First Trip With Transit As Tv

Tour 931

Tour 931

Ranger
Yesterday I took a 278 mile shakedown trip to see how the Transit tows. First stop was to get a latte in Rhinelander.
1DA93B87-258C-4636-9FDB-78C6EC71B699

1DA93B87-258C-4636-9FDB-78C6EC71B699

  • Media owner Tour 931
  • Date added
Then I headed east on US8 and passed by this Shell station which is where I stayed my first night in my new CI back in December of 2017.
04292499-98B1-4C08-BFD1-2BD25DFB518C

04292499-98B1-4C08-BFD1-2BD25DFB518C

  • Media owner Tour 931
  • Date added
There is a nice picnic spot although when I was here before there was several feet of snow. The CI furnace was nice to have to get the cabin warm at night and in the morning before I crawled out of bed. It was nice to be able to get a cup of coffee in the morning too.
D211B845-3FCC-4E8A-84E4-D81806268697

D211B845-3FCC-4E8A-84E4-D81806268697

  • Media owner Tour 931
  • Date added

My new custom plate. It’s the retro one used till 1955.
84D31DD0-B622-40B7-9F69-06B8EF8CD11F

84D31DD0-B622-40B7-9F69-06B8EF8CD11F

  • Media owner Tour 931
  • Date added

These are good numbers! Better mileage pulling the trailer than my Outback gets. Of course I was only doing 50 mph in a 55 limit. Traffic was very light and the few cars that wanted to go faster could get around me rather quickly.
C1494F09-C2F8-45BA-8DAE-7283DAE3B6C1

C1494F09-C2F8-45BA-8DAE-7283DAE3B6C1

  • Media owner Tour 931
  • Date added
 
Tour 931 said:
Yesterday I took a 278 mile shakedown trip to see how the Transit tows. First stop was to get a latte in Rhinelander.
1DA93B87-258C-4636-9FDB-78C6EC71B699

1DA93B87-258C-4636-9FDB-78C6EC71B699

  • Media owner Tour 931
  • Date added
Then I headed east on US8 and passed by this Shell station which is where I stayed my first night in my new CI back in December of 2017.
04292499-98B1-4C08-BFD1-2BD25DFB518C

04292499-98B1-4C08-BFD1-2BD25DFB518C

  • Media owner Tour 931
  • Date added
There is a nice picnic spot although when I was here before there was several feet of snow. The CI furnace was nice to have to get the cabin warm at night and in the morning before I crawled out of bed. It was nice to be able to get a cup of coffee in the morning too.
D211B845-3FCC-4E8A-84E4-D81806268697

D211B845-3FCC-4E8A-84E4-D81806268697

  • Media owner Tour 931
  • Date added

My new custom plate. It’s the retro one used till 1955.
84D31DD0-B622-40B7-9F69-06B8EF8CD11F

84D31DD0-B622-40B7-9F69-06B8EF8CD11F

  • Media owner Tour 931
  • Date added

These are good numbers! Better mileage pulling the trailer than my Outback gets. Of course I was only doing 50 mph in a 55 limit. Traffic was very light and the few cars that wanted to go faster could get around me rather quickly.
C1494F09-C2F8-45BA-8DAE-7283DAE3B6C1

C1494F09-C2F8-45BA-8DAE-7283DAE3B6C1

  • Media owner Tour 931
  • Date added
Click to expand...

Very nice! +1 on the milage. I would have expected less than 20 --- What engine is in your subi? With ours we get 27mpg vs 23 towing. You have a the 4?
 
Tour 931 said:
The boxer six. It sure has a lot of power.
Click to expand...

No kidding :) Additionally, with the symetrical drive, there's no torque steering :D Launches like a rocket....

I usually get the itch for a new car every 5 years --- but this one, we're planning on hanging on to ours until the wheels fall off. Its one of the best cars we've ever owned...
 
Sweeney said:
No kidding :) Additionally, with the symetrical drive, there's no torque steering :D Launches like a rocket....

I usually get the itch for a new car every 5 years --- but this one, we're planning on hanging on to ours until the wheels fall off. Its one of the best cars we've ever owned...
Click to expand...
Living in Wisconsin the tires might just fall off. I’m thinking in a few years getting a new summer car and let the Outback be my winter rust bucket.
 
Tour 931 said:
Living in Wisconsin the tires might just fall off. I’m thinking in a few years getting a new summer car and let the Outback be my winter rust bucket.
Click to expand...

Salt is a @#$. I watch a youtube channel called "South Main Auto" --- he's in upstate new york where they use a lot of it. People bringing cars in that are 7-10 years old that are ready for the crusher....amazing to see. Talking frame rails that are gone...
 
Sweeney said:
Salt is a @#$. I watch a youtube channel called "South Main Auto" --- he's in upstate new york where they use a lot of it. People bringing cars in that are 7-10 years old that are ready for the crusher....amazing to see. Talking frame rails that are gone...
Click to expand...

When I lived in Seattle I had a friend that would buy a five year old Seattle car and haul about three of them back to MN and sell them for 20% more. He did that about once a month and made a good living doing it. He sold enough that he needed a dealers license.
 
Tour 931 said:
When I lived in Seattle I had a friend that would buy a five year old Seattle car and haul about three of them back to MN and sell them for 20% more. He did that about once a month and made a good living doing it. He sold enough that he needed a dealers license.
Click to expand...

I know a couple people that have done things like that. Smart, especially if you have to make the trip anyway....turn it into profit....
 
I was going to start a new thread but decided to add to this one.

My power steering on the Transit is not working. From the videos I’ve seen it can be an easy to a complicated fix. I hope to get it fixed for this years CICO. If not I’ll either not go or pull the 550 with the Outback. I would much prefer the 560 with the Transit.
 
Tour 931 said:
Good news. A mouse chewed through a wire on the electrical power steering. It cost me $49.75 in parts and $193.94 in labor to get back on the road. See ya at the CICO.
Click to expand...
A friend’s 392 Jeep Rubicon got hit by mice. Chewed several wire bundles to the tune of just over $4,200. I was told manufacturers had to change the wiring insulation type and mice love them.
 
Years ago, I used a Caucasian-based rodent repellent, but I can't find it now. It came in a spray bottle - you just spray it on the wires, and it is supposed to keep mice at bay...or at least give them a ring burn bad enough that you laugh when you find a chewed wire.
 
Tour 931 said:
Necedah isn’t too far is it?
Click to expand...
Its all down hill...
Srsly I wouldn't sweat it. I've had rodents hit the soy based wiring in the Alltrack twice. (VW went to soy compound vs petroleum based on wires and connectors the bunnies love)

I've used the spearmint tea bags hung in engine compartment, the ultrasonic sound thingy powered by battery, wound pepper tape around wires, and put out rodent control around where its parked outdoors.

The spray that @Sweeney mentioned seems to work best, easy to refresh every so often or when parked in grass while camping, or in the driveway during rodent season. I keep it in a door pocket of the TV
along with
A can of ant and spider spray in the CI, that I use to touch up the levelers, tires, and tongue jack in black widders and fire ants country...;)

Here is a good 'splainer'
www.motorverso.com

Which Cars Use Soy Based Wiring & Are Rodents Attracted To It?

While soy-based wiring in cars was made to be more eco-friendly, it does have issues, which include attracting rodents to chew on it.
www.motorverso.com www.motorverso.com

If you get weird electrical symptoms the good news is there are Ford dealers or indy shops that can work on them everywhere.

Its a PITA and not cheap, car insurance might cover it...

Personally I figure its Cost of ownership as part of the glamping experience...like wear on tires, extra gas, etc...dents in bumper, pin striping on wooded roads...dirt on the ALCAN cover...

But...I've been kinda thinking next TV is gonna be a Fred Flintstone era lotech truck, tho...;);)

"Adding "pre-soy based electrical parts" to the search criteria...

'If soy wiring is a deal-breaker: a 2013–15 Tacoma is not clean. It is already in the bio-insulation era. A 1998–2004 S-10 4.3, 1999–2006 Silverado 5.3, or 1997–2003 F-150 is the older-insulation bet." - GrokAI
 
Last edited:
The Postman said:
Its all down hill...
Srsly I wouldn't sweat it. I've had rodents hit the soy based wiring in the Alltrack twice. (VW went to soy compound vs petroleum based on wires and connectors the bunnies love)

I've used the spearmint tea bags hung in engine compartment, the ultrasonic sound thingy powered by battery, wound pepper tape around wires, and put out rodent control around where its parked outdoors.

The spray that @Sweeney mentioned seems to work best, easy to refresh every so often or when parked in grass while camping, or in the driveway during rodent season. I keep it in a door pocket of the TV
along with
A can of ant and spider spray in the CI, that I use to touch up the levelers, tires, and tongue jack in black widders and fire ants country...;)

Here is a good 'splainer'
www.motorverso.com

Which Cars Use Soy Based Wiring & Are Rodents Attracted To It?

While soy-based wiring in cars was made to be more eco-friendly, it does have issues, which include attracting rodents to chew on it.
www.motorverso.com www.motorverso.com

If you get weird electrical symptoms the good news is there are Ford dealers or indy shops that can work on them everywhere.

Its a PITA and not cheap, car insurance might cover it...

Personally I figure its Cost of ownership as part of the glamping experience...like wear on tires, extra gas, etc...dents in bumper, pin striping on wooded roads...dirt on the ALCAN cover...

But...I've been kinda thinking next TV is gonna be a Fred Flintstone era lotech truck, tho...;);)

"Adding "pre-soy based electrical parts" to the search criteria...

'If soy wiring is a deal-breaker: a 2013–15 Tacoma is not clean. It is already in the bio-insulation era. A 1998–2004 S-10 4.3, 1999–2006 Silverado 5.3, or 1997–2003 F-150 is the older-insulation bet." - GrokAI
Click to expand...
The real problem around here is in the winter. Right now there is so much to eat its not a huge problem.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top