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We have been looking at travel trailer the past few weeks. Is a 34 to 36 foot trailer to big? This is going to be our first camper. We have four kids and have found several models in this range that fit us good. 2005 excursion 6.0 powerstroke
We have been looking at travel trailer the past few weeks. Is a 34 to 36 foot trailer to big? This is going to be our first camper. We have four kids and have found several models in this range that fit us good. 2005 excursion 6.0 powerstroke
35 foot with 2 slides. With some work the ex is pulling it nicely. Stock suspension was a wild ride.
We have 4 kids and tow a 2014 Jayco 35 foot bunkhouse model with no problem behind an 05 V10 Limited. I have Firestone airbags in rear along with a Helwigg anti-sway bar. Hooked up to a proper weight distribution hitch I don't see you having any problems with a 6.0.
Good luck with the trailer.... they are like children, they require alot of maintenance and you can't turn your back on them for very long! :-)
We have 4 kids and tow a 2014 Jayco 35 foot bunkhouse model with no problem behind an 05 V10 Limited. I have Firestone airbags in rear along with a Helwigg anti-sway bar. Hooked up to a proper weight distribution hitch I don't see you having any problems with a 6.0.
Good luck with the trailer.... they are like children, they require alot of maintenance and you can't turn your back on them for very long! :-)
We looked at a Jayco 29QBS which is a little over 34 feet and liked it. It has a two year warranty. Most other trailers are one. Plus dealer is 10 minutes from house.
I was in your shoes a year and a half ago. The Exwill do just fine as long as you have it set up right.
This is mine...or 2nd one!
I tooth picked our first one due to a few issues. Mainly the hitch was set up wrong, the springs were worn out on the EX, steering box was whacked out and I was ignorant on a few things towing related.
This is all the stuff I added to the truck before the 2nd trailer. I just recently got the truck and trailer sorted to where it is a breeze to tow with now.
My TT is a 30bhs that is 35 feet from tongue to bumper. Empty weight is 6800lbs. Loaded with our crap for a weekend it is just under 8,000 lbs.
Combined weight is just under 16k lbs.
Make sure to get the hitch set up properly. The picture I posted was before I dropped the ball another 3 inches. Remember to high is bad and too low is bad. There is a happy medium.
Our '05 V-10 4X4 EX pulls our '14 Jayco Eagle Premier 338RETS 41' hitch to bumper, 3 slides at 11,000lbs.
Yes your EX can pull a TT in this size range, BUT it will need a little help to make it a GREAT tow rig. The factory EX spring (especially the rears) are pretty weak and will be pushed to (and beyond) their limits with the high tongue weights of these larger TTs. Your suspension will most likely benefit from some help, first off, if you don't have a rear sway bar (anti-roll bar) get one! The Hellwig is great choice or there are several Super Duty bars that will swap over also. As far as beefing up the rear suspension you have several choices there, RAS, air bags and heavier springs (like from a SD pickup or after market) or even a combination of a couple of these mods. Plenty of users of each here to seek feedback from. Many folks will also upgrade the wimpy front springs at the same time as rear suspension improvements are made, I went with modded X/modded B codes and am very happy with the results, very firm but stable.
You will also want to make sure you are rolling on good quality Load Range E tires on the EX and always run ST (trailer tires) at their max listed sidewall pressure and understand that nearly all trailer tires are speed rated to a max of 65 MPH. Also understand that nearly ALL ST tires suck and will not last as well as normal car/truck tires. This document from Carlisle Tire recommends ST tire replacement at 3 years and requires replacement at 5 years max. http://www.carlisletransportationpro..._Practices.pdf
The hitch you use will greatly affect your trailering experience, as will it's proper setup (which can be slightly challenging, but this group can lend all the help you'll need!). The sole link between your big bad PSD EX and big totally awesome new TT is the WD hitch, you didn't cheap out on the EX or TT so DON'T DO IT NOW! The EX is a great rig but it only has a 137" wheelbase and with a long TT in tow you will want a very good high quality Weight Distribution hitch with "built in" sway control. Don't even consider those clip-on friction pad anti-sway devices for a trailer of that size, you want a WD hitch with sway control as an main feature of it's design. There are many of these type hitches on the market, I would advise going with a well known brand with a very good user reputation and customer support. Some of the big names here would be the Reese Dual Cam, Equalizer and the higher end Pro-Pride and Hensley Arrow sway elimination hitches. I use a Hensley Arrow, they are pretty expensive but good deals are out there on the used market, I found mine on CL pretty cheap. Again, there are many members here that use all the various WD setups that can provide good feedback and advice.
Ignore ALL advertised "dry weight" and "dry tongue wright" numbers from the TT manufactures, they are pure fantasy. For all calculations use the TT's GVWR (some don't list it so add the "dry weight" and "cargo carrying capacity" to see the GVWR) then use 15% of that GVWR to calculate what the tongue weight will be (ball park estimate).
Good luck, we love every minute that we spend in and around our "Home away from home".
The excursion is the largest SUV, and largest truck on the road. If the excursion couldn't handle it, nothing could. Remember, you have an excursion, so you don't need to worry yourself with trivial things like "can i pull that?" The short answer will always be Yes.
The excursion is the largest SUV, and largest truck on the road. If the excursion couldn't handle it, nothing could. Remember, you have an excursion, so you don't need to worry yourself with trivial things like "can i pull that?" The short answer will always be Yes.
That is what I was thinking. The real question should be " have I properly set up and maintained my vehicle to tow " and " do I have the driving skill and experience to safely tow, park and maneuver this trailer "
36' long, Hensley Arrow hitch, springs upgraded all around, airbags (now unnecessary) and Red Head steering box. Prior to the spring swap she was scary but best mod that has made a difference for me was the red head. The tongue weight for this trailer is 1,380lbs on the ball.
Make sure you have tow mirrors. Make sure your tires, brakes, and suspension are up to the task.
As far as skill goes, it's all about your confidence. Start off with some local trips. Consider a trucker's GPS, that has all the bridge weights and heights programmed in, so you can be sure you don't get stuck. No one rolls out of bed one morning and trades their miata in for an excursion with 36' TT, and hop's in to drive cross country. Besides, you'll want to spend time familiarizing yourself with your TT before you commit to long hauls anyway, especially with kids. I'd consider one with two bathrooms and an outside shower option.
Well I put a deposit on a Forest River Vibe 308BH. It's 34 foot 3 inches and weighs in 6950. They said it would arrive from factory in 3 to 4 weeks. The family is excited. They included a centerline husky hitch. It's supposed to be like the e2 and e4 hitch. I already have Firestone air bags that where on the excursion when I got it.
Well I put a deposit on a Forest River Vibe 308BH. It's 34 foot 3 inches and weighs in 6950. They said it would arrive from factory in 3 to 4 weeks. The family is excited. They included a centerline husky hitch. It's supposed to be like the e2 and e4 hitch. I already have Firestone air bags that where on the excursion when I got it.
Congrats on the new TT! Remember that we will need pictures!
Feel free to discuss getting the new combo and hitch dialed in here or in the towing sub-forums, plenty of good folks here willing to help.
those on you running these big trailers.....would modded b codes and timbrens plus a W/D hitch rock out ok? of is bags the only way to make them handle heavy tongue weights?
those on you running these big trailers.....would modded b codes and timbrens plus a W/D hitch rock out ok? of is bags the only way to make them handle heavy tongue weights?
As far my rear springs go, I have the standard "modded B codes" with the taller F-350 blocks and two sections of the old traction bars cut up and added to the packs. Those springs and my Hensley Arrow WD hitch with 1400lb spring bars handle my TT's 1400+lb tongue weight pretty well with about 2.5" or so of squat.
I am thinking of adding air bags and removing the traction bar sections to take some unloaded rake out but still have it run level when loaded.
Using a good WD hitch that is setup properly is the major thing that makes handling heavy tongue weight trailers doable.
09-01-2015, 08:24 PM
The EX is a great rig but it only has a 137" wheelbase and with a long TT in tow you will want a very good high quality Weight Distribution hitch with "built in" sway control. Don't even consider those clip-on friction pad anti-sway devices for a trailer of that size, you want a WD hitch with sway control as an main feature of it's design. There are many of these type hitches on the market, I would advise going with a well known brand with a very good user reputation and customer support. Some of the big names here would be the Reese Dual Cam, Equalizer and the higher end Pro-Pride and Hensley Arrow sway elimination hitches. I use a Hensley Arrow, they are pretty expensive but good deals are out there on the used market, I found mine on CL pretty cheap. Again, there are many members here that use all the various WD setups that can provide good feedback and advice.
