Tire Mount and Balance

This procedure covers the removal, mounting, balancing, and installation of tires on a 2015-2020 Ford F-150 3.5L EcoBoost, including proper torque specifications for wheel lug nuts.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Valve stems (TPMS compatible) × 4 — Use OEM specification
• Wheel weights (various sizes) × 1 — Clip-on or adhesive as needed
• Valve stem cores × 4 — Standard TPMS compatible

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level, solid surface and engage parking brake
2. Verify tire mounting machine and wheel balancer are properly calibrated
3. Loosen all wheel lug nuts approximately one full turn while vehicle is on ground
4. Lift vehicle using floor jack at designated jacking points and secure on four jack stands at manufacturer-specified support points

Procedure

1. 1

   Remove wheels from vehicle
   With vehicle supported on jack stands and lug nuts already loosened, remove all lug nuts completely. Remove all four wheels from vehicle and place on clean work surface. Keep lug nuts organized by wheel position.
2. 2

   Inspect TPMS sensors and wheel condition
   Before tire removal, visually inspect TPMS sensor valve stems for damage or corrosion. Check wheels for damage, cracks, or excessive corrosion. Note sensor positions and ensure TPMS tool is available if sensors require reprogramming after service.
3. 3

   Deflate tires and break beads
   Remove valve stem cores to completely deflate tires. Use bead breaker to separate both tire beads from wheel rim on inside and outside. Work progressively around tire circumference to ensure complete bead separation without damaging TPMS sensor.
   ⚠TPMS sensor is mounted on valve stem inside wheel. Position bead breaker away from sensor location to prevent damage.
4. 4

   Remove tires from wheels
   Mount wheel on tire machine. Apply tire lubricant generously to both beads. Position mount/demount head away from TPMS sensor location. Lift top bead over rim, then rotate wheel and remove bottom bead. Carefully remove tire from wheel without contacting TPMS sensor.
5. 5

   Clean wheels and inspect TPMS sensors
   Clean wheel bead seating surfaces thoroughly, removing all old weights, corrosion, and debris. Inspect TPMS sensors for physical damage. Check sensor battery life if tools available. Replace valve stems and cores with new TPMS-compatible components if needed.
6. 6

   Mount new or existing tires onto wheels
   Apply tire lubricant to both tire beads and wheel rim surfaces. Position tire on wheel with directional arrows correct (if applicable) and valve stem hole aligned. Use tire machine to mount bottom bead first, then top bead, keeping mount head positioned away from TPMS sensor to prevent damage.
   ⚠Ensure directional tires are mounted with correct rotation direction indicated by arrows on sidewall.
7. 7

   Inflate tires and seat beads
   Install valve stem cores. Inflate tire to seat both beads properly on rim. May require initial inflation to 40-45 PSI to pop beads into place, then reduce to recommended pressure. Verify both beads are seated evenly around entire circumference before proceeding.
   ⚠Stand to side of tire during initial inflation. Never exceed 40 PSI during bead seating unless tire manufacturer specifies otherwise.
8. 8

   Balance wheels and tires
   Mount wheel/tire assembly on balancing machine. Input wheel diameter, width, and offset measurements into balancer. Spin wheel and allow balancer to determine weight locations. Install appropriate wheel weights (clip-on or adhesive) at locations indicated by balancer. Re-spin to verify balance within acceptable tolerance (typically 0.25 oz or less).
9. 9

   Set final tire pressure
   Adjust tire pressure to specification listed on driver door jamb placard (typically 35 PSI front and rear for most F-150 configurations, but verify for specific tire size). Check pressure with accurate gauge after tires have cooled if recently inflated.
10. 10

    Install wheels on vehicle
    Mount all four wheels onto vehicle hubs, ensuring wheel centers properly on hub pilot. Hand-thread all lug nuts onto studs. Using star pattern, snug lug nuts progressively with tire iron but do not fully tighten while vehicle is on jack stands.
11. 11

    Lower vehicle and torque lug nuts
    Carefully raise vehicle slightly with floor jack and remove jack stands. Lower vehicle completely to ground. Using torque wrench and star pattern (tighten opposite lug nuts in sequence), torque all lug nuts to specification. Perform final torque pass in same star pattern to verify all lug nuts are properly secured.
    ℹ️Star pattern sequence for 6-lug wheels: start at 12 o'clock position, then move to 5 o'clock, 8 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 10 o'clock positions.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts140 Nm (103 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Verify all lug nuts are torqued to 140 Nm (103 lb-ft) in proper star pattern
2. Confirm all valve stem caps are installed
3. Check tire pressures match door jamb specifications after vehicle has settled

Verification

• Test drive vehicle at low speed and verify no vibration or unusual handling characteristics
• After initial 50-100 miles, re-torque all lug nuts to 140 Nm (103 lb-ft) to ensure proper seating
• Verify TPMS warning light is not illuminated; if lit, reprogram TPMS sensors using appropriate scan tool or perform TPMS relearn procedure per Ford specification
• Recheck tire pressures after 24 hours and adjust as needed

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