Tire Balance

This procedure covers balancing all four tires on a 2015-2020 Ford F-150 with the 5.0L V8 Coyote engine to eliminate vibration and ensure even tire wear.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Adhesive wheel weights (assorted sizes) × 1 — Use OEM specification or equivalent
• Clip-on wheel weights (assorted sizes) × 1 — Use OEM specification or equivalent

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level, solid surface and engage parking brake
2. Chock rear wheels if starting with front wheels, or front wheels if starting with rear
3. Loosen all wheel lug nuts approximately one full turn while wheels are still on ground
4. Mark tire position on each wheel (LF, RF, LR, RR) if rotation will be performed later

Procedure

1. 1

   Lift vehicle and remove first wheel
   Position floor jack under the appropriate jacking point per owner's manual. Lift vehicle until tire clears ground by at least 2 inches. Place jack stand under frame rail or designated support point. Lower vehicle onto jack stand. Remove lug nuts completely and remove wheel/tire assembly. Repeat for remaining wheels as needed to access all four tires.
2. 2

   Inspect tire and wheel assembly
   Visually inspect tire for uneven wear patterns, damage, embedded objects, or bulges. Check wheel for damage, bends, or cracks. Remove any existing wheel weights from both inner and outer rim surfaces. Use wire brush to clean weight mounting surfaces on the wheel rim to ensure proper adhesion and retention of new weights.
   ℹ️Uneven tire wear may indicate alignment issues that balancing alone will not correct. Recommend alignment check if irregular wear is present.
3. 3

   Mount tire on balancer
   Select appropriate cone or pin-plate adapter for the F-150 wheel center bore. Mount wheel onto balancer spindle with back side against the mounting plate. Thread on securing nut and tighten firmly per balancer manufacturer specifications. Ensure wheel is seated flush against mounting plate with no wobble.
4. 4

   Enter wheel specifications
   Measure and enter the wheel diameter (typically 17, 18, or 20 inches for this model range), wheel width, and distance from balancer to weight placement surface. Consult balancer manual for proper measurement technique. Select dynamic balance mode for best results on this vehicle weight class.
5. 5

   Perform initial balance spin
   Lower balancer hood or safety cover. Initiate spin cycle and allow balancer to complete measurement. Wait for machine to stop completely before raising hood. Note the amount and location of imbalance indicated on both inner and outer rim surfaces.
   ⚠Keep hands clear of spinning tire. Do not attempt to stop wheel manually.
6. 6

   Install wheel weights
   Install adhesive or clip-on weights at locations indicated by balancer. For inner rim, use adhesive weights on aluminum wheels or clip-on weights where rim design permits. For outer rim, use clip-on weights at the flange. Ensure weights are firmly seated. For adhesive weights, clean surface with alcohol and allow to dry before applying weight.
7. 7

   Verify balance
   Perform second spin cycle to verify balance is within acceptable tolerance (typically 0.25 oz or less per side). If still out of tolerance, adjust weight position or amount as indicated and re-spin. Continue until both inner and outer measurements show acceptable balance.
8. 8

   Remove tire and repeat for remaining wheels
   Remove wheel from balancer and set aside in safe location. Repeat steps 3 through 7 for each remaining tire. Keep track of which tire came from which position if not rotating tires.
9. 9

   Reinstall wheels on vehicle
   Position wheel onto hub, aligning lug bolt holes. Start all lug nuts by hand to prevent cross-threading. Using tire iron or impact wrench, snug lug nuts in a star pattern (not sequential). Do not fully torque yet. Repeat for all four wheels.
10. 10

    Lower vehicle and torque lug nuts
    Raise vehicle slightly with jack to unload jack stands. Remove jack stands and slowly lower vehicle until all wheels are supporting vehicle weight but jack is still making slight contact. Using calibrated torque wrench, torque all lug nuts to specification in a star pattern. After initial torque, repeat star pattern sequence to verify all fasteners reached proper torque. Remove jack completely.
    ⚠Always use star pattern when torquing lug nuts to ensure even pressure distribution and prevent rotor/hub warping.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts140 Nm (103 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Verify all lug nuts are torqued to 140 Nm (103 lb-ft) in star pattern
2. Check tire pressures and adjust to specification on driver door jamb placard (typically 35 psi front and rear for this model)
3. Remove wheel chocks

Verification

• Test drive vehicle at various speeds (25-65 mph) to verify vibration has been eliminated
• Steering wheel should remain steady with no vibration during acceleration and cruising
• Re-check lug nut torque after first 50-100 miles of driving
• If vibration persists, verify wheels are not bent and check for suspension or driveline issues

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