Ive read that some of you guys tow with your expeditions. Then I have some questions for you. Did you modify your transmisions? or do you just put up with the mushy shifts. Ive never had an SUV before so i dont know what to expect. My wife and i have always had pickups. It is her rig so i dont drive it much. When she mentioned that it seemes to drive like her mothers old caddy, i took notice. The dealer said it is normal, he even let me drive some others on his lot to prove it. He stated that most buyers go from a car or minivan and dont want to feel the shifts. I am afraid to even hook up my boat to this thing. It is a 1998 expy 5.4 3.73 gears with the trailer tow package. With a little 16 foot flatbed in tow it shifts down on every hill. Ive added 3inch exhaust, and a cold air intake, but the milege sucks and seems like a dog. My 72 ford 4x4 390 gets the same milege and makes much more power. What else should i do to make this thing act more like a pickup than a minivan?


any help would be appreciated

Thank you

Tony Warren

 

>Ive read that some of you guys tow with your expeditions.
>Then I have some questions for you. Did you modify your
>transmisions? or do you just put up with the mushy shifts.
>Ive never had an SUV before so i dont know what to expect.
>My wife and i have always had pickups. It is her rig so i
>dont drive it much. When she mentioned that it seemes to
>drive like her mothers old caddy, i took notice. The dealer
>said it is normal, he even let me drive some others on his
>lot to prove it. He stated that most buyers go from a car
>or minivan and dont want to feel the shifts. I am afraid to
>even hook up my boat to this thing. It is a 1998 expy 5.4
>3.73 gears with the trailer tow package. With a little 16
>foot flatbed in tow it shifts down on every hill. Ive added
>3inch exhaust, and a cold air intake, but the milege sucks
>and seems like a dog. My 72 ford 4x4 390 gets the same
>milege and makes much more power. What else should i do to
>make this thing act more like a pickup than a minivan?
>
>
>any help would be appreciated
>
>Thank you
>
>Tony Warren

From what I gather, getting one of those superchips will generate buckets of power over stock while improving the shifting response. The only reason I haven't chipped mine yet is because I've got an extended warranty from the dealer, and a chip mod would void it.

XXL

 

I've got an extended warranty from the
>dealer, and a chip mod would void it.

The chip will NOT void the warranty. Search the performance fourm and you will see many post about this. Ken has said and repeated many times that a chip will not void your warranty.

Chris

 

I tow with both my Bronco and Expedition. I just towed my mom's 21 foot boat last week when we went to the lake with no trouble. I don't like the soft shift feel either, and you can install a shift kit to help it shift faster and firmer. I put one in my Bronco, and have the one for the Expedition sitting in my garage waiting for installation. My Bronco runs better with the shift kit, and the shifts feel more like they are supposed to.

 

Aron,
which shift kit did you purchase, and how did you deside? I too have looked at these, but no one ive spoken to has done this. I didnt want to base my decision on just what the mfgs said in their advertisement. I am looking at adding a chip, but also no one i know has done this to an expedition.

Thank you
Tony Warren

 

I went with the B&M Shift Improver Kit. I was looking at the B&M Transpack as well, and the only difference is the transpack comes with a filter. I got this information from the B&M techs. The kit makes it shift firmer and faster, but doesn't affect the shift points. I was hoping to improve the shift points as well, but you need a chip of some sort to do that portion. I tried the electronic shift improver, but found it didn't quite meet all my expectations. It worked, but not as well as I had hoped. I ordered mine from Summit Racing.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 25-Aug-02 AT 08:31 AM (EST)]I tow a 25' Travel Trailer (7,400 lbs) with a 97 Expedition, 5.4L. I have replaced 2 OXS sensors only. I have made no modifications to the Trans. I did replace the tires with a C rated Goodyear AT-S and installed better rear track bar bushings. I gave up some ride comfort by doing so but that is all we do with the Expedition. I have had the trans. pan down three times in 48,000 miles and have had no clutch material or bushing material in the bottom of the pan. The fluid is as red as the day I put it in. That is a good thing. I will take this soft shifting trans over a harsh shifting Chrysler trans (46RH 42RFE 46RFE) any day. I also get 10 mpg towing and 18 mpg on trips with out the trailer and has enough power for me. But we all could use more grunt for towing sometimes.