I think Anabelle has the towing package

[89LincolnTWNcar]

I think this because of the 3.55 rear gears and the cast iron water pump with 2 extra bolts on it that came with the car. Any other things that are different?

[boXman]

Water pump doesn't matter, some had aluminum some had cast. You have 11" drums in the back? Sway bar?

[Lincolnmania]

yea if it has 11" drums it's a toe package

[mrltd]

aux trans cooler is the best sign.

[89LincolnTWNcar]

the rear drums are purty big..Ill have to check that.

[mrltd]

I think the diameters are the same, it'd the width that makes them the HD ones. 11x2" IIRC. Look for the aux trans cooler. That's the easiest sign and all tow package cars had it.

[Tiggie]

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2157112/13

Ignore the part about rear sway bars. That wasn't part of the towing package, it was the handling package. Front sway bars were larger on some models. Not TC's though.

Those are 10in drums on my car, not all had 11 inchers. IT depends on if you are a Class-II or Class-III (Class-II in the early cars, Class-III on the later cars I think, the change may have occured in '83 with the 8.8, Boxman - what does your brochures between '83 and '86 mention?)

Anyone know anything about towing package car U-Joints size compared to non-TP?

[89mercury]

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2157112/13

Ignore the part about rear sway bars. That wasn't part of the towing package, it was the handling package. Front sway bars were larger on some models. Not TC's though.

Those are 10in drums on my car, not all had 11 inchers. IT depends on if you are a Class-II or Class-III (Class-II in the early cars, Class-III on the later cars I think, the change may have occured in '83 with the 8.8, Boxman - what does your brochures between '83 and '86 mention?)

Anyone know anything about towing package car U-Joints size compared to non-TP?

In 1989 the Trailer Tow III option included:

1) Includes 5,000-lb. Gross trailer weight
2) Conventional spare tire
3) 3.55:1 Traction-Lok axle
4) Heavy-Duty cooling
5) Upgraded suspension components
6) 15x6.5-inch wheels (std. on wagon)
7) Upsized rear brakes (std. on wagon)
8) Dual exhaust
9) Auxiliary power steering and transmission fluid coolers
10) Heavy-duty signal flashers
11) Heavy-duty U-joint
12) Heavy-duty battery (std. on wagon)
13) Trailer wiring harness

Anyone know the exact difference between the upgraded suspension components of non-towing and towing package cars? I have not found a box with the towing package to examine yet.

[Blaze86Vic]

Well the problem is a non-tow package car can still have the upgraded suspension, sway bars and springs is all.

[mrltd]

The dual exhuast is another tow only option on the panthers....

my towing package car didn't seem to have any upgraded suspension, though I don't know what was butchered/replaced by the kids at the school that fixed it prior to my ownership.

[Tiggie]

Dual exhaust was Class-III. Class-II have single. But since Anabelle is an '89 and '89 was only Class-III from the '89 TC brochure, she should have had duals. I dunno though. There was an '87 P72 in the junkyard that I got my rear sway bar from, ex-police car with the 351W, full police package. It had single exhaust factory!!!!!!! The Ford muffler was still on that bad boy, no hangers for the duals anywhere on the car.

In a new development, Class-II had a towing compacity of 3,500lbs, Class-II was 5,000lbs.

[89mercury]

The specs I posted are from an 89 Mercury Grand Marquis brochure.

[89LincolnTWNcar]

My car came with a single exhaust, no extra trans or oil coolers, 3.55 gears, and no other modifications that I know of.

[Tiggie]

No tow package then. Even Class-II's got the coolers. Nothing a junkyard can't fix.

[Lincolnmania]

The dual exhuast is another tow only option on the panthers....

my towing package car didn't seem to have any upgraded suspension, though I don't know what was butchered/replaced by the kids at the school that fixed it prior to my ownership.

dual exhaust was an option on the towncars.......i werked at the dealer when they were new.......about 40% of the towncars tom masano lincoln-mercury ordered had dual exhaust