VA to TX, pick up trailer, TX to VA

[neanderpaul]

I posted about Jack's trailer hitch...

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35892

Then I posted about a trailer I scored....

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35545

Now I present the sum of those threads. I drove to Dallas TX from Roanoke VA to my cousin's place and brought my trailer home.


It's still small enough to back it into a regular parking spot 8)

I did the aspire brake swap the week before I left. I included the front struts and springs, sway bar, new aspire struts with festiva front springs cut by 2 coils. Then I installed the tenzo sinko R 15's I scored from my nephews CRX. Putting the 15's on with the b3 was a sure fire way to wreck my gas mileage. Towing the trailer with the tongue about 4" too high was a sure fire was to obliterate it.

I went from 38 in town with a.c. on to 30 mpg highway with a.c. on. Then I picked up the trailer and got 23.5 the whole way back with a.c. on. The trailer weight (560 lbs) really was a non-issue. The wind resistance was what really cost me. I could be going down a steep grade at 70 in fifth gear, let off the gas, and it was like a huge parachute opened.


I did change the t-stat for a 2 stage before I left. I was never getting into the operating range with the mcparts single stage. That fixed me right up.


I also changed out the O2 to a new denso while I was in Dallas. Trying to pick up a few mpg.



Oh I made a u-turn at the end of my street in the middle of a 4 way stop!! It's barely noticeable in town. I got a LOT of looks and a few questions. Good times. Got it home and it did it's first "pick up replacing" job. I hauled my dad's tiller back to his house.

[neanderpaul]

I also had to run an extra wire from the brake light wiring through the trailer to the tail lights and install brake light sockets and bulbs. So the 4 pin does not work on a festy. The festiva's taillight wiring works different. Luckily I brought 2 extra tail light wiring harnesses in case wiring them didn't go so well.

[TominMO]

Very nice!

[Eaglefreek]

For the tail lights, you need a tail light converter since the car's turn signals are separate from the brake lights. http://www.amazon.com/Curt-Manufactu.../dp/B000K2LAPM Wow, that really did kill the gas mileage.

[neanderpaul]

Not now I don't. I'll post a pic in a moment. It's wired properly. And it's still set up to plug and play with any other 4 prong tow vehicle.

[91_festy_Gl]

Nice lookin LX you got there paul!

[neanderpaul]

Some trip pics.














Yeah, I almost ran it out. I noticed I needed to stop, forgot, then passed an exit with a station. Right when I did it bucked!!! So I pulled of to the right, hit reverse for 10', put it in neutral, and coasted backwards down the ramp without issue. It bucked the last few feet. I dodged a bullet on that one. Yes that is 9.82 gallons that I pumped into a 10 gallon festy tank.
I did mange to hit 102 in 4th with a little room left. That is of course before the trailer.
I hit 82 downhill with the trailer. And yes I did adjust for the the tire size change. I used the GPS trip to calculate. I also adjusted by percentage of 3.5%.

[Eaglefreek]

Are you just running wires from the turn signals and tapped into the brake light of the harness? If so, I would think if you had the turn signal on and hit the brakes you would blow a fuse.

[neanderpaul]

No, I ran a separate wire from a brake light wire all the way back to two separate dedicated brake light sockets.

[neanderpaul]

Yeah yeah my windows are FILTHY. Ruined those shadow shots. Didn't realize at the time (cell phone pics). That's part of another crazy part of the story involving the crazy 3 waves of tornadoes. Will update.

[neanderpaul]

Nice lookin LX you got there paul!

Thanks!

[kumalaba]

wow those rims are wicked! are you coming to 4th meet?

[neanderpaul]

Thanks Danny. I kind of doubt it. Will have to run it by the wife again.

[neanderpaul]

So I got stuck in the mud! About 45 minutes short of my cousins house. The lightning was in every direction I looked. The tornado warnings were all over the radio. Seek shelter! So I pulled of off interstate 30 and pulled under a bridge. I've never been in a tornado. I live in a nice safe valley. The mountains have blocked all but 1 tornado in Roanoke in recorded history. It damaged a roof and a tree. So needless to say I was pretty freaked out. I sat for a minute, heard reports of baseball sized hail, and decided to drive across a little mud and up onto the super steep concrete bank under the interstate. ALL the way up. I waited for 45 minutes, got another 15 minute warning, waited that out and just as I was about to leave a local cop pulled up. He said with awe in his eyes "Ive never seen anybody do that!" He asked why, I said I was scared and told him about my safe home valley. He was a ford nut and we talked for a half an hour! lol! He knew the festiva even. Said he had considered one. He said mine looked like it was set up for handling. So I told him about the aspire swap. It was really fun. He kept tripping on where I parked! :lol: Then when the warnings stopped I went to leave. The rain had made the mud MUCH worse. I straight stopped, bottomed out. Couldn't rock it at all. He asked what I would do. I told him my cousin was close and he would come. He said he'd be right back with his V10 f-250!!! He pulled me out!! We had a good laugh. This is how it looked the next day.

[skimsucka]

abusing your lx lol