Regarding the shocks, I have a set of KYBs on the rear of my '87 245 and I'd say that they're a bit too stiff for my daily driving (unloaded, one occupant). I would try to mediate your shock purchase to best match your regular driving, unless the above mentioned car will only be used for heavy loads.

A lot can be done to help your trip simply by loading a trailer properly. The average trailer should only have between 50 to 75 lbs of tongue load on it (200 lbs max for a really heavy trailer, brakes, etc). Keep the heavy load over the center axle and make sure to pack enough 'filler' in front and behind to keep the load from shifting. When preparing to haul a 2k trailer that's loaded with 800 lbs of sound equipment for 1,000 miles, I feel confident I've packed it well when I can pick the tongue up by the safety chains and pull the trailer around on a flat parking lot. (about 55-70 lbs of load on the tongue) -and yes, I do repack if it's too heavy on the tounge. Large objects with a lot of weight should be straped down. At all costs, avoid having the contents shift so as to have a "negative" tongue load since this can be very dangerous.

Lastly, as previously mentioned, I'd avoid pulling a large trailer for a long distance unless you have a tranny cooler. Assuming you have nice gradual starts, it's not the weight that will kill the tranny, it's the wind resistance. A trailer with a huge profile behind your car will require a much heavier foot on the gas pedal, and also much more drag will be on the transmission. A smaller trailer that matches the cross-sectional size of your vehicle will be much more fuel effecient and require less work by the tranny (also causes less heat).

If you plan on crossing any mountains during your trip (which I doubt you will), then the weight will definately become a factor of transmission load.

God bless,
Fitz Fitzgerald.
--
'87 Blue 245, NA 214K

I dunno.

that all seems like a lot of time, effort and cash to go through for that haul.

I think I'd be looking at having her stuff shipped over there. Or, maybe a one-way van rental and one-way car rental back home.

Booked early.

Heck, I need to take my daughter exactly 1.5 miles to college this Fall, and I'm thinking about commandeering a van!

I once towed a small UHaul trailer from Texas to NJ, and two years later back to Texas, using a 1980 245 with an M46. I stayed out of overdrive, except occasionally down a long gentle grade. Went ok. In the summer both times, with AC (but no CD). Didn't burn out the clutch or pop a u-joint. I second R. Haire's choice of the stick over the auto without an oil cooler.

In fact I would choose the stick anyway. Interstate highways are salvation for this sort of thing. Just don't try to do a lot of urban miles with a stick shift.

I got a Draw-Tite hitch at the time of the first trip. No point in renting a hitch--just buy one. It mounts real solid--longer replacements for the bolts that hold the bumper on. Mine has come in handy at times in the years since.

One caution. My 1980 has the tank-rated bumpers, so the mounts are stout. I can't speak for the later year models--the bumpers shrank to 2-1/2 mile standard in 1983. You might want to check that.

Good Luck.

Doug Harvey

I would only use the automatic if it has a tranny cooler. I towed a '76 245 with the '88 244 (M47) long distance in '89 and it (the '88) was fine and is fine to this day. Good luck finding a hitch in "peak season". I hear rental rates are exhorbitant in Late August early Sept. (inside joke)