towing....?

[Donny55]

Well everyone, it is almost that time of year, yahoo. I asked this before, I think?
I have a 2007 Ford 500 (new Taurus) with a V6, and only 119,000 on her. I have the trailer rad installed by Mr. Tranny. My trailer is a 1976 Trillium. The weight is under 1,800...I just used that as a guideline.
What should I use to help the car pulling this trailer? Heavy duty rear shocks, air shocks? Or...heavy duty shock with an external rear spring around it?
I don't need anti sway bars, the trailer is not heavy enough.
Thanks everybody that has an opinion, and some towing experience pulling a small Trillium with a mid sized car.
Happy camping this year, my fellow adventure seekers.

Don

[Thomas G.]

I think that that we decided in this thread that the only practical way to beef up your rear suspension is a stiffer spring. The dealer could tell you if one is available. I'd tow it first and see how it sits with proper tongue weight (about 10%).

[Francesca Knowles]

Is your Trillium a 1300 or a 4500? I ask because if the latter, loaded weight is likely to be closer to 2,000 pounds...

I see that Ford has your car rated to pull only 1,000 pounds, so you're wise to worry about the rear suspension- and perhaps other components. Most important is probably brakes. A car that small is unlikely to be equipped to stop much of anything other than itself, so do be sure you have adequate brakes on the trailer and the appropriate controller for them in the car.

Good brakes are also valuable for controlling "sway" events should you encounter them, an important extra benefit for you since you aren't going to use a "sway bar". (I don't either.)

Have fun with the trailer!

Francesca

[Donny55]

Thanks to everyone who answered my question. My Trillium is the 1300 size, and all the brakes were done this past Fall.

[Donny55]

I'm sorry, I did ask this question before. Thank you for reminding me everybody. I have had to many things on my mind this past fall and winter.
My "little" surgical procedure will be done at the end of April, and I can look forward to the season coming.
I do appreciate all the suggestions and ideas.

Sincerely;

Donny55

[David Tilston]

Don, Are there pictures of your trailer available? Do you know your serial number? You see, I have a new obsession:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ium-56121.html

The age range of your trailer is poorly represented in the list.

[Bob Miller]

Dumb Question #743
If Ford rates your vehicle at 1000 lbs towing capacity, why are you towing an 1800 lb trailer ????
Even with a transmission cooler, I would predict a new transmission in your not distant future.....
Talk to your local Ford service manager about Ford 500 tranmissions.....

[MC1]

Hey there Donny. Your Ford is quite a large car weighing almost 2 tons. I saw one a few years ago towing a good sized TT. I'm thinking you will find it handles your small egg with ease. Just make sure it is connected right.

PS... Many cars with low tow rating have very robust drivetrains.

[Donny55]

I'm not sure how the idea got around about my trailer weight towing package. I checked some of my old postings. The label on my dealer installed hitch says 2000 lbs.
If I wrote that before, I'm sorry. I think one of the members said that if it was marked at 2000, it could really only pull 1000. Now, I may be wrong about that too. It could have been a member of another RV website I used to go to? I used to pull a utility trailer for years on this same car and hitch. I was never sure how much weight it pulled, but I'm pretty sure with all the home renovations I've done, I had at least 1000 to 2,500 easy by the dump scales.

Thanks everybody....Donny55

[Francesca Knowles]

The weight limit numbers on your hitch have only to do with that piece of hardware. You could probably bolt one on that's "rated" for 5,000 pounds, but that doesn't mean your tug can tow that much.

As always, the weakest link in the chain governs. In your case that's the (mfr.-determined) towing weight capacity of the car itself, given at this link as 1,000 pounds max.

Francesca

[Bob Miller]

I would google two items:

1. "2007 Ford 500 Towing specifications". All the ones I found stated 1000 lbs including a Ford site. The mentioned bit about it going to 2000 lbs and being grandfathered to others apparently isn't supported by Ford. And what the sticker on the hitch sez doesn't trump the specifications in the owners manual. That hitch may also fit another chassis that does have a 2000 lb tow rating.

2. "2007 Ford 500 Transmission Problems" It doesn't sound like they are among the un-named vehicles that are low tow rated with robust drivelines. In as much as the Ford 500 already weighs 2 tons, towing another ton isn't going to be kind to a transmission with almost 120,000 miles on the clock.

Just a thought

[Francesca Knowles]

There's a short discussion at E-trailer on the subject of the 1,000 pound trailer weight limit for this car. The answer's a bit general but does cite the possibility that where and how the hitch bolts on may be at least part of the reason.

Francesca

[Glenn Baglo]

According to the weight distribution hitch I have for my RAV4, I can tow 14,000 lbs.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Receiver Hitch Selection Guide

Originally Posted by Receiver Hitch Selection Guide

1. Refer to owner's manuals for your tow vehicle, trailer, & other parts of your towing system. Learn the capabilities and limitations of each part. GROSS TRAILER WEIGHT and TONGUE WEIGHT are two of the most important items to consider. THESE WEIGHTS MUST NEVER EXCEED THE LOWEST RATING OF ANY PART OF YOUR TOWING SYSTEM. GROSS TRAILER WEIGHT is the weight of the trailer plus all cargo.

[Glenn Baglo]

All that and a can of Coke.