward rear axle may be
raised to clear the road surface and secured to the frame by chains or
U-bolts, allowing only the rear rear axle to contact the road surface. Axle
shafts must be removed from the rear rear axle assembly. The wheel hub
ends must be covered to prevent loss of axle lubricant and entrance of
contaminants. Use extreme care in securing the chains or U-bolts to
avoid possible damage to the brake lines, hoses or other components.
When it is necessary to tow a vehicle with the front wheels suspended,
extra precautions must be taken to avoid transmission or differential
damage:
• Remove the axle shafts from the axle assembly to prevent the wheels
from driving the differential and the transmission.
• The wheel hub ends must be covered to prevent loss of axle lubricant
and entrance of other contaminants. If the axle shafts are not
removed, removal of the driveshaft is required.
2013 F-650/750 (f67)
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing, March 2013
USA (fus)
Towing 179