General Precautions

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2019 Ford F-550 Super Duty, 2019 Ford F-450 Super Duty, 2019 Ford F-350 Super Duty, and 2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

WARNING: Wear eye and ear protection when servicing a vehicle. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury.

WARNING: Do not hit the wheel or tire with a metallic hammer. This action may damage the wheel or tire, resulting in tire or wheel failure. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury to the technician or vehicle occupant(s).

WARNING: Replacement wheels must be equivalent to the original equipment wheels in:

load carrying capacity.
diameter, width and offset.
pilot hole and bolt circle.

Combined load carrying capacity of replacement wheels for a given axle, must be equal to or greater than that axle's gross axle weight rating (GAWR) identified on the vehicle's Safety Compliance Certification label. All other specifications should be evaluated by measurement of both the original wheel and the replacement wheel. If specifications are not equivalent, the safety and handling of the vehicle may be degraded, which may result in serious injury to the vehicle occupant(s).

WARNING: Never use wheels different than the original equipment. Additionally, never use wheel nuts different than the original equipment. Failure to follow these instructions may result in damage to the wheel or mounting system. This damage could cause the wheel to come off while the vehicle is being driven, which could result in serious personal injury or death to vehicle occupant(s).

WARNING: Do not operate a vehicle equipped with dual rear wheels (DRW) and tires on a single rear wheel and tire. The increased load on the remaining rear wheel and tire assembly could result in tire failure. Always operate vehicle with all rear wheels installed. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious injury to vehicle occupant(s).

WARNING: Before servicing any tire, ask the customer if anyone injected a tire sealant into the tire. Tire sealants may be flammable and can burn or explode if exposed to an ignition source. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury.

NOTICE and SAFETY FIRST are bywords when handling truck tires. Careful attention to the safety precautions that follow can prevent crippling injuries or even death. Make it a rule to respect the terrific force contained in an inflated tire.

Wheels must be correctly maintained. Incorrectly maintained wheels can adversely affect the life of the tire and the wheel. When inflated, a tire is potentially very destructive. Accidents are caused by careless handling and inexperience.

When carrying out any inspection or repair procedures on wheels and tires, follow the safety precautions in this information and obtain safety literature from the wheel and rim distributor, wheel and rim manufacturer, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or Federal OSHA. For additional questions, consult the distributor or manufacturer directly.

Prepare for any tire repair operation in a safe and efficient way. In servicing all tires, use caution not to drop them (or the wheels) on the feet, hands, body or heavily on the floor. Truck tires are heavy and a wheel jack such as the Rotunda Heavy Duty Wheel Dolly or equivalent should be used to maneuver tires.

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Never attempt to short-cut the above procedures.