900 mile tow coming up
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From: Sioux Falls Area
900 mile tow coming up
Looks like next weekend I get to dead head with a 6x12 enclosed trailer for 460miles to pick up some stuff at my parents's house and then drive with a loaded trailer back home.
just wondering what you guys think i should check out before I hook up and go.
i'm no stranger to towing, but i don't normally haul anywhere near this far from home. thankfully, the trailer is fairly light (single axle), but it does catch quite a bit of wind.
i don't like making this trip without hauling a trailer, but it is what it is and i need make the trip.
had thought about renting a u-haul for the trip back, but it is way more cost effective to dead-head it down.
open to other suggestions.
2006 expo w/110,000 miles.
just wondering what you guys think i should check out before I hook up and go.
i'm no stranger to towing, but i don't normally haul anywhere near this far from home. thankfully, the trailer is fairly light (single axle), but it does catch quite a bit of wind.
- oil is pretty fresh, about 1,000 miles on full synthetic.
- plugs were changed about 2,000 miles ago and all the coils were checked and replaced as needed (needed one replacement)
- transmission is getting flushed with full synthetic on friday
- serp belt is new within the last 3,000 miles
- replaced the noisy idler pulley about 500 miles ago
- air filter is OK, but i have a new one i might install before i go
- tires are severely weather checked on the sidwalls, but they hold air without leaking and there's plenty of tread (came with the truck when i bought it --worthless BFG rugged trail T/A's hate 'em) -- not much i can do about it at this point as i don't have the money to replace them yet
- spare is good and air'd up
- front and rear brakes look to have plenty of life in them and stop well without squeaking (make too much dust though)
- will check trailer tires and bearings before i head out.
- trailer wiring works 100% (4-wire flat) (trailer doesn't have brakes)
i don't like making this trip without hauling a trailer, but it is what it is and i need make the trip.
had thought about renting a u-haul for the trip back, but it is way more cost effective to dead-head it down.
open to other suggestions.
2006 expo w/110,000 miles.
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trailer has a spare, floor jack and 4-way will make the trip with me.
i might even bring a second spare for the trailer ... just because i can.
we won't need them, though
the truck is still new to me, and i don't know a lot about the expeditions in general, weak points ect. i think i got the basics covered, and i know i got plenty of truck for the job, just kinda looking for anything in specific that i should be checking that i might be over-looking.
thanks for the help so far!
keep it coming!
i might even bring a second spare for the trailer ... just because i can.
we won't need them, though
the truck is still new to me, and i don't know a lot about the expeditions in general, weak points ect. i think i got the basics covered, and i know i got plenty of truck for the job, just kinda looking for anything in specific that i should be checking that i might be over-looking.
thanks for the help so far!
keep it coming!
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Since you don't regularly tow then I suspect your truck will do just fine. Just don't be in a rush and don't push it, especially when hill climbing. Should you encounter a steep grade it's a good idea to temporally turn off to O/D.
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thanks! between campers, cargo trailers, the boat, and hauling hay, i get plenty of seat time with a trailer, just usually more local than this -- and i've not pulled anything with the expedition yet.
I'm hoping to be able to use o/d since trip is mostly in rolling hill type terrain. I've pulled this trailer quite a bit with my explorer (v8) before i traded it off, but it didn't like pulling it in o/d so i usually had to shut it off. the expedition has quite a bit more low end torque, so i'm hoping i can use it, but am prepared to pull the whole trip in 3rd, if needed. Hoping to do better than the 10mpg i got with this trailer behind the explorer too ... but it is what it is. i won't go faster than 65mph when towing, as a general rule.
Wish i had time to install a trans temp gauge before the trip (going to install one anyway), but i don't think i'm going to have time.
as i said, looking for things specific to the expedition i should check out before i go.
I'm hoping to be able to use o/d since trip is mostly in rolling hill type terrain. I've pulled this trailer quite a bit with my explorer (v8) before i traded it off, but it didn't like pulling it in o/d so i usually had to shut it off. the expedition has quite a bit more low end torque, so i'm hoping i can use it, but am prepared to pull the whole trip in 3rd, if needed. Hoping to do better than the 10mpg i got with this trailer behind the explorer too ... but it is what it is. i won't go faster than 65mph when towing, as a general rule.
Wish i had time to install a trans temp gauge before the trip (going to install one anyway), but i don't think i'm going to have time.
as i said, looking for things specific to the expedition i should check out before i go.
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hooked up
got the trailer last night. Pulls as hard as i remember with the explorer.
it will pull on the flats with no wind in OD, but even the slightest grade causes the converter to unlock to maintain speed.
so it will be the whole way in 3rd, which is fine too. 65mph is only about 2500 rpm, so that won't be a problem at all.
i think i may have a valve cover leaking oil though. it always smells like hot oil when i get out of the truck here lately. have to see if it is leaking onto the exhaust manifold. i've got a half day to work on it, so hopefully i can turn a wrench and make sure they are all tight.
the ball mount in the receiver is real sloppy too, so i'm going to look for a way to take some of the slop out of that. the ball mount rattles up and down when the truck/trailer goes over a bump. it will be fine the way it is, but it would be a lot quieter going down the road if i can tighten it up. would probably ride better too.
anyway, here she is:
it will pull on the flats with no wind in OD, but even the slightest grade causes the converter to unlock to maintain speed.
so it will be the whole way in 3rd, which is fine too. 65mph is only about 2500 rpm, so that won't be a problem at all.
i think i may have a valve cover leaking oil though. it always smells like hot oil when i get out of the truck here lately. have to see if it is leaking onto the exhaust manifold. i've got a half day to work on it, so hopefully i can turn a wrench and make sure they are all tight.
the ball mount in the receiver is real sloppy too, so i'm going to look for a way to take some of the slop out of that. the ball mount rattles up and down when the truck/trailer goes over a bump. it will be fine the way it is, but it would be a lot quieter going down the road if i can tighten it up. would probably ride better too.
anyway, here she is:
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could be .... i'll ask around.
someone put some 245/75r17 LRE's on it though, so i'm not sure. i know the sidewalls are the worst i've ever seen. normally i would have replaced them before a trip like this, but the money just isn't there right now.
made it down with the trailer empty. first leg was 11mpg. haven't filled it back up to see what the second half was, but it was a little better because the wind died down and i was able to use OD for all but the first 125 miles. trailer pulls easier once the tires and bearings get warmed up.
didn't use any oil on the way down, just lots of gas
someone put some 245/75r17 LRE's on it though, so i'm not sure. i know the sidewalls are the worst i've ever seen. normally i would have replaced them before a trip like this, but the money just isn't there right now.
made it down with the trailer empty. first leg was 11mpg. haven't filled it back up to see what the second half was, but it was a little better because the wind died down and i was able to use OD for all but the first 125 miles. trailer pulls easier once the tires and bearings get warmed up.
didn't use any oil on the way down, just lots of gas
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well, made the entire trip without any incedents or troubles what-so-ever.
it sure don't look like much stuff, but it sure was heavy.
we loaded all the heavy tools and stuff up front, which in hindsight we should have loaded them closer to the middle to keep some of the weight off the truck. wasn't too bad, i suppose, but it didn't ride very good - especially through minnesota's crappy roads.
here's a couple of how it sat loaded down. had plenty of tongue weight
anyway .... got the mileage i expected, but not the mileage i hoped for.
got as high as 12.5 and as low as 10.6, with an average of 11.2 mpg. the 12.5 was on 2-lane roads at 55-60mph in overdrive with no wind. the 10.6 was on the interstate bucking a quartering wind at 70mph in 3rd (2800rpm). Oddly enough, riding the same wind, but quartering from the rear only boosted mileage to 10.8 65mph in 3rd.
coudln't really use overdrive pulling if there was any kind of wind. it would want to unlock the converter even on the flats to maintain speed, so i drove the majority of the trip in 3rd. all total about 1,000 miles with the trailer in-tow.
no complaints.
just thought i'd share.
it sure don't look like much stuff, but it sure was heavy.
we loaded all the heavy tools and stuff up front, which in hindsight we should have loaded them closer to the middle to keep some of the weight off the truck. wasn't too bad, i suppose, but it didn't ride very good - especially through minnesota's crappy roads.
here's a couple of how it sat loaded down. had plenty of tongue weight
anyway .... got the mileage i expected, but not the mileage i hoped for.
got as high as 12.5 and as low as 10.6, with an average of 11.2 mpg. the 12.5 was on 2-lane roads at 55-60mph in overdrive with no wind. the 10.6 was on the interstate bucking a quartering wind at 70mph in 3rd (2800rpm). Oddly enough, riding the same wind, but quartering from the rear only boosted mileage to 10.8 65mph in 3rd.
coudln't really use overdrive pulling if there was any kind of wind. it would want to unlock the converter even on the flats to maintain speed, so i drove the majority of the trip in 3rd. all total about 1,000 miles with the trailer in-tow.
no complaints.
just thought i'd share.
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