Really? Another Miata thread....

[Jake]

Congrats on the weekend and the trailer! A few thoughts on your towing experience thus far that may help in the future...

1. Check trailer tire pressures. Sidewall will say Max Cold pressure. Set them there. The trailer will be far more susceptible to low tire pressure than an open.
2. Tongue weight. Move the car around in the trailer to figure this out. I keep mine as far back as possible, because I have enough shit in the V-nose and otherwise (parts, wheels, tool cart) that I don't need anything else on the nose to add weight.
3. Leave the truck in Drive and Tow/Haul enabled unless it cannot decide on a gear mid-hill. The transmission logic is smart and should do fine on its own.
4. Yes, you will need to use judicious amounts of throttle up hills. You've got 7k lbs of parasail hanging off the bumper and you want to go 65 mph up a big hill in the heat. The truck will do it just fine, but you have to ask it to gulp in all that air and dump in all that fuel to maintain speed and power.
5. Fuel economy sucks, sorry. The EcoBoost trucks do worse on fuel than the Coyotes as they are more or less always in boost with an enclosed. My 5.0 can do 1-2 mpg better than a 3.5EB with the same enclosed, but the Eco is faster and doesn't work as hard in the same environment.
6. I've found cruise control and towing to be incompatible. Trailers like to be told what to do and some constant throttle helps keep that pimp hand strong. Cruise control will allow too much coasting and suddenly you have the trailer driving the truck a little bit.

You shouldn't have much sway with the trailer properly loaded. The "suck" toward a tractor trailer or large vehicle does happen but should not be super dramatic unless it's combined with heavy winds as you got on the way home. Keep tweaking the configuration and you will get it right. I can cruise with mine at 70+ all day long and have zero drama (it allows for easy burrito-eating).

[Kaan]

Driving in every morning, worrying about stuff in the paddock, putting up and taking down ezups, etc. the track accommodations aren't bad really... but having a dry place to put on and take off my race suit... having AC in the trailer for the really hot days... that will be worth it.

I plan to have a tool cart... but I highly doubt I have to worry too much where I live.

[rherold9]

It was probably like 10 years ago. They all disappeared, including most of my long-dead grandfather's tools.

How were they locked?

Someone would have to break into two rv style locks on the side door or cut off two trailer door latches in the rear (two shackle locks on the rear trailer door). If that happens then they were going to get the shit regardless. They'll probably choose to break glass windows in the garage before the first piece. Much more convenient and easy...

[ScottyB]

The standard 3.55. The heavy duty tow package has 3.73, but don't have that so, oh well.

ah, didn't realize. i thought it might be a 3.27. not super ideal for the appalachians, sure, but the 3.55 is what i would have picked for travelling to tracks on the east coast. just send it bro

Too paranoid?

i kinda think so. put it this way - Ford literally doesn't make cars anymore just so it can devote 90% of its resources just to making the F150 perfect. they have these trucks down to a science. in terms of modern vehicles i think trucks generally can be said to be overbuilt. manufacturers know that some will lead cushy lives, but others will be worked to death and that reputation for being able to handle abuse will make or break them in such a competitive segment. i think of all the torture testing on a platform, trucks get it the worst and are built to handle it accordingly.

as for oil, with the towing you do you're probably fine with your assessment. general consensus from other owners doing used oil analysis is that by 10k miles its not only sheared down to a 20wt, but also highly fuel washed. i'm sure Ford thinks the engine can get away with it but at only 6qts its not expensive to ensure things are kept in check a little early.

[rherold9]

Congrats on the weekend and the trailer! A few thoughts on your towing experience thus far that may help in the future...

1. Check trailer tire pressures. Sidewall will say Max Cold pressure. Set them there. The trailer will be far more susceptible to low tire pressure than an open.
2. Tongue weight. Move the car around in the trailer to figure this out. I keep mine as far back as possible, because I have enough shit in the V-nose and otherwise (parts, wheels, tool cart) that I don't need anything else on the nose to add weight.
3. Leave the truck in Drive and Tow/Haul enabled unless it cannot decide on a gear mid-hill. The transmission logic is smart and should do fine on its own.
4. Yes, you will need to use judicious amounts of throttle up hills. You've got 7k lbs of parasail hanging off the bumper and you want to go 65 mph up a big hill in the heat. The truck will do it just fine, but you have to ask it to gulp in all that air and dump in all that fuel to maintain speed and power.
5. Fuel economy sucks, sorry. The EcoBoost trucks do worse on fuel than the Coyotes as they are more or less always in boost with an enclosed. My 5.0 can do 1-2 mpg better than a 3.5EB with the same enclosed, but the Eco is faster and doesn't work as hard in the same environment.
6. I've found cruise control and towing to be incompatible. Trailers like to be told what to do and some constant throttle helps keep that pimp hand strong. Cruise control will allow too much coasting and suddenly you have the trailer driving the truck a little bit.

You shouldn't have much sway with the trailer properly loaded. The "suck" toward a tractor trailer or large vehicle does happen but should not be super dramatic unless it's combined with heavy winds as you got on the way home. Keep tweaking the configuration and you will get it right. I can cruise with mine at 70+ all day long and have zero drama (it allows for easy burrito-eating).

1. I fixed when I got the trailer
2. I have it adjusted fine now with the weight distro hitch. Can't do that on an empty trailer. I guessed a drop hitch size for pickup. It was slightly more tongue weight than I had with the open loaded up. Doesn't matter now though.
3. It's in tow/haul mode. I leave it cruise control so it sometimes will down shift, lock downshift, lock if there are hills. Instead I just pre downshift.
4. It's more like 6k, but yeah.
5. Yup, something have to get used to
6. Cruise Control is fine with the the weight distro/sway hitch

Everything is fine now for sway. Can't really do much for loading besides hitch drop when a trailer is empty on the initial way back like it was. It's super stable now.

[D_Eclipse9916]

Now you know why I laugh and wouldn’t pull the trigger going down to a f150/1500 for anything more/as big as you got.

11k behind your truck? Hahahaha.

The diesel power trains are just so much more relaxing. Peak torque of 650-850lb ft (stock and tuned) at 1600rpm is a heck of a lot different than hammering away in a gasser at 5-6k rpm. Diesel is still king for a parasails.

Enclosed is 100% worth it; and if I couldn’t afford diesel; I would still do an enclosed and deal with some handwringing. But I would probably want to do it on a leased vs buy truck. Trans don’t last very long hammering away like that, especially in a Ford. (Not Haterade)

[rherold9]

The trailer loaded is 6k. The truck is 5k. Talking total weight.

The truck hasn't seen 5-6k rpm at all towing unless I need to floor it to merge on to i95 or other. It's happy at 3-4k on huge hills if needed

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[D_Eclipse9916]

The trailer loaded is 6k. The truck is 5k. Talking total weight.

The truck hasn't seen 5-6k rpm at all towing unless I need to floor it to merge on to i95 or other. It's happy at 3-4k on huge hills if needed

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

I meant 11k for the max towing package on F150s they claim is laughable.  Can you imagine another 5k behind you?

I say that towing with an RV.  That thing is BORDERLINE acceptable.  Smooth as rails since the tow pig is the heavy one; but god that V10 suffers on uphills.  Every time I go up that huge 77 grade for 5 miles I feel like a piston is going to ram through the hood.  I legitimately don't know how the guys with the old 4 speed did it, it needs the 6 speed.  If I had the cheddah, the new class C Thor based on the F450 with the diesel would be the hotness.

[rherold9]

I meant 11k for the max towing package on F150s they claim is laughable.  Can you imagine another 5k behind you?

I say that towing with an RV.  That thing is BORDERLINE acceptable.  Smooth as rails since the tow pig is the heavy one; but god that V10 suffers on uphills.  Every time I go up that huge 77 grade for 5 miles I feel like a piston is going to ram through the hood.  I legitimately don't know how the guys with the old 4 speed did it, it needs the 6 speed.  If I had the cheddah, the new class C Thor based on the F450 with the diesel would be the hotness.

Yeah, it would for sure be churning hard. I think for my model the max capacity is 9,700. The 11k is for the heavy duty trailer tow package trucks. I think the truck can handle that much weight, but the power would be the concern. Nice thing about enclosed trailers since they are giant sails they stop pretty well. I'm sitting at 60% tow capacity as I sit. Sounds about right for what I'm feeling. It's not at the limit, but it's working a lot harder

[Jake]

It was probably like 10 years ago. They all disappeared, including most of my long-dead grandfather's tools.

That sucks

I leave my racecar and all my spares/wheels/tools in the trailer 24/7. Risky? Perhaps. I've got good locks on the whole thing (2x back door, 2x side door, 2x tongue) and it's parked in a gated, secured lot. If things are destroyed or stolen, it's all got insurance thanks to Lockton. Granted, nothing I have is of huge sentimental value so I think that's why it's less of a worry on my end.

If someone gets in to my storage lot, there's bigger and more expensive hardware in there compared to mine.

[ScottyB]

that huge 77 grade

ha, good old Fancy Gap. we used to flatfoot it up that in our old explorer to maintain 70 and by the time we were at the top it would always throw a temporary CEL. never looked into it but i bet it was for catalyst overheat or something similar.

[rherold9]

Fun, little highlights video I made:

[rherold9]

Obligatory pictures #needsaero

[ScottyB]

you're crackin me up with the highlights video

OH LAWD JESUS ISSA FAHR

honestly though it looks almost perfect on corner exit. just enough slip as you track out. really cool to see how you've developed the car and gotten faster with it.

[rherold9]

you're crackin me up with the highlights video

OH LAWD JESUS ISSA FAHR

honestly though it looks almost perfect on corner exit.  just enough slip as you track out.  really cool to see how you've developed the car and gotten faster with it.

I couldn't resist not doing that clip after reviewing the video footage

Yup, the corner exit is just about right when tires are new, it obviously has a bit more slip as the tires age, but I can adjust. Right now burning this set down to see how they do as they get older and older. Would rather still learn the limits on tired equipment. It will make me a faster and better driver on new equipment. So happy I'm finally getting the car dialed in to where I want it

[rherold9]

Arrived to a purty sunset on Friday so needed to grab a quick pic:



Overall, it was a good weekend. Very very hot Saturday with a warm Sunday, but not as brutal.

Not sure what to say anymore. I'm getting better as a driver. I'm feeling super comfortable in the car. Often getting ahead of what the car is going to do. Predicting oversteer, etc. The car is fricken amazing. It does what you tell it to do. Get it right, the car rewards you so well. I can't wait for more experience under my belt. This weekend showed to me the car can be close to competitive in regional competition at certain tracks. Maybe not always first place, but even with good drivers/cars 2nd or 3rd on occasion will be possible. I was only 1.6 second off 3rd place with a 2:01:6 against fully prepped cars. You'll see in the video a debris flag was thrown causing at least a half second loss for the entire lap. Car had 2:00:xx in it, for sure. These are the same tires since May. If I would've brought stickers I honestly think I could have been right at 3rd place which is fricken awesome to even bench race or think about

Next goals at that track are 2 flat mark and consistent 2:01's. This weekend was 2:01 with 2:02's in the mix. Funny enough my goal after Saturday was thinking there was only a 2:03 in it because of the rain first session. Mixed grid 2nd session. Still bad grid spot for 3rd session from traffic. Finally 4th session I have open laps and put down an okay time. TT is all about gridding. It's huge deal. Gotta put those fast laps on as early as possible so you have more open track through the weekend to be faster. Probably similar to racing. Qualifying is everything.



Student was great this weekend as well. First timer on track with a GTI. Always open for advice and in the final session Sunday he put it all together! I was very impressed. He still has a few things to work on, but he will do very well with the fundamentals he was able to pick up on one weekend. Actually looking ahead through the turn to where he wanted to go, looking at flag stations, and more.



Until next year PittRace!

[Goodspeed]

Nice report, car is looking & sounding great and the vid looked like a ton of fun!

I have to admit, with your red gloves in the vid, I didn't realize for a sec that there was a strap hanging out a bit and I thought you were driving with your pinky finger out like a sir.

[rherold9]

Nice report, car is looking & sounding great and the vid looked like a ton of fun!

I have to admit, with your red gloves in the vid, I didn't realize for a sec that there was a strap hanging out a bit and I thought you were driving with your pinky finger out like a sir.

[rherold9]

Taylor's post reminded me to buy pictures. I enjoy wasting more money on useless images to show how cool I am on a race track



Always enjoy the blurry ones to make the car look faster than it is. Plus check out the sweet blue visor I bought:

[ScottyB]

i'm always gonna demand more pics. such a good looking car and the racecar speed holes + rubber make it look like a bad mfer. carry on sir.