Can someone point me in the right direction for a good tow capacity chart. I am thinking of buying a 2005 v.8 2wd Excursion, but I cannot find a chart online that gives me a clear answer. Any suggestions?
Thanks as always.

 

2005 Ford Excursion - Specs

Here is a link to all kinds of original spec info that I've used frequently.
(I have a "copy" since someday this will go away)

Good luck

 

Thanks. I had seen that chart, but was confused by it. The way I was reading it, was that the tow capacity was 7,600 and the GRVW was 8,600. Wouldn't that mean the towing capacity was really 1,000. Now, common sense tells me my conclusion is wrong, but could I pull 7,600 with this vehicle? Thanks

 

Just google gvwr and towing lots of explanations.
2wd vs 4wd effects the math because of the added HW on the Ex.

Gross Vehicle Weight is the weight of your vehicle with the stuff in IT
+ the TONGUE weight of the trailer.

The towing weight it just that, the weight of the trailer you are towing.

So, you would MAX out your 5.4 2wd Ex with 1000 lbs of stuff in the Ex.
includes fuel, and people!
with 1000 lbs trailer tongue weight
with a 7600 lb trailer weight.

I hope this helps?

 

GVW= max vehicle weight
CGVW= max vehicle + tow capacity

 

Wow, 1000 lbs. only just for people, cargo, and tongue wt.! You're not going to pull too much. You figure the tongue wt. is about 10% of the trailer wt.

A 7000 lb. trailer would have about 700 lbs. added to the Excursion...leaving only 300 lbs. How much do you weigh? How much does the passenger weigh? Subtract that, and that's how much left you can bring in the back. Not all that much. Now that's assuming 10%. What if the trailer tongue wt. was 15%? You'd be over.

 

No, not quite right.

Remember, the original poster is contemplating a 2WD 5.4 Liter 2005 Ex.

Reference the chart in the link - Sorry, it won't post: 2005 Ford Excursion - Specs

2005 Ford Excursion - Specs

Base Curb Weight is 6680 lbs.

GVWR (Max Ex Weight) is 8600 lbs.

Difference (Allowable wt) is 1920 lbs.

This 1920 lbs is what is available for fuel, passangers, stuff, and trailer tongue weight.

Also note that the chart allows for a MAXIMUM trailer weight of 7,600 lbs for an EX in this "PROPERLY EQUIPPED" configuration.

Let's be a bit conservative and allow for 15% of the trailer weight on the tongue. That's 1,140 lbs of tongue weight.

But...here's another problem - the maximum weight (tongue) carrying capacity of a simple ball type receiver hitch is only 500 lbs - with a maximum trailer weight of 5,000 lbs. Anything above 5,000lbs/500lbs tongue weight requires a Weight Distribution hitch. The max hitch numbers (limitations due to the hitch design) for just about all of the 2001 on Excursions are 11,000 lbs of trailer weight and a limitation of only 1100 lbs of tongue weight. Again, these higher limitations are allowed only with a properly installed and configured Weight Distribution hitch - subject to other limitations of the vehicle.

1920 lbs available less the 1140 lbs for the tongue leaves 780 lbs for fuel, people, and stuff. Note that gasoline weighs between 5.93 to 6.42 lbs per gallon, depending on mixture, temp etc., let's assume 6.25 lbs/gallon. Now, a full tank of fuel weighs 275 lbs (6.25 X 44 gallons). So, 780 available pounds left after the tongue weight is dropped on the Ex less the 275 lbs for fuel leaves 505 lbs for people and stuff.

Not great numbers, but they are what they are.

I think the above table has a bust in it - the base curb weight of a 6.8 Liter 2 WD is listed as 6156 lbs...I believe this should be 6756 lbs.

Note that the 7600 lb max trailer weight is the "Max towing capacity, properly equipped"..."Properly equipped" means with a 4.10 rear end. With a 3.73 rear end this number (max allowable tow weight as per Ford specs), goes down to 6,100 lbs.


The Short Answer for the OP is 6,100 lbs with a 3.73, or 7,600 lbs with a 4.10 rear end - subject to weight limitations of the GVWR (AND the single axle max allowable weight) of the individual Excursion.


Seems light, but I'm sure the engineers at Ford had a reason to impose such limitations on this huge SUV.


Hope this helps to muddle the discussion.

 

Ah, you're right 87mh, I didn't look at curb wt. You're suppose to subtract it from the GVWR. I thought curb wt. includes all fluids...including a full tank of gas.

Anyway, here is a link to trailer life towing guide for 2005 model year vehicles. It also gives you the GCVWR along with whether you have 2WD or 4WD. Hope this helps.

http://www.trailerlife.com/images/do...ngs_p12_15.pdf

 

Very helpful explaination however, how did you calculate the lower tow capacity for the 3.73 gears? I have an '04 V10 with 3.73 and would like a difinitive answer as to the tow capacity.

Thanks!

 

No calculations that I know of would be able to be interpolated for the definitive graphs, limitations, and performance data put out by Ford.

Don't have a clue as to which calculations they used, but I suspect there are prayers and magical incantations involved, and very possibly some virginal sacrifices.

Having said that, from the 2005 Owners Handbook (page 163), for a 2WD Excursion with a 6.8 Liter Gasoline engine, the following info was retrieved:

3.73 Rear End - GCWR 17,000 lbs - Max Trailer Wt 10,000 lbs

4.30 Rear End - GCWR 20,000 lbs - Max Trailer Wt 11,000 lbs

For a 4WD, the following information was listed:

3.73 Rear End - GCWR 17,000 lbs - Max Trailer Wt 9,600 lbs

4.30 Rear End - GCWR 20,000 lbs - Max Trailer Wt 11,000 lbs

On both the 2WD and the 4WD the same disclaimer as discussed in previous posts about the hitch and receiver limitations was provided.

 

You may well be correct on the fluids issue - some manufacturers include that weight in the specs, but many others do not.

For what it's worth, the stated Empty Weight of my 2005 Limited 4X4 is 7,230 lbs (from the 2005 Salesman Spec Brochure) and an actual weigh at a CAT scale showed it to be 7,600 lbs with a full tank of fuel and no driver or passengers.

7,600 gross less the calculated 275 lbs for a full tank of gas is 7,325 lbs - reasonably close to the stated figure of 7,230 lbs if no gasoline is assumed to be included in the published figures.

I always take the published weight figures of ANY manufacturer with a grain of salt - they almost always come out on the light side of reality.

 

I think the curb wt. does not include the added options. It is just the base with all fluids. Throw in options like heated seats, dvd player, etc., then you get that extra wt. at the CAT scales.

Like you said, I would take those numbers from the salesman with a grain of salt. One should take the truck and trailer to the CAT scales and get the actual wt. Dry wt on trailers are meaningless. It's just an estimate.