Okay, we all know the L has a towing capacity of 5000#, but my race car and trailer weigh approximately 5,500# with tools, etc.

I race ever other weekend at locations less than 100 miles away. (Sometimes 250miles away, but not further) I *REALLY* want to choose the Lightning, but my concern is towing anything with a supercharger - especially detonation from a blower motor.

So, in "real life" how does the Lightning tow a total weight of 5,500lbs - do you ever have ANY concern for detonation and the supercharger? Can the intercooler keep up?

Do you leave OD OFF for the length of the tow?

Your feedback will be most appreciative in choosing what will be the most ultimate Tow Vehicle - depending on the feedback to the above concerns.

Thanks!
Dean!

 

Not sure about anyone else, but you can ask AlphaDoggy this question. He has a big ol' boat. I think he said it weighed in more than 5,500 lbs. And he tows it just fine.

 

I don't tow, but I think the limiting factor (5000lb)is the towing hitch. If I remember there's a device that can load share the weight between the hitch and the ball for the bumper, so the total goes up to 6500????

I thought AlphaDoggy used this device for his boat so you need the L power and the hitch.

I saw the post on this board so a creative search will find it.

[This message has been edited by lgogether (edited 04-14-2001).]

 

You need a Weight Distributing hitch.
http://www.drawtite.com/weight_distr...tch_and_sw.htm
That pic also shows a Sway Control you may or may not need. Their are several companies that make them.

I repair trailers for a living, so if you are in the Indianapolis, IN area send me an e-mail and I can get you a price.

olefafl@aol.com


[This message has been edited by olefafl (edited 04-14-2001).]

 

It is a misconception to think that the L. can only tow 5000 lbs. While there is a stamp on the bumper indicating a limit of 5000 lbs., this applies to the bumper hitch. There was a sticker on my receiver hitch indicating a limit of 8700 lbs. and 870 lb. tongue weight, provided you use a load distributing hitch. You might want to check out
http://www.equalizerhitch.com/
I estimate that my boat weighs in at about 6500 lbs, and it tows just fine behind the L.
I don't even use a weight distributing hitch. I had already installed another device to help eliminate wheel hop when launching, and it seems to help the towing as well. See
http://www.activesuspension.com/
I do leave O.D. off while towing.

------------------
I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

'84 Alan Record Carbonio, Aerospoke wheels, Campy brakes.

'00 SVT Lightning, silver, built 2/9/00, #133 of 4966, G-tech Pro, JBA headers, 4.10 gears, Swanson chip, Pro-M, NGK plugs, carbon drive shaft, Roadmaster suspension kit, TransGo shift kit,
13.39 @ 102.5

2001 Kevlacat 2400, twin 115 Evinrude FICHT, Raytheon VHF, radar, autopilot and GPS chartplotter/fishfinder.
http://www.zing.com/album/?id=429389...4647875&idx=15

gmvye@pacbell.net

 

While on the topic of towing/hauling, why can the L's only hold 800 lbs in the bed? I'm uneducated in this field, but that seems a little low. Is it due to the lowered suspension?

------------------
2000 Silver Lightning
#2798 of 4966
Born on date: May 9, 2000
Email: ColinMBurns@hotmail.com



Mods: SnugLid, 20% tint

 

There are two problems regarding the L and towing/hauling. Ford contracted to Goodyear to build the tires in the 295-45-18 size. The problem came in on the side wall loading. The other problem is the rear suspension travel. Stock with no load the L has about 2.5" of available rear axle trevel before you start to touch the bump stops. Ford has to figure that you have 800 lbs of stuff in the back and have a 5000 lb trailer with 10% tounge weight or 500 lbs on the hitch and then look at the suspension travel left and the tire loading. My buddy at ford that did the trasmission, He was towing a 7000 lb trailer from Detroit to Phoenix to Flagstaff to Denver to St Louis and back to Detroit for a full year. He also told me that the tire loading issue was so close that that was the reason that they never built a 4 door version of the L. They ran out of safety factor. I can tell you that with a light tonge load and about 5000 lbs trailer they tow just fine. Yesterday I brought home a 20' HD flatbed car hauler with a new 2400# racecar (Neon ACR)at 12mpg and 65mph with no problem (300 miles)

Hope this helps

Andy

 

Concerning the 800 lb cargo load, I was told that Ford installed 200 lbs over the rear axle to provide better traction and keep the suspension more stable and that the 200lbs came right out of the cargo capacity.

Not absolutely certain about this, but it came from the SVT hotline.

------------------
The
<A HREF="http://www.haloclub.com" TARGET=_blank> </A>
wyldman@houston.rr.com
Black 99.5 Lightning Build # 1273, DOB 5-14-99, NLOC #315

 

Where could that be hid?

Andy

 

Actually it's the heavy antimatter module that sucks up all the gas in the gas tank...

 

Depleted uranium inside the cross member above the spare tire, silly.

 

What makes you think it's depleted

------------------
Rick

White 00 #2236 of 4966

My Mods & More

Moderator 2nd Gen Lightnings

<A HREF="http://a1060.g.akamai.net/f/1060/597/30minutes/www.zing.com/picture/p0903ca5788ed2e743923d60b1a060fed/feb8b2de.jpg" TARGET=_blank> </A>

 

Well, everything else on the truck is depleted, especially my wallet.