I looked up the tow rating for my 2003 Ex, and it looks like it's 11,000 lbs max?? Is that right? I'm newer to the Ford side of things, but I was of the understanding that the King of SUVs was built on the heavy duty truck platform. Even the 1500 Chevy Silverado pickups with a V-6 gas engine have a 12,500 lb tow rating!

On my '03 Excursion, the 6.0 has been removed in lieu of a 5.9 Cummins. It's a p-pumped motor with twin turbos, studded and o-ringed head, Spearco intercooler, etc...all the mods to have a happy, cool running, quick spooling 500 hp. I got rid of the automatic, installed the heavy duty version of the ZF6 manual transmission and transfer case out of a F550. A Southbend double disc clutch couples them together. I've also upgraded the rims to Rickson forged aluminum 19.5 wheels, and am running 285/70/19.5 tires that are 16 ply and rated for ~ 6,200 lbs each. All that to say, I've made a few upgrades to improve capabilities as a tow rig.

Obviously, the weakest components remaining to be addressed relate to the leaf springs, axle ratings, frame strength, and hitch.

The trailer I have is a 24' dove tail triple axle bumper pull that weighs in at 6,700 lbs empty. Sticking with the OEM recommended trailer capacity, this allows me the ability to haul a dismal 4,300 lbs on the trailer. I have hauled significantly heavier than that... but it started me thinking... what was Ford thinking when they put a 11,000 lb max rating on these Excursions? Was it a weak component on the vehicle, or was the limit related to DOT regs at the time, or?? Comparatively, new F-350s are rated upwards of 40,000+ lbs GCVW; in light of that, I was trying to determine what it would take to get my Ex into that same category.

Thanks guys!! --Eric

 

They were thinking the target customer was unlikely to have a commercial class A drivers license that would permit them to tow more then a 10,000 lbs

 

Show me a 1500 Silverado with a V-6 that has a 12,500lb tow rating!

 

first thing you need to consider is the wheel base of the Excursion and then compare it to the similar length newer Superdutys.

Apples to Apples comparison
Excursion wheelbase is 137 inches
2016 regular cab Superduty is 140 inches

2016 Regular super duty is rated to tow 12,500


what the newer superdutys have that the excursion does not.

1. Longer wheel base
2. class 5 hitch
2. Larger brakes
3. Larger axles
4. larger driveshaft ?
5. stronger transmission,better cooling
6. better engine cooling
7. higher DMV fees based on GVWR

 

Interesting. At least in TN, that's not required. What allows the new ratings of almost any full size truck to exceed this now?

 

What he said.....

Even if you did, to the OP:

I'll tell you what I told my neighbor in 2011 when he traded his 2004 F250 for a Silverado 1500 that supposedly got 20 mpg when not towing and could tow10,000 pounds:

Just because they say it can, doesn't mean it does it well....

Ford said the same thing of the F150 is 2010 and an FTE member traded his 2001 F250 because it had a few fixable issues, in on one. 3 months and just after the break in miles, he hooks up his trailer a few times, tows with it, and misses his F250 that effortlessly towed his trailer.

So again, just because they want to send a 1/2 ton to do a 3/4 ton's job, doesn't always mean it's the right thing to do.

 

The newer Super Duty diesel models also have an exhaust brake and all newer Super Duties have much more powerful engines. I know the OP stated he upgraded to the Cummins turbo diesel so he'll have a more powerful engine as well. Though the Excursion's "ratings" are based on it's original equipment, not what he has in it currently. I could install the few items that an F-350 gets to give them a higher GVWR than I've got in my F-250, but that doesn't change what I'm legally allowed to tow or carry with it.

It isn't required in most states until you reach a certain GCWR. 21,000lbs. in the state of Colorado or something like that. In Texas I'm not sure what it is. There is a line with regard to DMV registration fees where the cut offs are 10,000lbs. GVWR and 11,400 GVWR or something like that. Ever wonder why an F-250 has 99% of the same hardware as an F-350 but somehow gets rated to do less? That's why. The GVWR limitations are there primarily for insurance and DMV classifications.

 

I thought I included the link in my original post...my apologies. I just googled it, and the chart popped up. I can't find the one that I had referenced earlier. This link ( 2017 Silverado 1500: Pickup Truck | Chevrolet ) is a more generic link but states "up to 12,500 lb max towing capacity". It doesn't give the engine/axle/body combo like the other link did, but either way, it's a light duty half ton gasoline platform that exceeds what I thought was an Excursion based on an beefy F250/F350 platform with a diesel engine and towing package.

 

A quick look at TN driver license classification shows that a Class A is required to tow over 10,000 lbs.

The wording for class D ( regular license ) permits operation of a vehicle that isn't covered in the other class. But towing over 10k is covered so by process of elimination a class D does t permit you to tow over 10k. ( at least how I read the chart )
.
https://www.tn.gov/assets/entities/s.../DL_Manual.pdf


.

 

Time to get educated.

Those charts are not to be taken at face value. Those are general charts based on how the truck is equipped. Depending on how an F-150 is equipped, it can have a towing capacity rated anywhere between 5,000lbs. and 12,200lbs. If you look at the configurations you'll find that the trucks with a larger cab configuration, 4x4 options and other options may have far less actual payload or towing capacity than other models that seem lower end at first glance. I can guarantee that the Silverado won't tow 12,500lbs. in most configurations and certainly not with a naturally aspirated V6. In the same way, an F-150 CAN have a 3040lbs. payload capacity. Most won't. Payload and towing capacities are determined by the trucks' drive train and by its options. Heavier trucks with more options and an otherwise equal drive train will have a lower payload capacity than more basic models. If you look at the door tag on an F-250 work truck, it may have a payload of up to 4,040lbs. or so. Look at it on mine and you'll see a payload capacity that's barely half that.

The Excursion is a very old design. It is based off the Super Duty, but it also has a lot more weight on it. The drive trains have not seen the upgrades the F-series has because that SUV was discontinued long ago. Again, the Excursion was also based on the F-250, not the F-350. It has suspension closer to the former, not the latter if I recall correctly. It is similar to the Suburban 2500's from way back. Regardless, having a GVWR of more than 10,000lbs. would have put it into a different class.

 

I'm not sure that the wheel base is what makes the difference? A modern 140" wheel base Ram with 3.73 ratio like our Excursions came with allows a 25,900 lb towing capacity. Again, a far cry from 11,000...I think the difference lies somewhere else.

1. See above.
2. I am in the process of upgrading to a Class 5 hitch
3. Stopping distance with the triple axle trailer in tow is actually shorter than without. It has massive 12 x 3" drum brakes on all 6 wheels.
4. I can upgrade the driveshaft if that's a limitation; although I think the driveshaft should be rated for a certain torsional load...at least that's how all driveshafts I'm familiar with are rated. In this regard, I probably put more stress on the shaft empty (playing with 500 hp) vs pulling where I seldom use more than ~ 300 hp.
5. I did upgrade the transmission to one from a F550. If you're not familiar with the ZF6s, they have an integral pump and provision for external cooling. I'm taking advantage of this, and am running a large transmission cooler. I have a transmission oil temp gauge and watch it frequently. In the summer on a long trip it will bump 180° F. Towing heavy, I've seen it climb to 210° F briefly while pulling a long grade in 95° weather at ~ 40 psi boost. These temperatures are much lower than typically is seen with the Dodge NV5600...a testament to the great design by Ford on the finned aluminum case and integral cooling!
6. With the Spearco pulling IC duties, I've never reached the limit on the radiator yet. I have on my Dodge twice...both times at 10 - 14,000 ft elevation grossing ~ 23,000 on super long grades. Maybe that is a limit, but I've not experience it. Maybe the Cummins is more efficient in that regard as well, and doesn't require the heat rejection like the 6.0 did? Not sure...
7. Yeah...a necessary evil. I have that one handled. TN does require upgraded plates (J for farm, H for commercial) in the appropriate GCWR.

 

Clever marketing and the assumption that people towing over 10k are going to get a commercial license and insurance.


Highway patrol can and will park and or impound your junk if they catch you towing overweight or commercial with out the proper credentials.

 

If you want to have the tow "rating" increased you will need to convince either Ford or a certified and licensed chassis up fitter shop ( like a stretch limo builder) to print you out a new capacity sticker. But that's not going to happen.......
If you want to upgrade the EX to handle more trailer weight then get to work doing just that, but set a target first and then work towards that goal. You never said what that trailer was rated to or what you wanted to tow.
If you stay with the Sterling rear axle it is rated up to 7,000lbs, so you went pretty far overboard with your tires and rims. A heavier axle will most likely have different lug count and spacing so those expensive rims won't work with it. That's the kind of things that can be avoided by setting a goal first and then planning mods out to get to that goal.
You forgot to post up the pictures of your modified EX! . We love pictures here!

 

It isn't that you have a mechanical limitation as much as a legal one. What's on the door tag is gospel legally speaking. It doesn't matter what engine or hitch you have. Period. There is no mechanical reason why the Excursion can't basically tow whatever the F-350 of its day tows despite the Excursion being closer to an F-250 in ratings. Mechanically the F-250 and Excursion are basically the same as the heavier rated F-350.

The commercials always tell you what the maximum tow rating is. They never show you the configuration that achieves that in the commercial. Most people don't buy that one. Hint: It isn't your fully loaded Platinum trucks that can achieve those ratings.

And yes, if you are in a truck you can get pulled over by State Troopers and Highway Patrol mandating that they check your weight limits or even direct you to a weigh station if memory serves. Don't kid yourself either, they can tell by looking if you are over or not.

 

clever TV ads making it sound like something its not.

first off the the GCWR is 25k not the towing capacity.
the "towing" capacity is 17 and 18K ( for a fifth wheel )
but here is the fly in the ointment of... this is the SAE or society of automotive engineers calculated capacities... the engineers are not factoring the actual states towing laws, for that you have to see the tiny asterisk and fine print in the ad and look at the footnotes that say, "see your dealer for other restrictions or limitations that apply" "obey all state laws"

and of course when you ask Mr. new truck salesperson they are generally clueless about towing laws or worse going to tell you a lie.