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Tools you need for tire rotation on a 2015-2020 Ford F-150

Easy · 45-60 minutes · Updated 2026-09-28
Must-have tools
  1. 21 mm impact socket, 1/2 in drive
  2. Torque wrench, 1/2 in, to 150 ft-lb
  3. Hydraulic floor jack, 2+ ton
  4. Jack stands, 3 ton pair

On the 13th-gen F-150 a tire rotation is one of the easiest jobs on the truck, and identical across the 3.3 V6, 2.7 and 3.5 EcoBoost, and 5.0 V8 - all six-lug hubs with 21 mm nuts at 150 ft-lb. The only real planning is where to lift: the cab, bed, and fenders are aluminum, so the jack and stands go on the boxed steel frame rails or the rear axle tube.

Two things trip people up. First, the factory chrome-capped lug nuts swell with corrosion, and a 21 mm socket will suddenly feel loose or stop going on - that is the nut, not your tools, and the fix is a set of solid one-piece nuts. Second, if your truck shows pressure at each individual corner in the cluster, the numbers will follow the old positions until you run the TPMS training procedure.

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Complete tool and parts list

ItemType
Wheel chocks

Block the wheels staying on the ground before lifting.
Safetyshop
Lug nut socket
21 mm 6-point impact socket, 1/2 in drive
Removes and installs the six lug nuts per wheel.
Requiredshop
Thin-wall lug nut socket
21 mm thin wall, 1/2 in drive
Fits swollen chrome-capped lug nuts and avoids scratching alloy wheels.
Recommendedshop
Breaker bar
1/2 in drive, 24 in
Loosens lug nuts torqued to 150 ft-lb while the wheels are still on the ground.
Requiredshop
Floor jack
2-3 ton, low profile
Lifts the truck at the frame rail or rear axle.
Requiredshop
Jack stands
3 ton pair, minimum
Supports the truck on the frame while wheels are off.
Safetyshop
Torque wrench
1/2 in drive, 50-250 ft-lb range
Sets lug nuts to the specified 150 ft-lb in a star pattern.
Requiredshop
Tire pressure gauge
0-60 psi digital or dial
Reset pressures to the door-jamb placard after rotating.
Requiredshop
Wheel lock key socket
Ford factory or aftermarket lock key
Needed only if the truck has locking lug nuts installed.
Requiredshop
Tread depth gauge

Check tread evenly across each tire before deciding on the pattern.
Recommendedshop
TPMS training tool
Ford-compatible activation tool
Relearns sensor positions on trucks that display pressure per corner.
Recommendedshop
Anti-seize or wheel hub brush
Wire brush plus nickel anti-seize
Clean corrosion off the aluminum wheel mating face and hub; keep it off the stud threads and seats.
Consumablesshop
Torque stick set
1/2 in drive, 150 ft-lb
Speeds installation with an impact gun without over-tightening.
Recommendedshop

Differences within the 2015-2020 generation

No difference by engine or trim: every 2015-2020 F-150, including Raptor and Limited, uses six M14 x 2.0 studs with 21 mm nuts at 150 ft-lb. Only wheel diameter and tire size change, so lug socket and torque stay the same; aftermarket wheels may come with 19 mm or 22 mm nuts.

Torque specs

Wheel lug nuts (6 per wheel, M14 x 2.0)150 ft-lb (204 Nm)

How the job goes

  1. Park on level pavement, set the parking brake, and chock the wheels that will stay on the ground. On trucks with the electric park brake, leave it set while working at the front.
  2. Check and note the tire pressures cold, and read the placard on the driver's door jamb for the correct front and rear pressures.
  3. With the wheels still on the ground, break each lug nut loose about a half turn with the breaker bar and 21 mm socket.
  4. Position the floor jack on the steel frame rail just behind the front wheel or on the rear axle tube next to the spring, never on the aluminum body, running board bracket, or bed.
  5. Raise one corner (or one side) and set a jack stand under the frame rail before removing any wheel.
  6. Remove the six lug nuts and pull the wheel straight off. If it is stuck, strike the tire sidewall, not the wheel face.
  7. Wire-brush rust and scale off the hub face and the back of the wheel center so the wheel seats flat. A trace of anti-seize on the hub center only, none on the studs or nut seats.
  8. Rotate according to pattern: for non-directional tires, move the rears straight forward and cross the fronts to the opposite rear sides. For directional tires, swap front and rear on the same side only.
  9. Hang the wheel on the studs, thread all six lug nuts by hand, and snug them in a star pattern.
  10. Lower the truck until the tire just touches, then torque the nuts in a star pattern to 150 ft-lb in two passes.
  11. Repeat for the remaining corners, then lower fully and re-check every nut at 150 ft-lb.
  12. Set all four tires to the placard pressure. If the cluster shows pressure by individual corner and the readings are now out of place, run the TPMS training procedure from the cluster menu with a TPMS tool.
  13. Re-check lug nut torque after 50-100 miles; aluminum wheels and fresh hub surfaces can settle.

Watch out

21 mm lug nuts and 150 ft-lb are correct for factory wheels across the 2015-2020 F-150 range, including Raptor; verify against your door-jamb placard and owner's manual if aftermarket wheels or lug nuts are installed.

Frequently asked

What size socket for 2015-2020 F-150 lug nuts?

21 mm, six-point, 1/2 in drive. A thin-wall version is worth having because the factory capped nuts swell slightly and full-thickness sockets can bind in the wheel pockets.

What is the lug nut torque on a 2015-2020 F-150?

150 ft-lb (204 Nm) in a star pattern, done in two passes with a torque wrench. Re-check after 50 to 100 miles.

Where do you jack up a 2015-2020 F-150?

Front: the steel frame rail just behind the front wheel or the factory pinch-point marked on the frame. Rear: the rear axle tube near the spring perch or the frame rail ahead of the rear wheel. Never the aluminum body, bed floor, or running board bracket.

Do I need to reset the TPMS after rotating tires?

Not for the basic warning system, but trucks that display pressure for each individual tire will show them in the wrong positions until you run the tire pressure sensor training procedure from the cluster menu, which usually needs a TPMS activation tool.

Other jobs on the 2015-2020 Ford F-150

Oil ChangeFront Brake Pads and RotorsRear Brake Pads and RotorsBattery ReplacementSpark Plug ReplacementAlternator ReplacementStarter ReplacementCoolant FlushSerpentine Belt ReplacementHeadlight Bulb ReplacementWiper Blade ReplacementThermostat ReplacementFront Strut ReplacementCabin Air Filter ReplacementEngine Air Filter ReplacementTransmission Fluid ChangeFront Wheel Bearing ReplacementOxygen Sensor ReplacementWater Pump Replacement

Tire Rotation on other vehicles

2021-2024 Ford F-1502014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 15002019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 15002009-2018 Ram 15002019-2024 Ram 15002012-2017 Toyota Camry2018-2024 Toyota Camry2014-2019 Toyota Corolla2020-2024 Toyota Corolla2013-2018 Toyota RAV42019-2024 Toyota RAV42005-2015 Toyota Tacoma2016-2023 Toyota Tacoma2016-2021 Honda Civic2022-2024 Honda Civic2013-2017 Honda Accord2018-2022 Honda Accord2012-2016 Honda CR-V2017-2022 Honda CR-V