FordExcursions.com Forums
Pat Kelly
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• Springfield, MA, USA |
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• Registered on 1/28/2004 |
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• 1 post |
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 Posted:1/28/2004 20:22 |
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I am the new owner of a 2000 V10 X and wanted to know what the standard options on my X were. I sent an email through the Ford website with my Vin# and was told that they couldn't really give me any information.
I wanted to know if my X has the tow package on it with the proper auxilary coolers, etc. It does have the extendable towing mirrors and is a Limited, but I can't see anything under the hood. Ford did tell me however that I do have a 4.30 axle.
My intention is to tow a Travel Trailer and I need to know exactly what the X has on it for towing capabilities. I checked the sticker on the inside of the door, but most of the info is blank.
Any suggestions?
Also, I am looking to tow a trailer that has a dry weight of 7000lbs and is under 30ft. long. Does anyone have experience with towing anything of this size or weight? Am I going to heavy to be comfortable?
Any and all thoughts would be welcome.
Thanks. |
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monsta
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• The Big Island, HI, USA |
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• Registered on 1/5/2002 |
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• 1,056 posts |
• 2 Vehicles
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Posted:1/29/2004 02:23 |
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They all come equipped with the proper equipment (tranny cooler, PS cooler, hitch and hookup for a brake controller that you can easily splice in) for towing 'cept the WD hitch. Make sure you get/use one.
7K is a nice size for the V10. You should have no problem so long as you stay within the GCWR and you load the two properly. You 00 V10 w/4.30s is rated at 10K. But subsequent years were upped to 11K with no mechanical changes made to increase the the rating. Just a new sticker.
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Richard Smith
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• Knoxville, TN, USA |
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• Registered on 10/4/2003 |
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• 104 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
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Posted:2/8/2004 20:22 |
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Pat,
I have a 2003 X V-10 3.73 axle. I pull a 9300 lb. 33 foot Travel Trailer with no problem. Use a weight distributing hitch and make sure your Trailer brakes work properly.
I Love My White X, Richard Knoxville, Tn |
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David Monach
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• Orange County, CA, USA |
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• Registered on 6/30/2002 |
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• 38 posts |
• 2 Vehicles
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Posted:3/8/2004 15:43 |
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I have a 01 V10 with the 4:30LS rear. I frequently towing about 9000Lbs loaded toybox. It tows really well. You have to use the distrubution hitch due to the excessive tongue weight I expect you might have with the big of a trailer. The biggest problem you will experience....and I am convinced you will experience, is the wear on the brakes. My X is on its 3rd set of front brakes in 50K miles. I recnetly (one year ago) bought the Prodigy brake controller and it helped imensely. DO NOT go cheap on the brake controller.... Get the PRODIGY!!! Other than that just remember ...IT IS NOT A RACE, UNLESS YOUR BUDDY TOWS WITH A CHEVY OR DODGE! 
Good luck!  |
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Ken Allan
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• Draper, UT, USA |
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• Registered on 3/22/2004 |
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• 4 posts |
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Posted:3/23/2004 00:18 |
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Pat,
I recently bought a 2000 X also. First off, check your date of manufacture. If it is before Feb 2000 then you need to look at TSB 00-24-04. X's produced before that date have an auxiliary oil cooler for the transmission, period. What TSB states is that "some transmissions could benefit from replacing the radiator with a radiator that has an internal transmission oil cooler in it." In other words, super duty transmissions were overheating under towing conditions and they changed the manufacturing process in Feb 2000 to include an updated radiator that had this internal cooler in addition to the external cooler. They didn't do a recall an the earlier production date, they just updated the vehicles that fried the trannies. Second, if you are going to tow, put a transmission oil temperature guage on. Third, never, ever, ever, ever tow in overdrive. The only time you can even think about it is downhill on a 6% grade. People will tell you otherwise... they are what transmission shops call customers. Your V10 will kick butt towing your travel trailer and you will be able to go as fast as you need to in third gear.
The next most important items you need to tow safely is shocks. The stock ones have got to go. Find some decent ones and the ride will be dramatically improved. The next must have item is a Hellwig anti-sway bar. Without this your X's ass will be wagging all over the road. It is not comfortable towing a big trailer without one. Nose around the forum and see what everone else says. They will agree.
With a Limited the only thing you should have to do as far as a towing package is to install a trailer brake. I hunted around and everyone seems to suggest that a Tekonsha Prodigy or a Jordan are the best brakes to get. I personally got the Tekonsha, it is highly advanced and works great. It is available everywhere. I got mine from rvproshops on the net.
That pretty much takes care of the safety issues. Next you can move onto performance stuff.... air intake, freeflow exhaust yada yada yada. We'll save that for later. Happy Trails. |
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monsta
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• The Big Island, HI, USA |
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• Registered on 1/5/2002 |
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• 1,056 posts |
• 2 Vehicles
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Posted:3/23/2004 04:33 |
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| Quote: | | Third, never, ever, ever, ever tow in overdrive. |
I am not a transmission shop customer. 
Towing in OD is okay. The TC is locked.
Excessive shifting [u]should be avoided[/u] (eg. in hilly terrain) by simply locking it out.
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85MH325
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• Eastern, IA, USA |
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• Registered on 3/20/2004 |
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• 54 posts |
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 Posted:3/23/2004 06:42 |
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| Quote: | Also, I am looking to tow a trailer that has a dry weight of 7000lbs and is under 30ft. long. Does anyone have experience with towing anything of this size or weight? Am I going to heavy to be comfortable?
Any and all thoughts would be welcome.
Thanks. |
Greetings! I also have a Y2K X Ltd. and tow a 34' tri-axle Airstream. It's about 8500lbs wet. My X is completely stock, with the exception that I have toasted my brake rotors and have slotted replacements with pads enroute to be installed. The V10 had 3.73s as the stock gearing, with 4.30s optional. Mine has the 3.73s.
First, make sure your X has "E" range 10ply sidewall tires. Don't even THINK about towing with "D" ranges, you'll overload them. The sidewalls split on my stock "D" ranges after 600 miles towing. Second, air your rears up to 70 psi and your fronts to 55. 80psi is max for most "E" range tires. Third, make sure you have a good weight distribution/anti-sway hitch setup. I use a Reese Dual-cam and have for years, but the other offerings out there are just as effective.
Proper inflation and sway control are a MUST. Even WITH sway control, if your tires are aired at 55lbs in the rear, you're going to be in for a wild ride! If you air your tires up to 70psi, and you have a properly setup and adjusted anti-sway hitch, your trailer will feel like it's on rails behind you. The difference is unbelievable.
Last, get a Prodigy or Jordan. I have the Tekonsha controller just below the Prodigy, but from everything I've read the Jordan is the way to go because it brakes the trailer first, proportionally with the tow vehicle.
Good luck!
Roger |
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Ken Allan
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• Draper, UT, USA |
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• Registered on 3/22/2004 |
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• 4 posts |
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Posted:3/23/2004 12:10 |
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| Quote: | | Quote: | | Third, never, ever, ever, ever tow in overdrive. |
I am not a transmission shop customer.
Towing in OD is okay. The TC is locked.
Excessive shifting [u]should be avoided[/u] (eg. in hilly terrain) by simply locking it out. |
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IMO and in the opinion of the transmission shops I have dealt with ( I have been a customer twice now, not on my ex though) the problem is that people think that if you are not shifting or hunting for a gear that the TC is locked. That is not the case. Your TC locks and unlocks as it sees fit withouth hunting for a gear. When the TC is not locked it can generate heat extremely fast. To make his point, a technician told me that if you powerbrake your transmission, the TC can heat up to 400 degrees in 20 seconds. That sounds a little extreme to me but I get the point. All I have to do is imagine 5 minutes of towing a heavy load with my TC unlocked and I get the picture.
I read on FTE a gentleman saying that if you keep your rpm's above 2300 or so that your TC will remain locked. Maybe rpm's are the answer. But until they make a switch where I can control the TC and lock it up when I want I will never, ever, ever, ever tow in OD and I will advise all who will listen to do the same.
The last tranny I fried I was towing in OD, not even a big trailer, and it never hunted or shifted for a gear, that is because it overheated and fried itself and couldn't downshift. But then again that was a gm.  |
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Big_Bird
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• Atlanta, GA, USA |
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• Registered on 3/24/2004 |
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• 3 posts |
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 Posted:3/24/2004 19:01 |
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TC locked in and out? What exactly does TC stand for? Please clarify. Yes, I'm somewhat new to this.  |
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Cobra427
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• Fremont, CA, USA |
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• Registered on 1/24/2003 |
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• 37 posts |
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Posted:3/24/2004 21:32 |
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TC = Torque Converter |
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