I got a 2001 excursion V10 with 194,000 miles on it.its in nice shape and runs good.im wanting to ramp up my used auto parts business back up and will have to travel for cars.really wouldlike to be able to haul 2 cars at a time so was thinking of getting a 35FT trailer.will be hauling mustangs a jeeps.also will be using to haul our drag cars to tracks and jeeps to off road areas.my excursion is paid for and just wanting to keep my overhead down by not going and financing another truck.

 

Diesel or gas? 4x4 or 4x2? mods? Suspension?

 

gas 4x4 and stock

 

Keep in mind that the Ex is rated for hauling less than 10,000 lbs. In my opinion your load would be more than that. There's safety and liability issues that should be considered.

 

I doubt a couple mustangs would be over 10k. Mine weights just under 3600 and its got a 5.4 in it. And if your talking jeep wranglers i doubt you would see 10k with them. Depnding on how much the trailer weighs. I think an upgraded hitch with some helper springs and upgraded sway bar would definitely help out.


Is it a v10 or 5.4? regardless you mileage won't be very good with the gas unless you do some regearing.

 

The load itself, may not be over 10k, but the trailer itself is going to weigh in the neighborhood of 4800-5500 pounds, maybe more. Take two of my 99 mustangs and that, you are looking at 12-13k. I would not recommend it.

 

In his first post first line it says V10 , I would worry about the tail wagging the dog on this one, I have seen first hand what can happen when something like a weight distribution chain snaps and the whole thing rolls over in the ditch. I think this is a job for a Dually with a gooseneck trailer.

 

I completely missed that lol


Sounds about right.

 

Especially if your thinking about being "For Hire" talking about overhead etc...

 

No worrys we all miss stuff.. My other concern is now being a commercial hauler the DOT would have a hayday with you. Hauling our weekend fun car around and hauling for a business are two competely different things in the eyes of the DOT...

 

I have been thinking the same thing about towing a 2 car trailer with the X and decided against. If I get a multi-car trailer, it will be a 3-car ramp style pulled by a dually. For now I will make do with the X and a single car hauler.

Good luck.

 

im gonna look for a nice 1995-97 dually and have a hodges bed put on it.i wont be hauling commercial only my cars and not for hire on it and no business logos on the truck.i have my class B CDLs so iknow I wont be hauling more than 26,000#

 

1) I've pulled 11-12K loads with my Excursion (7.3L) and my buddies (V10) and didn't have a problem with either one. Make sure the air pressure is correct, the load is distributed properly, and the brakes are in good working order, and you'll be good to go. This amount of weight has been hauled by several others besides myself, there's a guy on Pirate with an Excursion that pulls a 2 vehicle trailer and another guy on Pirate doing it with an Avalanche. For the vehicles you're talking about, I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to pull them with an X, it'll handle it with no problems and has done so several times over.

2) If you're talking about keeping overhead down and you don't want to use the X, several folks (myself included) have been known to run retired Uhauls in the 26' 7.3L International variety. These can fit 1-2 cars in the enclosed portion and you can pull a third on a trailer. These trucks are priced at 2.5-4K and they're solid, reliable, safe, and will outperform a normal 1 ton dually in all facets of towing. If you don't want to go that route, International 4600-4900's w/ a DT466 are also affordable right now and you can probably get a nice example in the $5k-6K range. Some of these do not require CDL's are within inches of a dually's length, and again, will outperform your normal 1 ton and last a lot longer. Plus, both examples can be registered as RV's with a little work which'll help keep your registration/insurance fee's down and exempt you from stopping at scales or falling under the DOT.

**EDIT** Since you're in the parts biz, please let me know if you come across an International crew cab body...I'm trying to swap out my single cab.

 

If you are hauling for your business that is commercial hauling, If you plan to cross state borders to pick up cars that opens a whole new set of rules about hauling. I have a cabinet shop and got pulled over by the MN Dot with my 14' enclosed trailer on with cabinets in it. I got put through the ringer because I am over 10,000 GCWR therefore I am considerd a commercial hauler in Mn..

 

I'll second this, pulled my sister's F350 dually on my 24' single car about 200 miles with no issues what so ever. Her truck is about 7500lbs and my trailer is right at 4500lbs so around 12000lbs total plus three adults in the Ex. Granted I have a super charger so it helps getting up to speed. Other mods are larger front sway bar and added a rear since my 2000 Ex didn't come with one. All without a weight distributing hitch or sway control.