Increasing towing capacity on Crown Vic

Tom, I don't "know" what all Ford did that reduced the tow rating on the Crown-Vic, but there are a number of things that go into making up the tow-rating. Brake size and weight are one (and hard to do anything about), transmission design (and not cooling) is another, engine design (not power) is a third, also the weight of the vehicle, suspension and steering, plus many many other items. I suspect Ford reduced a bunch-o-stuff, like the frame, brakes, transmission, etc. I'm foggy on the Crown-Vic, but if they switched from a rear-wheel to t front-wheel design, that is another factor (front-wheel don't tend to have as good a tow rating, the trany simply isn't heavy enough)

What it comes down to, there is -nothing- you can practically do that will increase your tow rating. If I were you I would get an old used 4x4 truck and use it for just towing the boat (4x4 because boat ramps can be steep). Although I suspect you will find other good reasons that an old pickup is a good thing (dump runs, lumberyard, etc)

I just read a bit on blue oval news on how fords was making up to $10K per vehicle on this low volume cash cow. Basically, it was derived from the old LTD and the basic tooling has not changed in years. It was paid for years ago.

This is probably a mike hunt question. If you know the proper order codes and can get the police suspension upgrades, coolers, and other fleet HD parts that should put you in the ballpark. There was a thread awhile back on order codes as i recall.

Bob

The Crown Victoria is still rear wheel drive.

A tranny cooler is standard equipment on the CV. The new CV will easily tow your trailer, not to worry. Ford merely wants to sell more light trucks.

mike hunt

Wallace wrote:

I agree, the C/V is every bit the vehicle it was and then some since it last had the 5000 lb. tow rating in 1994/1995. The suspension and brakes are better, the engine and transmission are stronger, the frame is MUCH stronger on the new ones. The truck/SUV aspect is the key to this question... sell more Explorers/Expeditions/F's & E's.

Rob

hi tom - i noticed that you said that the 4.6 has plenty of horsepower, that's what i thought, but found out different.

this is a 1993 lincoln towncar, with tow package and the 210 hp engine. without towing anything, on the open highway @ 70, it will average 27 mpg, even with 150,000 miles on the engine.

i bought a 5 X 10 enclosed doolittle trailer and used the lincoln to drag it to vegas and back for a furniture show. it was over 4500 miles round trip. changed fluids and filter before i started out. going west my gas mileage dropped from 27 to 10.4 mpg and coming back it went up slightly to 11.3 the car had hardly any pickup through the mountains, but yet the trailer seemed to roll free enough and would gain speed quite easily coming down the mountains. i've hauled this trailer with my old pickup that only gets 11.5 mpg and has a 400 under the hood and it might drop it to 11.3 mpg dragging the same trailer.

so, why the big dip in gas mileage? when i pulled the trailer, the lincoln only had about 100,000 miles on it. it driven 50,000 miles since and have had no transmission problems and the transmission nor engine has never been rebuilt. the gas mileage is consistent in the high 20's.

so, this is what i had concluded. lincoln designed the engine and car to function at it's best carrying itself. as soon as you pack on the extra weight, it starts laboring and the gas mileage heads south. it does it every time i carry much over 1000lbs in it, whether it's people or product. crown vics probably will behave in a similar fashion. just my .02 cents worth.

~ curtis

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional

Don't forget aerodynamics. Your pickup probalby had bad aerodynamics, and punched a bigger hole through the air. It also depends on how aero your trailer is. If it's just a flat or mostly flat front, that is a HUGE air brake you are towing.

Many cars and even some light trucks specify maximum frontal area for any trailer towing.

-- Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts:

"What, sir, is the use of militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty. . . Whenever Government means to invade the rights and liberties of the people, they always attempt to destroy the militia, in order to raise a standing army upon its ruins." -- Debate, U.S. House of Representatives, August 17, 1789