2,760 mile trip...

[JoshMcMadMac]

To address your initial question...I would leave the car alone until you get where you are going. Aside from the typical checks of fluid levels, tires, and an oil change, do not mess with it. I have seen too many times someone doing "maintenance" right before a long trip and ending up with something going wrong along the way or scrambling at the last minute to fix something that went out. Either do all of the work well ahead of time, or leave it alone.

 

[Kumba]

I wasn't even thinking the 5x10, I was thinking like the 4x8 max.

I know it's not what you want to hear, but you really need to look at some other option other then towing with the LS.

 

[LincolnLS_2013]

Got the hitch and lighting kit installed today. I bought both specifically for the Lincoln LS from U-Haul. The hitch lighting has single cable that connects with the trailer.

I watched a couple videos on the U-Haul site about towing. Explained a lot about weight distribution, tying the cargo down, driving with the trailer. Looks pretty simple. I'm just gonna have to keep the speed and acceleration low to make sure the engine doesn't overheat or work too hard.

I can't make any recommendations for camping or hotel/motel stays as I mostly overnight in the trucks, it's a full sleeper studio, heat, tv, inverter, fridge and all ... after all.

Right.

I'd have to agree with the others if your only moving 1000lbs or so, might be best to get a quote from a couple of haulers. they are always looking to take just a little more as they are never really 100% completely full...

you might try United Van lines and enquire about a small container or ask to fit on the backend with that 1000 lbs. Tell them you're a student and it has to go as cheap as possible.

Will take a look, thanks.

oh btw: @ Northbay turning right onto hwy 11, as you do, there will be that one large hill to climb and it's about the largest one you'll find while in Ontario. smaller little hills further out but it get's real flat once your out of Ontario heading west, it get's hilly again past Calgary further west.

Yea was wondering about hills. I'm going to take it easy if anything, slow down traffic if I must

OMG don't tow the 6x12 with your car. I'm a U-Haul dealer and I have a great deal of experience with their trailers. That trailer empty is near the max I'd ever want to see a car tow, and its like a brick so at highway speeds it will not be a pretty picture. I cringe when it's behind a v6 SUV; it really needs to be pulled by a full size v8 truck.

If you want the easiest move, rent a truck large enough for your belongings (sounds like a 14ft would be fine) and an auto transport (not a dolly) for your car. Then you can concentrate on just driving from point A to B without worrying about taxing your car or fighting to control a trailer that's as big as your car.

Yes, renting a truck for that kind of a distance costs a fortune, but I'll bet it's cheaper than destroying your trans or totaling your car along the way!

If you have to go with a trailer, the 5x8 would be acceptable. It is light enough that I can pick up the tongue and walk it around the lot with one hand. You should be given a brochure showing the best way to load the trailer; 60% of the weight should be toward the front to avoid "sway" while driving.

Thanks for the great feedback. Yeah I was looking at 5x10 too but says it won't be available for my move, and I looked at neighboring cities too. But yeah, I already took a look at the loading instructions, and will make sure to balance the weight precisely.

In the end, we'll probably go with the 5x8. I'm selling everything right now, going to dump as much dead-weight as we can. Still need to convince the wife to throw out some more of her clothes and shoes

As a former U-Haul employee, if they let you rent the double axle I would be really, really surprised. At our center, we only have rented those out to vehicles that we were SURE would be capable of doing the job. Not saying that the LS couldn't do it, but it is going to take a toll on the car.

When we did trailer wiring, we usually just used butt connectors with shrink wrap, all depends on who is installing it for the day. Also, all of the trailer hitch packages are bolted on and not welded on. If you can, go with the Curt brand with the circular tubing, they rust less.

I would strongly recommend not going with the 6x12, and go with the 5x10. You can pack the 5x10 tight enough to make up for the lost room. As for the trailer, make sure to be there when they do the damage inspection, and point out any crack, scrape, or missing decal.. they will get you on anything. Make sure they have the rubber grommets on the end of the trailer chains too.

Yeah man, I know the damage inspections. First, I'm going to report everything that I see at the beginning. Second, going to take some photos. Thanks for pointing out the rubber grommets on the chains, will make sure those are there. But I'm thinking of altogether getting the CDW for the trailer. Will that protect me from all claims of damage? It's $120 for 9 days for the CDW.

To address your initial question...I would leave the car alone until you get where you are going. Aside from the typical checks of fluid levels, tires, and an oil change, do not mess with it. I have seen too many times someone doing "maintenance" right before a long trip and ending up with something going wrong along the way or scrambling at the last minute to fix something that went out. Either do all of the work well ahead of time, or leave it alone.

Yeah, I was thinking about that too. Might be best not to do anything right now. At most I just want to make sure the coolant isn't too old, and get that changed if anything. And maybe the break fluid too.

I wasn't even thinking the 5x10, I was thinking like the 4x8 max.

I know it's not what you want to hear, but you really need to look at some other option other then towing with the LS.

Yeah, I'm looking at the 5x8. I don't even see a 4x8 option hehe.

You guys really got me thinking a lot about the weight and it makes a lot of sense. Last thing we need is to break down.

I did just upgrade my CAA membership to "Plus RV" so at least I have coverage for free tow + trailer if we get stuck somewhere. But I guess main thing now will be just taking it easy and making sure the engine isn't working too hard.

 

[RigsLS]

http://www.panoramio.com/photo_expl...hoto_id=10464217&order=date_desc&user=1755545

Hwy 11 North, the bigger hill on your route(in Ontario), as you can see, it's a big deal for a heavily loaded tractor trailer with a good total 70,000+/- lbs gross loaded. grabbing low range 3-4th gear just to crest the top with the four ways on in the slow lane. (Husky truck stop on your right side just past the hill climb)

if you go straight on the 17, you'll find several hills about the same size, some smaller ... but constant hills, whereas the 11N go-around this hill would be the worse one, couple of really small ones not worth mentioning.

Anyhow, you do what you gotta do ... try and get smaller trailer if you must.
watch your build up speed on any downhill. don't ride the brakes all the way down. They'll heat up and glaze over.

 

[BlackLS06]

that's why we have the diesel.. its built for towing stuff, not made to tow things as an afterthought.

although i am not sure why IRS means you can't tow. the Expedition has IRS and is rated for up to 9200 pounds. its not the same obviously, but just being IRS isn't the problem.

the biggest problem with the ranger IMO is the brakes. those trucks can pull more than they can stop effectively.

the trans would worry me the most i think. autos hate heat, and tow packages always include a bigger trans cooler. most Ford autos were woefully undercooled.

Ive just always seen that a live axle seems to be preffered for towing. Yes the expeditions can do just about as much as the F150's do, except they have coils and IRS in the rear vs leafs and live axle.

Max tow package on my truck is 9,900lbs but i would never attempt that. Too damn heavy for a gas engine.

Got the hitch and lighting kit installed today. I bought both specifically for the Lincoln LS from U-Haul. The hitch lighting has single cable that connects with the trailer.

I watched a couple videos on the U-Haul site about towing. Explained a lot about weight distribution, tying the cargo down, driving with the trailer. Looks pretty simple. I'm just gonna have to keep the speed and acceleration low to make sure the engine doesn't overheat or work too hard.

Again, its not the engine you need to worry about....its everything else.

 

[Kumba]

There is plenty of engine in the LS, that is not the problem. It's cooling the transmission or tweaking the rear end or burning up the brakes that are the problem.

Again, your engine is NOT what will be destroyed. Your transmission, your brakes, the rear of the car, and your wallet is what is all at risk here.

The engine is usually the least critical aspect of towing.

 

[LincolnLS_2013]

Went to take a look at trailers. I'm going with a small 8' x 5' trailer from u-haul. Only 900 lbs empty, and we might have some 500-700 lbs of cargo.

Also took car to the mechanic for inspection. Came back with a couple things:

[1] Timing chains don't get replaced unless they break. Only timing belts get replaced on preventative basis. Thoughts?

[2] Break fluid low because break pads down to 20%. As the pads get lower, needs more fluid to close the gap. Should I fill this up for now until I get them replaced?

[3] Coolant is low. But also looking to get this replaced. Says I don't have to do it now. Should I add some more for now? Any specific brand? I have some left-over Prestone Dex-Cool from last year that I bought for a Cavalier, would that work?

[4] Two bolts loose on the front suspension. Not sure what the details are of this, but he told me not to be concerned. Any idea on what sort of bolts these might be?

[5] Needs new rear tie rods. How long could that take to replace? Do I need special tools for that? In fact, should I be trying to fix any suspension issues in my driveway?

[6] Rear left & right lower & upper control arm bushings. This looks like a small piece. Is it complicated to replace?

Anyway, they charge like $110/hr, so I wasn't going to get all of that done there Can probably find someone at $50/hr to take care of most of that.

 

[Telco]

Went to take a look at trailers. I'm going with a small 8' x 5' trailer from u-haul. Only 900 lbs empty, and we might have some 500-700 lbs of cargo.

Also took car to the mechanic for inspection. Came back with a couple things:

[1] Timing chains don't get replaced unless they break. Only timing belts get replaced on preventative basis. Thoughts?

More or less correct. A timing chain can fail but will typically last the life of the engine. I usually replace if I have to go into an engine with more than 100K miles but I don't make a special job of it. Timing belts every 60-80K miles.

[2] Break fluid low because break pads down to 20%. As the pads get lower, needs more fluid to close the gap. Should I fill this up for now until I get them replaced?

Yes, this is normal. It's close to time to do the brakes so I wouldn't wait too much longer on them.

[3] Coolant is low. But also looking to get this replaced. Says I don't have to do it now. Should I add some more for now? Any specific brand? I have some left-over Prestone Dex-Cool from last year that I bought for a Cavalier, would that work?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! They don't call that stuff Deathcool for nothing! And now, for the rest of the post... Coolant loss on one of these cars goes catastrophic pretty quickly, and towing will stress it even more. This would be reason enough to not tow. IF you decide to anyway, keep a close eye on the temp and check the level periodically on the trip. Remember that the filler is under pressure, and if you open the degas bottle it WILL blow 200 degree coolant all over you. This tends to sting a bit.

[4] Two bolts loose on the front suspension. Not sure what the details are of this, but he told me not to be concerned. Any idea on what sort of bolts these might be?

There are a couple of honkin' big bolts under there that look to be half an inch or so loose. This is normal.

[5] Needs new rear tie rods. How long could that take to replace? Do I need special tools for that? In fact, should I be trying to fix any suspension issues in my driveway?

Sorry, can't help.

[6] Rear left & right lower & upper control arm bushings. This looks like a small piece. Is it complicated to replace?

Sorry, can't help.

Anyway, they charge like $110/hr, so I wasn't going to get all of that done there Can probably find someone at $50/hr to take care of most of that.[/QUOTE]

 

[LDM]

Check tires for wear etc on the trailer you rent, and check trailer tire pressure.
Check trailer lighting/brake lights, turn signal etc.
Check speed rating of the trailer/tires... some are limited to 55MPH etc... don't overly exceed.
Have roadside flares/reflectors and a flashlight. Blanket in case you break down at night.

Have water on hand for you, good walking shoes, charged cell phone, cell phone car charger...

U-Haul's equipment seems to be usually poorly maintained. Ryder/Penske good.

As stated from someone earlier, demand the newest trailer. Check tires!

U-Haul tried to rent me a very old with bad tires truck for cross country and they wanted to keep the new one next to it... I was pretty adamant about getting the new one and got it.

Also... I broke down cross country on another trip (non-LS) towing a trailer... it happens... so water for you and walking shoes/cell phone as mentioned previously.

Don't rush it, take your time, don't drive too much over the recommended speed of the trailer! Be safe and have a nice trip!

 

[stugots]

Rear tie rods are easy. But require an alignment.

 

[LDM]

[5] Needs new rear tie rods. How long could that take to replace? Do I need special tools for that? In fact, should I be trying to fix any suspension issues in my driveway?

I was going to mention that when my rear tie rods went out the car shook, and they went out with no warning. Towing a trailer would not be good if this were to happen. I got mine done on the same day with alignment (made an appointment).

 

[LS4me]

DO NOT USE DEX COOL IN YOUR LS. IT IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE FORD COOLANT!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is a warning label right next to fill cap saying NOT to use the orange coolant. Using the orange coolant will have disasterous results.

 

[RigsLS]

GREEN, YELLOW = Ford,
ORANGE = GM and any other crap.

at least I think so.

 

[RigsLS]

Something to ask U-Haul about is how do they connect the trailer wiring adapter to your wiring harness? I'm sure they will tell you that they have these quick connect clip things that just clip over the wire. I don't like them as they cut through the insulation and slide against the wire, which presents a place for water to get into the wiring. Won't be a problem now, but a few years down the road you might start having strange tail light problems. If this is something you're good with fine, but I certainly wouldn't be.

Hey, listen, no offense here alright but ...

I'm sitting here looking over my 2001 wiring diagrams and in the trunk there are connectors for tow hook ups already provided.

Wiring Harness overview 100-00-06-1 - ITEM 35 = Trailer tow sub assembly (p/n=13A576)







K319 Trailer exterior lamp relay = C424

A201 Trailer tow control unit = C425

E201 Trailer Tow Connector = C439










​

~ I didn't check/verify any of this in my own trunk, I do not know anything about it
~ Only posting something I found in the 2001 LS GEN I wiring diagrams.




----EDIT:


Trailer Tow

The trailer lighting is controlled by the trailer tow module (TTM) (if equipped). The architecture of the vehicle lighting system requires the TTM to be used for correct trailer lighting operation. The TTM controls the park, turn, and stoplamps of the trailer lighting when connected. Trailer lighting is powered through the trailer tow relay and trailer tow auxiliary junction box (TTAJB). The TTM, which is hardwired to the rear electronics module (REM), senses the vehicle's rear exterior park, turn, and stoplamps. For turn lamp operation, when either turn lamp is activated, the TTM will apply power to the appropriate trailer turn lamp(s). For stoplamps operation, the TTM senses the vehicle right rear stoplamps only, and when activated, the TTM will apply power to both trailer stoplamps. For tail lamp operation, the TTM senses the vehicle right rear lamp only, and when activated, the TTM will apply power to the trailer tail lamps.

 

[MIdsm]

The owner's manual specifies max trailer weight in the "Driving" section. Non sport 1000lb, sport 2000lb. It should be noted that tow ratings in US are lower than in the rest of the world, probably due to liability. The manual cold be downloaded in the Tech Articles section of the forum. The manual also states to put the vehicle in D4 or another lower gear when driving up or down steep inclines.

The fuel mileage may drop in half, depending on the height of the trailer. On 2700+ mile trip you may use 200+ galons of fuel.

Trailer hitches for LS are class II - up to 3500lb, not that the vehicle should tow that much weight. Uhaul hitch sits below the bumper/valence. Uhaul and any other trailer light adapter just gets plugged into the harness. Power for trailer lights should come from the battery.

Although Uhaul trailers usually come with hydraulic surge brakes I would worry if the vehicle brake pads are down to 20%. I would get new brake pads and in a more aggressive and more temp resistant compound - something like Hawk HPS.

Good luck.

 

[RigsLS]

... Power for trailer lights should come from the battery ...

Ya think ?
~ not like he was thinking of hooking it up to a hamster on a wheel or anything.

 

[MooJohn]

Although Uhaul trailers usually come with hydraulic surge brakes I would worry if the vehicle brake pads are down to 20%.

Only their largest trailer has surge brakes. The 5x8 will put all the braking duties on the tow vehicle. Unless he's hauling anvils the trailer likely won't exceed 2000 lbs.

 

[Telco]

DO NOT USE DEX COOL IN YOUR LS. IT IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE FORD COOLANT!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is a warning label right next to fill cap saying NOT to use the orange coolant. Using the orange coolant will have disasterous results.

Dang, I TOTALLY missed the word Dexcool in that post. Terrible stuff. When exposed to air inside the cooling system it turns into an acidic orange sludge that can actually eat a hole in the head. Do not use under any circumstances. Anything I ever get that has Deathcool in it, I change the coolant for the yellow stuff which works just as well as anything else without the engine damage. I also edited my post to reflect. To the OP, I'd not only use Dexcool in the Lincoln ESPECIALLY when it has a known air leak, I'd flush it completely out of the Cavalier too, if you still own it.

Hey, listen, no offense here alright but ...

I'm sitting here looking over my 2001 wiring diagrams and in the trunk there are connectors for tow hook ups already provided.

No offense taken, but that won't stop a U-Haul guy from climbing under your car with a pair of pliers and a quick-crimp add-on connector.

 

[LincolnLS_2013]

I'm here In Vancouver after 6 days of driving. Trailer weight was 1,500 lbs combined with cargo.

There was an ice storm on day 2 as we drove through mountains in Ontario. In that area two drivers ended up in a ditch. One driver totaled his pickup truck, while another sedan was flipped on the roof. I was a little more cautious by going really slow, didn't want to fly off the edge of a cliff. Ran out of gas at one point because there was no stations with premium for some 190 miles (300 km), but I had backup 5 gallons in the trailer that I brought on the trip, so that was the only time I needed it.

On day 3 as I was leaving gas station, the slope of the sidewalk was too steep, and the car being so low scraped the bottom as we exited. It caused the hitch to twist, and our coupler's pin's pin (the pin the secures the coupler pin) fell out. Spent 45 minutes looking for it, and when we couldn't find it, drove to CanadianTire to pick up a new one. But then the new one wouldn't go in, so spent an hour and a half trying to get it in before figuring it out. The coupler pin from U-Haul was drilled in the wrong place, so I couldn't fit it properly on my hitch. Bought a new coupler pin but it didn't want to go in, so I used a hammer (which I couldn't find in my cargo, so had to go buy it too... buy all the things), and hammered that f***er in. That was a good waste of 2 hours I could have been driving.

4,450 km total (2,821 miles). Gas mileage of 14.8L/100km (15.9 mpg). RPM was 2,500 most of the trip. Didn't let the rpm go over 3,000 on the hills to keep temperature under control; some hills so big that I was doing 30 mph in a 70 mph area. There was truckers that had engine blowout on some of these hills in The Rockies (Calgary to Vancouver route). Found trucker cargo left on the side of the highway without a truck present.

Most of the trip the GPS said "go straight for 700 km" (434 miles) at any one point. The last leg was "go straight for 900 km" (559 miles).

The prairies were just 1,400 km (1,126 miles) of driving straight. There might have been a rare hill or curve, but mostly driving straight, with nothing to look at as far as the eye can see.

Oil was at maximum the whole trip. Coolant never went below minimum. Temperature always stayed in the middle. The odd concerning engine sound, but it seemed to go away after the car rested for a bit. Switched from D4 to D5 on the long straights to get to 75 mph.

U-haul did read "maximum 55 mph" but there's no way I was going to drive that slow for the trip. Would have easily cost me 8 hours. The trailer seemed to fair fine at 75 mph. I had the odd concern that trailer might fall apart and I would spill the cargo along 3 lanes of highway, but it managed to survive all the way. Besides a bunch of dead bugs on the trailer front, seems to be in good condition.

So as far as towing with LS, was a lot of up-down sway when the road was bumpy or had pot holes. But most of the time it wasn't noticeable. Probably need new breaks and pads, but I needed those before leaving anyway.

Total trip fuel cost - $900.00 (average $1.32/L premium at 15L/100km).

 

[MooJohn]

Glad to see the trip went well. That scenery is amazing!

When you picked up the trailer did you look at the size of the 6x12 in comparison with your car? It dwarfs many SUVs so you can see why you wouldn't want one behind an LS.

 

[Upstairs Chris]

Props to you man. Towing with my LS is something I would never do.

 

[M4rk]

I would personally change the tranny fluid, and the diff while you're down there.

 

[LS4me]

The reason for the 55 speed limit is U-Haul uses retreads on their trailers. You don't want one of those failing at 75mph!!!!!!

 

[RigsLS]

@LincolnLS_2013,

Hey bud, glad you made it, I knew you would without troubles.
Nice driving out West of Canada huh ? did you take my advice and go around on the 11 in ON and take the go around at Winnipeg ?
Sure you did as the GPS would/should have suggested it as the best options.

Oh and yeah, the biggest hills started after Calgary ... didn't want to tell ya that before LOL.

BTW: when you drove past Moose Jaw, just before it there was a highway 39 that crossed the 1, a few miles down that road in Rouleau, SK, they filmed "Corner Gas" episodes. I had to take that hwy once myself on a backhaul and didn't realize until I saw the elevator with "Dog River" on it. took a time out at the gas station in town. Funny.

Anyhow, good to hear, good to see, good job and all the best in Vancouver BC.

+1

 

[chris2523]

The reason for the 55 speed limit is U-Haul uses retreads on their trailers. You don't want one of those failing at 75mph!!!!!!

yeah most trailer tires are cheap and crappy. so they get a 55 mph limit.