stupid question...... how to tell towing capacity
 

Howdy folks...

Well I feel silly asking, but I really cant find the info (or not looking the right way).

Just picked up a 4x2 Expy 2008. Has the trailer hitch, wire harness, and 18" wheels. But I have no idea of it's towing capacity - the website says "up to" 9,000 lbs (when properly equipped), but I have no idea what that means.
or how to verify.... It's got the 5.4 motor (but dont they all?!?)

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

you need to know if you have the tow package. If you do max GCWR is 15,000 (off the top of my head) so according to ford you can tow 15,000 lbs less the weight of your truck (say 6,000 lbs) you can tow 9,000 lbs.

You need the follow:

1. Weight of your truck ready to tow.
2. Do you have the tow package or not?


Those will dictate towing capacity as provided by ford.

Does it have the heavy duty tow package ?
For a 2008 4x2 ( regular length ) without HD tow pkg the trailer weight rating is only 6000lbs but with the HD tow it jumps to 9200lbs so you can see it makes a difference.

Post ( or PM me ) your VIN and I can check it if you dont know.



Montecarlo31 you must have posted the same time as me. The GCWR for the NON HD tow is only 11800.


Matt

Thanks for the responces - greatly appreciate it. Found a vin-decoder somewhere on this website, and it gave me the following:

<dl><dt class="grid_2 omega">Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt. 5000 lbs (5000.0 min/5000.0max)</dt>
<dt class="grid_2 omega">Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt. 500 lbs (500.0 min/500.0max)</dt>
<dt class="grid_2 omega">Engine Order Code 995 (995.0 min/995.0max)</dt>
<dt class="grid_2 omega">Engine Type Gas V8 </dt>
<dt class="grid_2 omega">Displacement 5.4L/330 </dt>
<dt class="grid_2 omega">Fuel System SEFI </dt>
<dt class="grid_2 omega">SAE Net Horsepower @ RPM 300 @ 5000 </dt>
<dt class="grid_2 omega">SAE Net Torque @ RPM 365 @ 3750</dt>
</dl>

Don't think it has the HD towing - but I don't know how to look. On the original invoice, it says "trailer tow class III" on it. Guess she's good for 5,000 - 6,000 lbs of towing? (which should be plenty for my typical needs).

But for curiosity sake, what does heavy duty mean - as far as the actual components are concerned? If it would make sense (not too much $$$), maybe I'd look into it, in case I wanted to tow a car w/ trailer like I did here and there with my old Expedition.

I think the easy way to tell is to look at the plug(s) next to the hitch.

If you both types of plugs, one on each side of the hitch... you have HD Trailer Tow.

If you have one plug, you don't.

His towing capacity is not 9,200 or 6,000 lbs. It is whatever his vehicle weighs less the max combined weight rating. So Expedition weight subtracted from 15,000 or 11,800 is his capacity per ford. It is not his legal capacity but his ford rated capacity.

Up to 9,200 or 6,000lbs per Fords rated capacity. Obviously if you load up the vehicle with 1000lbs of people and cargo then the amount you can tow goes down but the maximum towing capacity with 150lb driver and no additional cargo "per Ford" is 9,200 or 6,000lbs. If you are less than 150lbs ( like my wife ) does she get to tow more than 9200lbs ??? Nope.
The point is the OP asked what the towing capacity was and as rated by Ford its up to 9200 or 6000lbs.


Matt

Wow, for saying the same thing as everybody else your post doesn't sound very agreeable.

[quote=gpfarrell;13415929]I think the easy way to tell is to look at the plug(s) next to the hitch.

If you both types of plugs, one on each side of the hitch... you have HD Trailer Tow.

If you have one plug, you don't.[/

Thanks GP and everyone else for the feeback. My hitch has only (1) wire harness on the left, so no HD.

I went to a local Ford Dealership, and he looked up my Expy VIN number, and said I could go up to 9,000 - but that would be the absolute MAX. I have my doubts and will consider it 6,000 lbs.

Question - what are the additional components that make it HD towing? I looked in the manual, and it stated that it had a connector for an after market brake controller, and an extra connector in the back. Is that all, or is there more to the HD towing package (more for curiosity sake).

Thanks again,

In order to max out at 9200 you need the following:

Non-EL truck
Upgraded Transmission cooler
Upgraded radiator
4pin connector
7pin connector
3.31 gears (apparently stronger according to ford)

Check!


Thanks for spelling it out!

No problem at all. Also you can look at the hitch there should be a sticker on it. Mine has this one: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7343/9...0275e7a4_c.jpg

Dont take it as gospel, as I havent. But after RI-Matt gave me my build sheet (or whatever its called) I confirmed I had the HD tow and later found that the 3.31 gears make a 150 pound towing difference (9200 with 3.31 and 9050 with 3.73). Good luck!

I don't tow at the limit, or ever expect to, but I find this highlighted statement very interesting. I have not seen any data that provides different tow capacities based on the gearing. The EL has a 300lb less capacity and has only the 3.73 gears. I can't believe that the EL is only 150 lbs heavier than the Std version. In fact I was under the assumption that the difference in weight was more than 300lbs but the 3.73 gearing helped compensated.

Does anybody have the info that spells out the tow capacities taking in account the gearing. For me it is an intellectual exercise, I'm just curious.

Thanks,

Johnny

http://www.ford.com/assets/pdf/towin...TTgdeMay07.pdf

Page 23:-drink

That chart is a bit confusing. Whats the "-" mean ???
If I'm reading it correct, because I have 3:31's, 4x4 and regular length I cant tow anything.:-huh



Matt