Ride Control Package

[Hensley]

How do you tell if a '95-'97 TC has the ride control package? I'm looking at a Signature that has dual exhaust, which I don't see that often on '97s. Would that indicate it?

[Largoyle]

If it has the touring/ride control package, it will have 16" wheels., dual exhaust, transmission and power steering coolers, and on occasion, an oil cooler. Look through the grille and you'll see the trans and power steering coolers in front of the radiator. Now, if I'm wrong about the one cooler being a p/s cooler, I'm baked on painkillers at the moment because of my back... :o LOL ! But the one cooler will be fairly large, thats the trans cooler. But usually the giveaway to a Town Car with the touring package is the 16" wheels... the stock Towns had 15" wheels.... hope this helps.

Sincerely, Largoyle

[mark95man]

I purchased a new 1996 Signature with the touring package. I owned it for 12 years and just recenty sold it. The 16" wheels/tires are the first easy signs of the HD suspension--but these cold be added to any model. The front & rear sway bar is larger--hard to tell as are the HD shocks which I replaced several times---great as long as you own the car warranty. Dual exhaust is easy to see. The torque convertor was larger--hard to tell from just looking. No engine oil cooler, PS cooler but no external transmission cooler--this came on the trailer tow package. I don't think you could get the touring package with the trailer tow package. The transmission's torque convertor had a slightly larger diameter. The car handled better with the touring package but not as good as a Grand Marquis with the suspension package---wife's car was a 1995 G.M. The rear end gears could have been different--I have forgotten this information.

[Hensley]

Well, it rode like a dream, and definitely had the 16 inch rims and dual exhaust. I'll take a look for the PS/trans coolers. Regardless, I think I"m buying it!

[mark95man]

And of course, really check all of the brake lines! These tend to fail without notice. If one looks bad, replace ALL of the break lines---where's there's smoke, there's fire! Meaning if one is bad, most likely all need replacement.

[jazzylou]

My 97 has the touring package which included ride control, a moonroof, 10 disc changer in trunk, factory phone, high powered JBL system, compass, special wheels mentioned and traction control. I'm sure it has other things but these are the tell tale signs, at least for a 97 anyway.

Good luck with it, I love mine.

[95iss]

whats with this traction control I keep hearing about is a actual switch available or is it just monitored?

[Hensley]

There's no switch for the traction control, it is hooked into the ABS unit. From what I understand, if you have 4 wires coming out of your ABS unit, you have traction control. If there are 3, you don't.

[Newave Dave]

There's no switch for the traction control, it is hooked into the ABS unit. From what I understand, if you have 4 wires coming out of your ABS unit, you have traction control. If there are 3, you don't.

If you have 4 Brake lines yes T/C. 3 Brake lines No T/C (sorry Hensley)

[Hensley]

If you have 4 Brake lines yes T/C. 3 Brake lines No T/C (sorry Hensley)

Doh, you are right, 4 brake lines, not wires. I've got it since I've got the Ride Control Package, should be handy in the snow.

[Newave Dave]

Hensley, I repaired my T/C last winter. It takes a little "practice to use it. You can't just floor it. Gently press the accelerator and the wheels will alternatly spin.

[Hensley]

If it has the touring/ride control package, it will have 16" wheels., dual exhaust, transmission and power steering coolers, and on occasion, an oil cooler. Look through the grille and you'll see the trans and power steering coolers in front of the radiator. Now, if I'm wrong about the one cooler being a p/s cooler, I'm baked on painkillers at the moment because of my back... :o LOL ! But the one cooler will be fairly large, thats the trans cooler. But usually the giveaway to a Town Car with the touring package is the 16" wheels... the stock Towns had 15" wheels.... hope this helps.

Sincerely, Largoyle

When I look through the grill, I see a small cooler about 10 inches by 5 inches way up in the front, away from the radiator. Would that be the PS cooler? I can't see the trans cooler, but it probably is right on the front of the radiator.

[Night Wolf]

Yes it is the p/s fluid cooler, part of the ride control package..... there is no aux trans cooler... why... I dunno.

Gears in the diff are also 3.27 vs 3.08 standard and 3.55 with tow package. Makes for a nice combo.

[Chevyguy]

I hope my 94 does not have Trac Control as it sucks in the snow under certian conditions.

I shut it off on my 2001 for going uphill or other times I need to spin the tires to get maximum thrust.

Plus the old system is low speed and uses the rear brakes only the all speed system in the 2001 dials back the spark and fuel to help regain traction. Works great when you hit a icy patch etc..

[Hensley]

Yes it is the p/s fluid cooler, part of the ride control package..... there is no aux trans cooler... why... I dunno.

Gears in the diff are also 3.27 vs 3.08 standard and 3.55 with tow package. Makes for a nice combo.


Wow, that is truly baffling. Why the need for a Power Steering fluid cooler? Do they think people with the Ride Control Package run Autocross events?

[Night Wolf]

I don't understand it either.... On GM cars (what I am familer with) they either have a very small finned radiator under the car, or just a simple extended loop going around the front.... the p/s fluid cooler on the TC is quite hefty... yet I really don't know what the need is for... in fact, only time I've ever heard of power steering fluid overheating is on off-road trucks with 36" + tires and rock crawling... pump works hard and no airflow to cool it.

I like the idea of aux trans coolers, and why the TC dosen't have one stock, much less with ride control package is beyond me as well.

My '93 Coupe was awesome for cooling... had the finned radiator for the p/s fluid under the car, the radiator had the standard trans fluid section, but it also had a seperate aux trans fluid cooler in front of the radiator... and in the radiator was a 3rd section for engine oil cooler... I thought that was pretty cool.

I picked up a factory aux trans cooler from a TC with the towing package, but it looks like it is going to be more of a pain then it's worth to put it on, so I'll probably just get a universal aftermarket one... I really perfer coolers on auto trannies, and with 112k on it now, hopefully it would still help... just haven't got around to it yet.