I have a 2003 5.4 Expedition with load leveling and had a beefier 10,000 lb hitch installed to tow my 7200 lb boat. The trailer has surge brakes so was unable to use WDH. The expedition tows fine (even over the Grapevine at 45 mph) but the only problem is that when back down the launch ramp and have to aplly brakes- the weight of the boat actually pulls the Expedition down to the water- even though the trucks brakes are locked up. Trailer has surge brakes, so they do not work in reverse. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks-

Scott

 

If the boat pulls the Expo down the ramp with the brakes locked, then how the heck do you get the boat back out of the water, do you have someone else pull you out?

Brakes locked--so you mean all four of your tires are skidding or you just have heavy pressure on the brake pedal? Sounds like you have an anti-lock brake problem, or maybe you are getting your rear brakes wet, and the front alone don't have enough traction to stop. If it is just the front tires skidding, try putting it in 4wd while backing down. This will lock the front axle together with the rear; therefore the front won't skid unless the rear skids with it.

 

I would check into having different brakes installed on the trailer.

 

The surge brake is best But you can change Coupler to also work in reverse. Your problem is that EXPO brake syst only good for stopping the veh + about 2000# . Anti lock brake designed to NOT slide a tire. w/o brake on trailer your overloaded.
You have to find a way to activate trailer brake in reverse.
Electric brake not reliable to use on boat trlr where you are in and out of water.Corrision set's up on all elec connections ETC.

Corrsion changes voltage and brke settings. Sometimes one works w/o the other.
LOL Caddy 53 chuck

 

The Expedition is 2WD but, if I apply the brakes while backing the boat down the ramp, shouldent all 4 wheels lock up or are only the front wheels supposed to lock up? I may have a brake problem after all. Theoretically, shouldent all 4 wheels brake but not lock (anti lock brakes) and shouldent this in itself prevent the boat from dragging the car down the ramp (dispite the Expo weighing 5500 and the boat 7200)?????

Thanks again for any help-

Scott

 

ABS is disabled below about 10mph - if it wasn't, the truck would NEVER come to a dead stop! I think it's TOTALLY disabled in Reverse, but I'm not sure.

 

Does your e-brake hold very well? Since it only applies to the rear wheels, this might tell you if they are getting weak. Sounds to me as if the rear is almost non-existant, especially if you are able to drive out of the ramp in 2WD.

 

The Expedition is 1 1/2 months old

 

How steep is the ramp? How fast are you backing?

 

I back down slow (walking speed?). The ramp is fairly long (100' ?) and average steepness- not sure what the angle is-

 

Aren't you overloaded? I bet you are over your GCWR. If you have the whole family in the Expy plus the boat, you are pretty heavy. That must be a biiiiig boat. I'd get different brakes on the trailer. Where you going Lake Castaic?

 

A guess.
Is the hitch height staying consistent? That is as you back down the ramp the hitch might have lifting force on it and not a downward force (due to pitch of ramp - not being consistent). Which if this were the case might lessen the effect of your vehicles brakes enough to slide.

 

Sounds like you are over the max weight for the Expy.

GCWR = 14,500 (that is max weight for EVERYTHING)
Max Trailer weight = 8,950 lbs.
Expy weight with nothing in it (no gas, people, or gear) = 5,420lbs

7200 (your boat)+5420 (expy minimum)=12,620 (minimum weight of truck and boat)

Subtract 12620 from the Expy's GCWR of 14500 = 1880lbs.

1880 pounds is all you have left for:

-Gas for boat and truck
-All the people in your truck
-ALL of the gear in the truck
-ALL of the gear in the boat

It adds up really fast and my bet is that you are over your weight.

I am not wanting or trying to be a ^$% head but I don't think you have the safest set up in an emergency situation.

Of course to be exact you REALLY should weigh the whole set up. I thought it would be a pain but it is really easy and I think everyone should know what the weight is on their set up. Go to a CAT scale (they are every where).

http://www.catscale.com/locator.shtml

Look on the door frame sticker and get the max front axle and max rear axle weights then go to the scale loaded for a trip with everyone in the car and tanks full of gas. It will cost you $8 and you will get the weights of each axle on the truck and the trailer.

My bet is that your rear end is so heavy that it is lifting the front enough so you aren't getting good traction with the front tires. That is the reason you are sliding back but can drive up.

The problem with a light front end is that when you have to swerve in an emergency those front tires aren't going to grip the road like they should and BOOM, you are going to be in trouble.

PLEASE get to the scales and find out what you are at. It would really suck to get in an accident and risk you or a loved ones life becuase you were towing unsafe.

If you need any info email me or post here. I just went through the whole weigh thing (truck empty, truck and trailer emtpty and truck and trailer FULLY loaded) because I was worried too. I was happy to see that I was well within specs.

Good luck and sorry for the long post but you are already seeing one of the dangers of overloading. Expy's weren't made for swimming!

Mike

ON EDIT: Weigh your truck by itself and look at the front and back axle weights. Then when you weigh the whole set up look at how much lighter the front is with the trailer than it is with out it. Going down the ramp your back brakes are trying to stop over 14,000lbs by themselves (for the most part). Also make sure you aren't over the max rear axle weight!

 

The emergency brake check will probably not work since every truck I have owned with rear drums will continue to CREEP backwards down the ramp no matter how hard you mash the emergency brake pedal unless you leave it in gear (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). Your brakes aren't weak if your tires are skidding. Even though most ramps are grooved concrete and look as though they will provide good traction don't be fooled. I routinely place my truck in 4 Low to PREVENT spinning my rear tires when pulling out. What type of traction are you getting with your tires. One of these days after you launch your boat, disconnect your trailer and back your vehicle down the ramp empty and see what happens. Blu's suggestion of checking the tongue height is a very good one.

 

The problem is simple, you are expecting the load leveling to take the place of an equalizing hitch. The load leveling does not transfer any weight to the front wheels. Have the correct hitch installed and your trouble will disappear.