Community Forums

Kevin-Siesta · 04-03-2021, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Postma

Hitching Post in Ocala, FL the best place in Florida.

I read it is great. I sent them an email a little over a week ago to see if they did an MKX. No response from them. I have been busy, but will call to see if they have installed the baseplate. Log drive though.

Thanks for the advise. They are not out of the question.

dmctlc · 04-04-2021, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin-Siesta

Thanks so much for the comment. I did get a quote a few weeks ago, at the time they were 5 weeks out, so I'm guessing the quote might have been a little higher. Very good to know they have installed your 2017 baseplate. That is a little bit of a game changer for me. I was a bit concerned, because they would only quote the car side of the Air Force One brake system and said I would need get the coach installed by someone else. The guy I talked to didn't think they had installed the later model MKX's.

Did you get the Roadmaster or Blue Ox baseplate? Air Force One or anther braking system? Picture by chance?

I was thinking of contacting Coral Ridge in Punta Gorda base on what some others had said regarding AF1.

Thanks again for valuable info.

-Kevin

Since I have the Blue Ox tow bar I had them install the Blue Ox Baseplate. I've attached some pictures of their work both front and back. I use an RVi 3 Braking system since having a portable braking system comes in handy, IMHO, especially for us since we had it this setup in our 2008 Toad and were able to use the RVi brake in our 2017 without any new cost for a braking system. I do note one issue with the 2017 and I'm not sure if it applies to other MKX model years was they have no USB or cigarette lighter in the entire car that stay live when the car is in tow mode so I had to install one for the RVi to plug into. This was a surprise to more than just me, found out on our first tow braking system was working when started out found out it wasn't about an hour or so in when lost communication to it. Being electrically savy took me about 15 mins to resolve that issue. I'd installed one under the dash out of the way that has power all the time. Hitch House was unaware of it and offered to fix it but it was a simple fix for me but you're going with a different setup so this won't impact you. Oh one last thing the entire cost was just about $1400 for everything front and back, material, labor, taxes, etc.. Had checked with other places including dealers and all were a lot more expensive. I'm happy with what and how they did it. Thanks

Kevin-Siesta · 04-05-2021, 08:01 PM

Dana & Terri,

Thanks so much for the pictures. Very much appreciated. Looks clean. It sounds like a good price. I might go the same route as you at Hitch House if I don't go with the AF1. The AF1 is a big price adder at Hitch House.

FYI - Nice garage floor.

dmctlc · 04-06-2021, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin-Siesta

Dana & Terri,

Thanks so much for the pictures. Very much appreciated. Looks clean. It sounds like a good price. I might go the same route as you at Hitch House if I don't go with the AF1. The AF1 is a big price adder at Hitch House.

FYI - Nice garage floor.

No problem since I have the RVi3 Brake system all I needed was what I pointed out which included all the wiring for the base plate, battery tender and trailer hitch. I had thought about going to AF1 but having the mobility to move the RVi from one car to the other made it simple for me. You might be able to split the cost if Hitch House was too expensive for doing the AF1. One place do the baseplate and another AF1 install. That's, of course if you come out ahead on cost.
As for the flooring thanks. Two things I did when we built this house a little over a year ago. A much bigger garage and do the floor to make any clean up a breeze. I'm glad to say it was the right decision.
Let us know how you make out.
Thxs

Wesslvm · 04-06-2021, 09:30 AM

Mr Front End in Punta Gorda did a great job installing Blue Ox base plate and AF1 in my 2020 Ford Edge ST.

Kevin-Siesta · 04-12-2021, 02:19 PM

FYI. Hitching Post in Ocala is out till June for new work.

Kevin-Siesta · 04-23-2021, 06:30 AM

I signed up with Mr. Front End in Punta Gorda a few weeks ago and taking the MKX Monday, then the Coach. He supplies all the parts. Not the lowest price, but sounded confident and was available within two weeks. I'm hoping I will be happy when finished.

Includes Blue Ox baseplate, Ascent Tow Bar, Demco AF1, brake lights and 12 V charge line.

-Kevin

dmctlc · 04-24-2021, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin-Siesta

I signed up with Mr. Front End in Punta Gorda a few weeks ago and taking the MKX Monday, then the Coach. He supplies all the parts. Not the lowest price, but sounded confident and was available within two weeks. I'm hoping I will be happy when finished.

Includes Blue Ox baseplate, Ascent Tow Bar, Demco AF1, brake lights and 12 V charge line.

-Kevin

Great please let us know how you make out. On another note I've had the wobbling here and there, though originally I thought it was the Blue Ox setup and talking to Steve at Blue Ox who emphatically stated I had bad ball joints or other front end issue. I'm thinking very strongly it's the Lincoln electronic steering, not so much the adaptive steering that I have. On the way back from camping last week. One that had lots of left and right turns to get to the highway and once off to the CG, and of course all in reverse coming home. I took all the corners fairly slow until the last one turning into my street since it was wide corner with no cars so I could watch closing the turn on my car. Now I took this sharp left hand turn faster than the others to see the results. I'm not sure but I'd guess it was maybe 10-15 mph... watch the front wheel turn and then suddenly it wasn't keeping up and started to wobble. Stopped, recovered and went home. The reason I'm saying this is to give you a heads up. I've heard other Lincoln MKX that have had similar issues so be wary and I'd be interested on any follow-up good or bad, preferably by this post, for others to see once you tow it. Thanks.

Kevin-Siesta · 04-24-2021, 10:18 AM

"On another note I've had the wobbling here and there"

You're making me nervous now. Since you have heard of this before can you point to any links in this regard? Thanks. I hope you get this solved and I'm very interested in what you find. I will also mention this to my installer Monday.

Do you tow in "Neutral Tow" mode or "Stay in Neutral" mode? Maybe the issue could be related? Just reaching... Anyone else reading with this car, what mode are you towing in? So far I don't know how to put it in "Neutral Tow" mode.

Thanks for posting this. Sorry it is happening.

Wesslvm · 04-24-2021, 04:42 PM

Here is my procedure, words are taken from the 2020 Ford EDGE ST supplemental manual. I believe on the MKX it is much simpler using dash menu selections.

Vince

Mr.Mark · 04-24-2021, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin-Siesta

"On another note I've had the wobbling here and there"

You're making me nervous now. Since you have heard of this before can you point to any links in this regard? Thanks. I hope you get this solved and I'm very interested in what you find. I will also mention this to my installer Monday.

Do you tow in "Neutral Tow" mode or "Stay in Neutral" mode? Maybe the issue could be related? Just reaching... Anyone else reading with this car, what mode are you towing in? So far I don't know how to put it in "Neutral Tow" mode.

Thanks for posting this. Sorry it is happening.

I have towed my '17 MKX AWD for about 30,000 miles with 18,000 on the odometer (48,000 miles on the tires). I have never had the wobble issue. I use the Roadmaster towbar and baseplate.

I also always use the 'Neutral Tow Mode' from the steering wheel controlled menu. It's very easy, just follow the instructions in the car manual. My understanding is that the 'Stay in Neutral' mode (pushing 'N' twice) is used just for car washes, etc., not for towing.

Safe travels,
Mark

Kevin-Siesta · 04-24-2021, 06:37 PM

Thanks Mark.

I have looked into my manual and seem to be a little different from what others with this vintage of MKX's. Says to tow in "Stay in Neutral" mode and tow up to 70 MPH. Below is a link (if it works). Also below pasted in. I haven't been able to find a 'Neutral Tow Mode' I'm still researching and little puzzled. But the info comes from the manual in the car and on Lincoln's website with my VIN added in.

If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground:
Tow only in the forward direction.
Release the parking brake.
Place the vehicle in Stay in Neutral mode. See Automatic Transmission.
Do not exceed 70 mph (113 km/h).
Note: If the parking brake is applied, a message appears in the information display.
Note: Start the engine and allow it to run for a few minutes at the beginning of each day, and every six hours or fewer. With the engine running and your foot on the brake, shift into drive (D) and then into reverse (R) before shifting back into neutral (N). BEFORE CONTINUING TO TOW, YOU MUST RE-ENABLE STAY IN NEUTRAL MODE.

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...gEnabled=False

Mr.Mark · 04-24-2021, 06:44 PM

Kevin-Siesta.... I just scrolled up to read more posts and saw that you asked if I could post pics..... This is the first time I've seen that post, sorry.

I'm not good at posting pics, never seems to work.... I'll try again.

Mark

Kevin-Siesta · 04-24-2021, 06:49 PM

Hi Mark, don't worry. I'm going to get what I'm going to get. I have seen some other pics since that request. So I have seen mostly what I was looking for.

Thanks much for your responses.