Hello all,

Can anybody help shed some light on the 2000 excursion towing specs. My issue is I have recently purchased a toy hauler trailer which has a gvwr of 11,000 pounds....I am most concerned about the tounge weight which is listed at 1050 pounds....I have read some posts about the trailer and people are saying it is more around 1200 pounds....and when you add water and toys it can get up 1400 or 1500 pounds. What I know is that the original specs on this vehicle are 10,000 towing and 1000 tounge. I talked with the dealer and he the only difference with between the 2000 models and the 2001 - 04 models which have a rating of 11,000 towing and 1200 tounge is the springs in the back. I am assuming (you know what they say about that) if using a properly equipped hitch I could tow 11,000 pounds and 1200 pound tounge weight. I have already added a leaf to the back springs and have never had a real sag problem....but I don't think I have ever towed such a heavy tounge weight. My two questions are do you think the stock receiver is labled 10,000 and 1,000 because that was the limits for the 2000 model excursion with stock springs....and the receiver might actually be rated at 12,000 and 1200. My second question is should I look into getting an aftermarket receiver that would be rated at 14,000 and 1400 tounge load capacity.....Like I said my biggest concern is the tounge weights....I bet the trailer never gets above 9500 or 10 K total weight....but I have a feeling the tounge weight could get ugly sometimes.....reason being is they want you to offset some of the tounge weight by loading toys in the back.....this is great but there will be times that we are taking it without all the toys.....so the tounge will be heavy......I guess one other question is I heard about air bags in the back.....is that a good way to go if I am having sagging problems even with a WD hitch.....I would appreciate any comments you have.....I may be totally wrong with my assumptions about the 2000 model being very similar to the 2001 in regards to towing.....so if I am being an idiot let me know......Thanks everybody....I just want to be safe when traveling with the whole family....you know how that is. Oh yeah my Excursion has the V-10 and 4.30 gears and is a 4X4.

James B.

Reno, NV

 

The hitch is rated for what it is rated because of liability concerns. If you put 1000 lbs. on it and it fails, Ford pays. If you put 1100 lbs. on it and it fails, you pay. Simple as that.

I hear of people cutting off (it's riveted on) the Ford factory hitch and installing a Titan, which is rated 1500/15,000 lbs.

I don't know what a V-10 4x4 weighs. A PSD weighs around 7800-7900 lbs. With a GVWR of 9200 lbs., you only have about 1300 lbs. left for people, fuel, tongue weight, etc.

Lots of people add helper springs and then run over 9200 lbs. Not for me, but many other do it.

 

I have a 2000 2WD X and pull a 28' toybox. The tounge weight was measured at 1100 lbs. I'm using a Drawtite load equalized hitch and airbags on the stock receiver to level the rear sag. I did a 6000 mile tow last summer and dozens of shorter trips without problems. I may be overloaded but you'd never know it by the ride.

 

I too have the Firestone air bags, it turned out to be the biggest single improvement in towing on my X. I have never pulled without a load lever/WD hitch.....so no input there.
Always use one is my belief when towing close to the max weight.
The other big improvement was gas shocks, HD ones.

 

I took the information I gathered and went to a very good local metal fabrication shop in town.....he had the best advice I have heard yet......Wait until I get the trailer.....I will stop by the shop on my way home and he will make some weight measurements for tounge weight and decide the best way to setup my vehicle.....I will probably fill the water tanks also.....this would be an almost worst case scenario......no cargo in the back of the trailer.....full water, propane, batteries, etc. This seems to be the best solution.....The shop says he can do wonders with weight distribution hitches.....I will post a follow up when I get my trailer....but that might be 4 or 5 weeks still.....thanks for all your posts.

James B.