I'm borrowing a buddies trailer to tow my Stang to the track this Saturday with my '00 XLT 5.4 S-cab. It has the towing package, but I've never towed anything before. I'm picking up a hitch, a 2" ball and an adapter for the plug (large 6 pin flat to small 6 pin round). Are there any other electrical connections or fuses I need to check or deal with or should this just all plug into the back and be ready to go? Anything I'm forgetting? Any advice? TIA guys....

Chris

 

you shouldn't need to buy anything else. Just make sure to check that all the trailer lights are functioning before you hit the road. also go to a parking lot and prictice backing up with the trailer. Backing up is the hardest part of trailering.

 

Thanks, I picked the stuff up at lunch today.

Here's another goofy question....

Should there be any play in the hitch when it's in the receiver? The new hitch I have is pretty tight but I can move it around in the receiver a little bit. Should I find a piece of sheet metal to shim it or anything?

 

The little bit of play allows you to put it together and take it apart without cussin'.

If you shim it tight, be prepared to use an eight pound mallet to take it apart.

 

Great, that makes sense. Here's one more....

I found a plastic bag in the glove compartment that had a couple different adapters for the electrical hook-up by the hitch and there were also some relays or fuses or something like that. Do I need to put those in the fuse box before I can tow anything or are they for special purpose towing or something?

Thanks again guys.

 

Ask your buddy what kind of brakes his trailer has. If it has electric brakes you will need the baggy contents to hookup a brake controller.

I don't use them myself so, someone else would have to help you.

 

I know the brakes aren't electric, I'm pretty sure he has surge brakes on the trailer. Looks like I should be all set then. Thanks for all the answers guys, it'll be nice to go to the track and not worry about breaking for a change.

 

Yep, you should be all set. No problems towing a car to the track. Just allow some room to stop and save the racing for the track.

 

Make sure you load the car far enough forward on the trailer so you have enough tongue weight, otherwise it could sway dangerously. (see the previous post about swaying) A general rule of thumb is to weight the back end of the truck at least enough so it sits level or slightly low in the rear, but not so low the hitch drags the ground when you pull out of a driveway.

Trailers with surge brakes can be tough to back up hill because the nature of the brake system makes them want to come on when backing. Some systems have a locking device that allows you to disable the brake when backing, others don't. It can be a problem on soft surfaces (gravel, grass, etc) or just annoying on hard surfaces.

 

Turned out great, truck pulled like a dream. I gotta get me one of those trailers. Course I always end up towing someone else home, the three times I've been towed to the track, someone has broken and needed the tow home more than me. Happened again today, glad it wasn't me though and it all worked out.

P.S. Ran some new bests...12.7 on motor and 11.98 on the juice