I have a '98 EB Expedition (5.4, 3.73, towing package) and have plans to tow a 20' enclosed car trailer(3570#) and a 3200# car from Pennsylvania to Michigan (550mi). With two other guys and equipment I will be extremely close to the 13,000# GCWR. My question is this - is anybody out there towing that much with an Expy? If so, how has reliability been? Thanks!

 

I pulled a steel two horse trailer loaded with a couple of big boys throughout Flordia with the exact truck. I'm not sure what the weight was but the Expedition had some good and bads...
The good was the auto-leveling suspension was great - no sagging and pretty stable down the road. Also, no problems with heat build up or noticable "stress" on the truck.
The bad - this truck just seemed to be underpowered period and further, it always seemed to be straining, like it's an instant away from downshifting. Remember to take your overdrive off and then look for a speed that it's happy with. Personally, I liked it at about 68 MPH - this is the one place it felt solid - had enough RPMs to pull the minor hills without downshifting all the time.
I don't know if this helps - hope it does.
Good luck

 

> I have a '98 EB Expedition (5.4, 3.73, towing package) and
>have plans to tow a 20' enclosed car trailer(3570#) and a
>3200# car from Pennsylvania to Michigan (550mi). With two
>other guys and equipment I will be extremely close to the
>13,000# GCWR. My question is this - is anybody out there
>towing that much with an Expy? If so, how has reliability
>been? Thanks!

Judgeing from your distance to Michigan my guess is that you are somewhere around Somerset, PA. Lot of pretty good hills for you to be pullin, as for the reliablility of the Expy, it will be fine, just don't make these kind of things a weekly habit. As previously stated, You'll be wanting for a little more power. You are correct in your concerns about being close to the max ratings. Make sure your Expy brakes, tires, cooling system, electrical system, lights, trailer brake controller, etc are in great shape. The only towing I do with mine is pretty light by comparision (3000-4000# of guys, gear, trailer and dirt bikes) though I have had no problems at all.

And no matter how much you are tempted to do it, don't let her roll to fast on the downhill sections to build speed for the next uphill, a nasty crosswind at the wrong time could spoil your trip.

Please check back in with a report of how things go.

Petrol
99 Expy XLT

 

I'm actually near Harrisburg,PA and will be running the PA turnpike west into Ohio. Your right, there are some hefty montains between here and there. Once I make it to Ohio there should be no problems. My trip has been bumped to the middle of May, but I'll keep you posted on the results.

 

When you get by exit # 7, beep at my sister and brother-in-law for me lol I'm in Richmond, VA and also have fam in northwest Ohio. I can't count how many times we've made the run up and down that PA turnpike . . . get them dollars ready

 

Keep your transmission serviced,good clean fluid and filter.
Ditto for the cooling system.

 

Hi everybody,

I made it back from my 550 mile trip to Michigan with my 7000# car trailer(see above). The Expy did an awesome job of towing through the hills in the western part of the Pennsylvania turnpike, never dropping below 55 MPH, even on the worst grades. I averaged 6.6 MPG on the trip there, and 16.7 on the way back minus the trailer. I get to do the opposite trip in a few short weeks.

 

MAKE SURE YOU USE A WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WITH THE TWO LOAD LEVELING BARS AND HOOK UP CLIPS ON THE TRAILER. YOUR FACTORY HITCH IS ONLY RATED AT 5000 LB WITHOUT IT, AND IT WILL TAKE THAT DOWNWARD WEIGHT ON THE BALL AND DISTRIBUTE IT EVENLY THROUGHOUT YOUR AXLES ON YOUR VEHICLE AND TRAILER SO THAT IT IS NOT SQUATTING IT DOWN IN THE BACK-THAT EFFECTS THE HANDLING, BRAKING, ETC. A SWAY CONTROL WOULD ALSO BE A GOOD IDEA- THE LOAD LEVELERS HELP WITH SWAY A BIT, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS A SWAY CONTROL. -ANDREA

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Jun-02 AT 02:05 AM (EST)] About a year ago my brother was towing a 4horsetrailer(2 horses) from east alabama to missisipi to sell the horses. He had a 2wheeldrive Expedition. He says he was trying to pass a slow 18 wheeler and was somewhere between 65-70 when trailer sway started. The trailer hit the big rig beside him and then came back the other way. He told me the next thing he knew he say the horse trailer coming around the left side and pulling the rear of the Expedition with it. People at the crash scene said it they rolled 10 or 12times down I-20. He had his wife and 3 children with him and thank god no one was killed-- injuries will heal.
We don't think there was a flat tire but the trailer was so beat to hell after the accident that don't know for sure. The beat up rims did still have tight lug nuts.
I guess my point is it doesn't hurt to go witha heavier vehicle with the proper equipment. Remember what you expect usually doesn't get you killed!
I have a 4X4 Excursion that weighs about 7250lbs empty. While it doesn't have the springs that a dually has,,, would it have been pushed around like that?? Maybe, but I think not!

 

Do definitely get a weight distributing hitch!