Mike Chell

Yep ... we hijacked the thread. I apologize for that. I didn't realize how many dreamers we had here, though. How many believe that high taxation and government control of everything would actually "fix" anything. It's been a fun ride ... but I can't, I just can't go along with that line of reasoning. My Transit Connect is just a vehicle. It doesn't have a name, nor does it have any "loyalty" from me. It'll serve it's purpose and be replaced by some other vehicle in time. Please, everyone enjoy your site, I won't rile up the waters anymore.

Ha ha ha ... too funny. You did mean this as a joke, right? Who is going to pay for that? There aren't enough "haves" to pay for all the "have nots". MOST of the "have nots" already live off government hand-outs which we can't afford even now. Since ANYONE can go to the emergency room and cannot be refused services, we already have a universal health care system. Oh, wait ... there is a way for the Nation to have "Universal Health Care" !!! EVERYBODY who earns more than $100,000.00 a year will pay 35% tax or more ... then we can support all the people who choose to not work.

I've balanced lots and lots of motorcycle wheels. I can count on my hands and feet the auto tires I've done. But the minute you get a reading that says to put weight opposite existing weights, you're doing something wrong.

Now ... THAT'S a great looking car !!!

... Shot, stabbed, mugged, accosted by beggars and homeless slackers, propositioned by hookers that may or may NOT be of the opposite sex ... the list goes on and on !!!

Beta Don ... I was going to go into the whole "inside/outside" balancing issue, but I figured it was unnecessary. It's quite obvious that 2 full ounces of lead are in direct opposition of each other. ... probably the whole 2.75 ounces cancel out which means the balancing only required about an ounce of weight at ONE location. And since that location appears to be opposite the valve stem, it's probably the correct placement. You typed in your reply while I was typing this, Fifty. As you can see, I was stating what you found out.

I hate city driving, too. No, actually, I just hate the other people driving in the city. Too many idiots not paying attention to the road. But, alas, I have to drive right through the heart of Orlando each way, every day.

2017 ... and yes, mine light up. But that's not an indicator of the switch working. The light is just a "dash lamp", providing the illumination ... it's not an indicator of powerflow through the switch itself. My Freestar was a 2007, and although the light on the controls worked, I did not get any indication the system was working until I selected a speed. THEN I'd get a "cruise" light on the dash. Sitting in the drive way, I'd have no idea whether the system was working or not. On my T.C., I get a light on the dash saying the cruise system is on, then another saying I've set the speed. From online ... Fuse location "E" on the engine box. And this one says it's number 35. So, I see your problem. Try to find an owner's manual for your van ... that will have the correct fuse locations. Again, good luck.

Of course, if you're watching episodes of "3's company" and "Oprah" ... your causing electrical failures in your TV anyway !!! ?

I just joined the "Transit Connect Family" this year. Don't know nothing 'bout the 2010. BUT ... I've had a few vehicles with cruise controls that stopped working. 1) Fuses are NEVER a problem. Fuses show that you HAVE a problem. If they are blown/burnt out, then you had a shorted circuit. Replacing the fuse might work, until the short reveals itself again and pops the new fuse. (If it's an intermittent short) 2) In every case of failed cruise controls (my experience) was the result of switches going bad. I use my cruise control a LOT. Even on 35 mph local roads, I'm usually on cruise control. 3) I've had the control switches in the steering column fail. 4) I've also had the brake switch fail. My Freestar did that. There are two switches ... one for the brake light, and one for the cruise control. However, they are redundant and the brake light switch kept both systems working. The C.C. switch was stuck, indicating the brake was engaged all the time. That caused the cruise control system to stay off. Easy fix ... disconnect the plug for that switch and put a jumper wire in it. Ran that van like that for a couple of years with no further problems. Good luck with yours.

Nope ... not normal. Take it back and have a real technician do the job. The mechanic who did that has used weights to balance weights, meaning he/she didn't know what they were doing. There should NEVER be weights opposite each other on a rim.

Welcome to the site, Brad. 1) I don't name my vehicles, including my 2017 T.C. cargo version. They're just machines that do the jobs of hauling me and materials. 2) I've done a few modifications, internal for storage and function, externally, a trailer hitch. Oh, and a back up camera because mine didn't come with one. So far, I've got only minimal complaints. Lack of storage being the worst thing. No way to aim the A/C vents to properly blow air on me while driving. A 16 gallon fuel tank is about 10 gallons too small, especially since the low fuel warning comes on with 3 gallons still in the tank.

Is it "doable"? Of course it is, if you have a good, calibrated torque wrench. Is it necessary? In all my years working around vehicles (almost three decades now), I've never seen this area fail. Well, I've seen some failures on YouTube ... under the "If it wasn't on video, no one would believe it" category. But I've never seen or heard of it in any of my travels or work.

Most tire places won't even argue that kind of damage to new tires. It's way too easy to eat the price of another tire. Much easier than the possible lawsuit that would result otherwise. I'm pretty sure a lawyer would go for "mental anguish" and be asking for millions to pay for the life long chauffeured limo. Due, in no small part, to the fear of driving that the customer now feels.

Park farther away from the Pine Tree? We have a large pine tree in our front yard. Wife and I both take our vehicles to a local car wash. $20.00, they wash, wax and detail. Pine tar doesn't seem to be a problem.

Two times I've seen that kind of blow out: Operator error ... the driver had driven too close to a divider wall, perfectly "sanding" down the sidewall without taking out the rim. Installer's error ... using too much pressure to seat the bead upon installation. Of course, it COULD be manufacturer's defect, but that actually the least likely scenario.

Oh yeah ... it's just my preferences and opinions. I've never been one to decorate my cars or trucks. I like functional modifications, but wheels and paint/decals to "make it pretty" are a waste of money. Again, not intending to offend ... just my viewpoint.

Sorry ... I really am sorry for my attitude and the bad feelings this post will likely generate ... but a minivan with racing stripes !!! ROFLMAO !!! I truly like my T.C. ... but I have no illusions as to what it is. It's a work van or a minivan. It's not a show car, it's not a race car, it doesn't even look that aerodynamic. Racing strips and custom stickers/paint ... lipstick on a pig.

Look at any vehicle's wiring harness. Why do they have extra terminal ends with caps on them? Because it's cheaper to run the same loom and not use certain ends than is is to do a separate loom for each different configuration of vehicle. So, in your van with unused seat belt attachments, it's very possible that the production line was pushing out passenger van bodies. However, out of the run of 1000 passenger vans, 300 were destined to be cargo vans. They are going to restructure the production line for 300 vans, then go back to producing the rest of the passenger vans. It's cheaper to weld in the attachment points and not use them than it is to rework the line. That's my guess, anyway. Either way ... "chicken tax" evasion or production line cost reduction ... What company wouldn't do it? On the other hand, I wouldn't trust a company that says it doesn't cut cost anywhere it can. Would you ???

Not even close to the truth. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is only transmissible if under-cooked nerve tissue is ingested ... say, eating a rare steak. Fully cooking the meat destroys the protein responsible. Milk, even raw and straight from the udder, doesn't contain the protein. Even if milk DID contain the protein, pasteurized milk is "cooked" and that protein would've been destroyed.

The sidewall rating ... say 51 PSI ... is the proper pressure for the also rated maximum weight. Since your vehicle doesn't apply maximum weight to the tires, you shouldn't be running maximum pressure. The fact that your Explorer never rolled over, etc. only puts you in the vast majority of people who never experienced the failures. Using an infrared temperature sensor, I can tell you that properly inflated tires will, indeed, only rise about 5 or so degrees after a few minutes. But, under inflated tires can increase tire temperatures by more than 20 degrees.

If it's like the one in my 2017 ... it doesn't do ANYTHING. I assume the two round holes are for tweeters in Hi-Def sound systems ... which we don't have. All the rest of the relief/cut outs are for non-existent buttons higher paying customers have. I've been looking for ways to fill the space without buying actual Ford parts. It's been a while, But I believe I pried it down near the front, and it hooks in the back. So, pull down and pull forward and it comes right out. Be careful, though, because my memory sucks.

You guys can correct me if I am wrong ... but I don't think they do alcohol in the fuel in England. No need for "Flex-Fuel" vehicles there.

I'm not, nor have I ever been, a fan of Mustangs. I'd enter the contest for the Bullitt one, just so I could get the money selling it, though. But I'm not throwing ten buck away. I don't like kids anyway.

Pictures for male bulimics ... Look at the first picture while eating ... look at the second picture to purge !!!!