I have a 2004 X with the psd. So far to help with the trailer I have added Air Bags and the 08 tow Mirors. The trailer sway is horible. My setup is a husky from the factory with two 1,400 spring bars and then two friction bars. Nothing besides the air bags have helped so far. I am going towards getting a new hitch. What one do you have and do you like it so far Iam going towards the Equal-i-zer. My other choice is the dual cam hitch. Is there anny other one I should be looking at
Thanks in advance,
Nick

 

No bodie has anny thing to say,
Nick

 

Nick,

Have you been to a scale with your setup? What is the ACTUAL tongue weight vs trailer loaded weight.

Also what is the ACTUAL GVW of the Ex as hitched up and not hitched up LOADED with people and gear?

I will say that for me, the airbags affected my Ex handling in a NEGATIVE way.

The DC and Equal-i-zer are EXCELLENT hitches...BUT with as MUCH as I think I remember you pulling...that tail has a lot of wag in it and the DC and Equal-i-zer may be WAY over their heads...

Getting weighed is really the FIRST step here. If you need info on what configs and weights you need...just ask. 3 weights is all we need if you use a truck stop 3 pad scale setup.

joe.

 

I love my Equal-i-zer hitch. My 33 Ft Prowler weighs in at about 9k fluuy loaded and it pulls nice, stright and stable. in fact, it pulls better than my previous 24ft Terry (6200 lbs).
I voted for the Equal-i-zer, but the Reese DC would also do you good.
Things I like about the Equalizer over the DC... Ease of set up! If you've never look at how each works, then I take a look at thier websites. Equal-i-zer has some real good videos that demonstrate the hitch. With the Equal-i-zer, I can hook up at any angle - if I can get under the ball, I can hook up... fully.

 

You have to be careful on how the hitch is setup. I have an Equalizer and it did no good until I balanced the weight between the front and rear axles. On my first outing, I had too much weight on the rear axle and had huge wandering problems. After making an adjustment and shifting more weight to the front axle, the X pulls my heavy (10K) trailer just fine. There are so many variables but if you can, try shifting more weight to the front and see what happens.

 

Nick,

You are 13K loaded and 32' long .... I agree with X_Hemi and Jones ... tongue weight will be CRITICAL for your set up ... before you invest more money in a new hitch, measure your TW and work with the weight distribution in the trailer .... Too much TW or too little will not make the X happy ...

 

Love my equalizer. No sway and I can drive with one hand. Drove from San Diego to Yellowstone and forgot the trailer was back there! Make sure your tounge weight is set correctly. Make sure you are transfering the weight to the front of the X. Good luck.

 

I love my Reese Dual Cam sway control. I believe it can be adapted to your Husky WD hitch. Mine is one that I had to remove the chains and add the cams to the spring bars. Works great!

 

What should the toung wait be,
Nick

 

On a tag behind trailer tongue weight should be MINIMUM 10% of the trailer weight. Some trailers have axles farther back or more forward so ALL tag behind trailers will not handle the same loaded to the same tongue %. Plus all tow vehicles have varying overhang lengths (the distance from the rear axle to the hitch point). The LONGER the overhang the more UNSTABLE the TV will likely be. But coupled with a stable trailer (wheels farther back) it could balance out nicely...

Okay...you asked about tongue weight.

10-15% is the agreed to standard. Some combos (TV/TT) do extremely will with 10 and others need 17% due to the factors cited above.

For you...I would START at a MINIMUM 10%. TH's are HARD to balance due to the way you load them...all those toys in the REAR really lightens up the tongue...unless youhave something to balance it out...and balance is CRITICAL. Meaning just because your fuel and fresh tanks are up front (maybe)...don't just load them up...it may be a balance of 3/4 full to offset the rear weight.

What you are REALLY going to have to watch out for here is the Ex's paltry receiver rating of 1250#'s. Even if you load up your TH to GVWR...10% of that is OVER your Ex's receiver.

So what to do...

Well one hitch you did NOT ask about...the Pull-Rite.

I just did some research on that company. What I do not like about it is that it is a vehicle SPECIFIC hitch...meaning sell your truck and sell your hitch!

BUT what I was able to learn is that they DO make a 2000# TONGUE weight version with a max trailer tow capacity of 20,000#'s for our Ex's!!!

They cost over $3K BUT solve many of the issues we face with tag behind trailers.

http://http://www.pullrite.com/pdfs/PullRiteSection.pdf

http://www.pullrite.com/pullrite_70.htm

I would seriously THINK about the Pull-Rite for your application...costly yes...but I believe you are overloading your OEM receiver with your application.

Hope this helps.

joe.

 

I am thinking about getting a enhart reciver in the X to deal with the weight. I went and weight the toung weight to day and it is with full water in fron and empty in back 2,000lb,
Nick

 

That will change when you put weight in the back of trailer. Depinding on how heavy your toys in back are will depend on how much tongue you have left and thus how heavy of bars you need. To properly 'balance' the Ex you need a loaded rig all around so you know how much you are unloading the front axle!

I suspect you may not be shifting enough weight BACK to the front axle and making for squirely going. Make sure with high tongue weight you aren't overloading the REAR axle as well because you are ADDing the FRONT weight you unload to the rear as well!


With as long and heavy as you are balance on a scale is the ONLY way to know for sure.


Joe

 

Went to a chp scale to day and it did not work
Nick

 

Several things to make sure about..

1. Load range E tires and when pulling 80# in the rears.
2. you have,I think you said,air bags,but a hellwig sway bar will help even more and make sure your shocks are in good condition.
3.I have an equalizer and they do make one with a 1400# bar.. I got mine with 1200# bars at RV wholesalers for $399 and no shipping.. They were $600 anywhere else
4. Tongue weight is so VERY important..When you're figgering it out,the manufacturers weight is just that,EMPTY propane tanks and no batteries on the tongue..So for starters,say you've got a 750# tongue weight and add,for me,two 6V batteries at about 40#@ and two propane tanks full at about another 40#+,your tongue weight is now 900# and we haven't even added in momma's clothes in the front bedroom or all those tools and stuff in the front compartment and under the bed..
5.Trailer attitude.It should be as close to tongue level as possible.If it's tongue high,it's gonna wag and possibly drag the tail on driveways,etc.
6.Trailer loading for balance is also important as it will sway if it's too heavy in the rear.
7. 13,000# trailer,good grief,you're totally overloading your rig,'cuz by the time you fill your fuel tank,load the wife and kids and all the gear they need in the car,you're gonna be way over the max combined gross.. Get in an accident and they weigh you...WOW...

 

OK. Lots of good discussion about trying to tow a trailer that is way above rating of Excursion.

1st question--do you have an anti-roll bar (Hellwig or factory) installed? This is a simple and very necessary add-on for towing.

2nd question--can you consider $3k for your hitch? I think you must. You have a very tricky situation with an overweight trailer / extremely variable hitch weight. I recommend Hensley or Pullrite. The Pullrite (I have never seen one on an Excursion), may be better able to handle the tongue weights you report.