When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I bought a brand new 2015 Exp w/tow package. It replaced my 2005 Exp that I towed my 28ft travel trailer all over the US and Canada with absolutely no issues with the 2005. I have a WD hitch and sway bar (all the bells and whistles). Now, the 2015 I can hardly keep the damn thing on the road. It rocks and rolls so bad that it sets off the trucks anti sway system that applies the brakes and shuts the engine down. I've gone as far as to buy a new hitch that is suppose to end all sway,,, NOT. I am ready to trade my Exp in on a F150. The guy at the trailer shop said the Exp are not built on truck frames anymore and that's causing some of the problems? Anybody got any experience with the new Expeditions or solutions to this issue? As it stands right now Ford gets a 0 rating from me on Expedition towing.
I've towed a 32' toyhauler that weighed around 8500 pounds with my 15' EL and it was great. I never did over 65mph and the trailer didn't have the 1500# RZR in the back so it had a little more tongue weight which makes it tow nicer.
I would start by making sure you have enough tongue weight, our instinct is to not put too much weight on your 1/2 ton SUV but it will actually sway less with more tongue weight, then adjust your hitch to accommodate that weight. If it still sucks then I've seen where some trucks and trailers were just perfectly wrong for each other and you might have one of those combinations.
I tow a 30' camper with no issues using an Equalizer WD hitch setup. Somewhere around 6500 lbs all in. Even 70 mph on a good stretch and no issues like what you describe. I will assume you checked all the trailer wheels, tires, suspension, and brakes? The Explorer is no longer on a truck frame. I believe the Expedition is still a body on frame design.
2005 is basically the same chassis as the 2015. The biggest differences are engine and transmission are better in the 2015 and you can get an integrated trailer brake in the 2015.
I have a 2015 and tow my 23 ft boat, a touch over 6000 lbs, with no problem. Towed from
houston to Branson and back doing 70 mph and no issues with sway. Just squats the rear end more than I like.
Like others have said, I suspect not enough tongue weight. 10-15% trailer weight on tongue is often just right. You can go up to 660 pounds without WD. With your WD you can go to 920 pounds. So don't be worried about putting 15% trailer weight on the tongue.
I just completed a 600+ mi round trip tow from Hou to S Padre for Spring Break w/ the fam. Purchased a 2017 Exp XLT (std length) with 202a pkg (includes HD trailer tow). I typically pull our 30’ Salem CruiseLite with my Excursion, but want to sell it and use Expedition exclusively. It didn’t like the 7500# trailer above 65mph. It did like the 91 octane however... as much as I liked the DosXX over the last several days! I too have a nice WD hitch (bars w/ chains style) and a single anti-sway attachment. I’m considering adding helper airbags and for sure another anti-sway attachment for other side of hitch head. It bobbed and weaved like a paper champion.
Has anyone sourced a stiffer rear spring set up for the '15 expedition? I tow a Dutchmen Aerolite 282DBHS with my EL and have the bar-style weight distribution hitch, but it still squats more than I'd like. I know stiffer spring won't increase payload and could make sitting in the 3rd row less pleasant when not towing, by my 10-year old can handle it. It'll be like the rodeo for him. :-)
Has anyone sourced a stiffer rear spring set up for the '15 expedition? I tow a Dutchmen Aerolite 282DBHS with my EL and have the bar-style weight distribution hitch, but it still squats more than I'd like. I know stiffer spring won't increase payload and could make sitting in the 3rd row less pleasant when not towing, by my 10-year old can handle it. It'll be like the rodeo for him. :-)
In the same vein, any suggestions on air bags? Are springs better?