Ford GT Dealer Service Documents
- Thread starter Topnotch
- Start date
Roadtrip
GT Owner
- Dec 28, 2006
- 421
Vincent998
GT Owner
If the info in the article is actually true, there are 1) going to be lots of folks who live too far from the nearest certified dealer to own a NGT; 2) the cost of repairs (any repairs) is going to be very high; 3) there will be no mechanical fiddling or improvements by owners; and 4) I predict there will be no spare parts in a few years - look what's happened to parts for the 05-06 GT.
Indy GT
Yea, I got one...too
Well let's not count our chickens before they hatch.
We should know allocation results in a month or so. Then we can consider a trailer group buy.
Oh and thanks for removing CP4 (group) "ownership" from your signature:biggrin
Is Sonic Blue still yours?
bonehead
GT Owner
1) They just stated that dealers will provide transport to and from the dealer and in some cases will have the tech perform the work at the owner's home. 2) this is no 05-06 GT. Running costs will obviously be higher (out of warranty). 3) lol. Seriously? 4) same problem as any car will eventually have. This one is no different.
STORMCAT
GT
gtjoey
Keep Smiling - GT Owner
- Oct 14, 2005
- 3,454
Indy , it took me 11 years to get your humor....I turned 50 and understand it all......
Love ya.
GTJOEY1314:biggrin
Awsum GT
GT Owner '18
I find it strange that Ford is recommending a single trailer over others. Trailer widths are almost universally the same (limited by state laws governing maximum width) and top quality trailers have beaver tails and long doors/ramps with a very small angle for loading low-profile cars. As an example, we've loaded VERY LOW 05-06 GTs into our trailer for years without incident.
OK, so some may say that it comes down to the large side door and I (once again) say BS. I'm willing to bet that I have personally loaded/unloaded Ford GTs from a trailer more than almost ANYONE so I know of what I speak. Two points to make here:
1. Given a choice, I would MUCH prefer to winch in a GT rather than drive it in. Plain and simple, it is just easier and safer. Tell me, do you think you have better 360-degree visibility when you are in the car or outside of the car? It's ridiculous, loading an exotic by winch is the ONLY way to go.
2. Given that these cars need to be picked up for any service, other than routine maintenance, it is highly likely that the car is not running in the first place (hence the call for service). Now how the hell are you going to get it in a trailer? Yes, you are going to winch it in.... just as you should do if the car is drive-able.
So, rather than Ford "endorsing" a brand of trailer, in my opinion they should be focusing on optimum winch offset (to align with tow hook point) and perhaps winch brand/model would be up to the task. Our "GT-Centric" Featherlite has had an offset winch for '05-'06 GT's since day one. We will upgrade the winch to a rope winch (safer/easier) with new remote control as soon as we have the correct tow-hook offsets for the NGT.
OK, so some may say that it comes down to the large side door and I (once again) say BS. I'm willing to bet that I have personally loaded/unloaded Ford GTs from a trailer more than almost ANYONE so I know of what I speak. Two points to make here:
1. Given a choice, I would MUCH prefer to winch in a GT rather than drive it in. Plain and simple, it is just easier and safer. Tell me, do you think you have better 360-degree visibility when you are in the car or outside of the car? It's ridiculous, loading an exotic by winch is the ONLY way to go.
2. Given that these cars need to be picked up for any service, other than routine maintenance, it is highly likely that the car is not running in the first place (hence the call for service). Now how the hell are you going to get it in a trailer? Yes, you are going to winch it in.... just as you should do if the car is drive-able.
So, rather than Ford "endorsing" a brand of trailer, in my opinion they should be focusing on optimum winch offset (to align with tow hook point) and perhaps winch brand/model would be up to the task. Our "GT-Centric" Featherlite has had an offset winch for '05-'06 GT's since day one. We will upgrade the winch to a rope winch (safer/easier) with new remote control as soon as we have the correct tow-hook offsets for the NGT.
JOEA2
GT Owner
texas mongrel
GT Owner
Interesting picture of the car's underside showing the jacking points. I'm presuming that the two flaps at the front are the 'active aero' that's mentioned by Larry Holt in the latest Race Tech magazine?
Awsum GT
GT Owner '18
If I remember correctly the front of the new GT can be raised up for better clearance while entering a trailer or a steep driveway... correct?
Last edited:
This was a dealer communication aimed at an extremely limited number of dealers, not a document for public consumption.
Thanks Dave. I understand. Candidate Ford GT Service Dealerships likely don't have a trailer and if they are going to buy one, it might as well look nice. But insofar that they go into the details of where and how to lift the car, they missed the opportunity to describe how best to LOAD the car. Loading a car with a winch is a must for a disabled car - so might as well document the correct procedure to do so and the proper/recommended equipment. As I said, I'd go a step further and recommend that driving the car into the trailer is a no-no. Also, there's a variety of methods to secure a car once in the trailer - my favorite is the strap-over-tire method so that the body and wheel are never touched. This requires e-track in the trailer at a specific width and also recommended tire strap-over-tire manufacturers.
What I would have preferred to see;
1. Bumper-pull trailer. Aluminum construction. Model year 2014-2016 (Recommended)
2. E-track integrated into floor at a recommended width of XX" (Required)
3. Min 5,000lb winch with synthetic rope with pull line offset XX" from center (Required)
4. Wireless remote winch operation capable (Recommended)
5. Strap-over-tire straps with e-track ends (Required)
6. Max angle of incline in loading config XX-degrees with ramps minimum of 18" width. (Required)
Loading Procedure:
1. Trailer in load configuration with trailer bottom at 3-10 degree angle (can be achieved with tongue jack).
2. Car positioned within 24" of trailer ramp/door. Car off. Neutral. Parking brake on. Steering wheel unlocked. Window Down.
3. Attach winch and carefully remove line slack (Rope just lifts from trailer floor.)
4. Release parking brake. Confirm Neutral.
5. Use wireless winch remote to pull vehicle into trailer. Stop as often as needed to walk around car. Adjust steering as needed.
6. Secure easiest access strap-over-tire and tighten.
7. Release winch tension but leave attached.
8. Secure remaining 3 strap over tire
9. Insure vehicle key in off position.
Unloading procedure:
1. Trailer in load configuration with trailer bottom at 3-10 degree angle (can be achieved with tongue jack).
2. Remove (3) strap-over-tire
3. Block one wheel to prevent vehicle roll-back
4. Remove final strap-over-tire
5. Use winch remote to add tension and remove wheel block
6. Use winch remote to let vehicle glide out back of trailer
7. Set parking brake
8. Add slack and remove winch line from vehicle
Maybe it sounds like a lot of steps, but we can do this in our sleep and load/unload should take no more than 5-minutes and there's never a risk to the car.