Towing

Tincup13 · 05-25-2012, 04:59 PM

Anyone towing with an Expedition 4x4 5.4?

**bikendan** · 05-25-2012, 05:57 PM

Towing what?

Tincup13 · 05-25-2012, 06:06 PM

Anything. I tow a wildwood 28BH xtra lite with equalizer hitch. Don't know it's there except for gas mileage.

DonG · 05-25-2012, 06:54 PM

I saw an Expedition towing about the same size camper on I94 a while back. Well, truthfully, when I saw it they weren't actually towing, as the whole rig was on its side, sprawled across both east-bound lanes. It was a nasty site!

Not quite sure what caused it, as there were no other vehicles involved. Maybe a lack of an anti-sway hitch?

pbrackney · 05-25-2012, 08:44 PM

I am towing a 2013 flagstaff v-lite 30 wtbs with my 2003 expedition 4x4 with 5.4 liter. Using a 12,000 equalizer hitch and it pulls great! Actually it pulls better loaded than empty.

Tincup13 · 05-25-2012, 08:48 PM

pbractney, what was your dry weight? What kind of gas mileage? I get 8-11, dry weight 5400, 10000 equalizer.

pbrackney · 05-25-2012, 08:52 PM

Dry weight is 6700. Mpg about 8-10 as well depending on speed and terrain. I average 63 mph when towing.

pbrackney · 05-25-2012, 08:56 PM

I also carry 4 mountain bikes on my luggage rack on top of my expy and carry 6 family members inside. A bike trailer is also located in the back of the expy.

Tincup13 · 05-25-2012, 08:57 PM

Have you pulled in the mountains? Do you ever use overdrive?

pbrackney · 05-25-2012, 09:49 PM

I've pulled in the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee. I have overdrive off unless I'm in hilly or mountain areas. If my transmission starts shifting a lot I will take it out of overdrive so it does not shift a lot. In local driving I always have overdrive off. Its much easier on the tranny.

In the mountains I take it a bit slower and I don't push it to save gas mileage. The expy does great!

pbrackney · 05-27-2012, 10:30 AM

Why do you ask?

Bilcin · 05-27-2012, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbrackney

I've pulled in the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee. I have overdrive off unless I'm in hilly or mountain areas. If my transmission starts shifting a lot I will take it out of overdrive so it does not shift a lot. In local driving I always have overdrive off. Its much easier on the tranny.

In the mountains I take it a bit slower and I don't push it to save gas mileage. The expy does great!

I have a Wildwood TBS 26tbs, close to your 2013 Flagstaff V-Lite 30WTBS weight wise, yours is a little heavier, I pull with a 2005 F150 5.4 Tritan 373 gears, do you use overdrive on flat roads? I thought using overdrive when pulling this trailer would heat up the trans because of the lower rpms with the added weight?

kamp k · 05-27-2012, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbrackney

I also carry 4 mountain bikes on my luggage rack on top of my expy and carry 6 family members inside. A bike trailer is also located in the back of the expy.

Out of curiousity, what is your payload capacity on your Expy, Philip? I had an '07 F150 with the 5.4 and 3.73 towing 6k lbs fully loaded. Never had any issues myself, struggled in Appalachian Mountians, though I wasn't trying to win any races. When we traded for our Windjammer, I upgraded the TV too because my F150 didn't have the payload to handle 1k lbs of tongue weight, all our camping gear in the truck bed, and a family of 3.

Tincup13 · 05-27-2012, 04:44 PM

I pull with a 2003 expedition 4x4 5.4. Haven't pulled much, longest trip was 1000 round trip. Still trying to feel things out. Tried overdrive on when flat and overdrive off in towns and going up hills. Just getting comparison since u pull with the same. No mountains yet for me.

pbrackney · 05-27-2012, 11:29 PM

I have never had any issues with the Trans heating up in overdrive. I only do it on flat highways.

My payload is 8600 pounds. My v- nose tongue weight is not that bad due to the front only being bunk beds and not a kitchen or bathroom. I do not think the Expy could have handled that. My current set up seems to be working great and not taxing the expy too much. It also helps that I never boondock camp so I'm not carrying a full fresh water tank. How ever I did notice that the potable tank is on the back of the TT to help with hitch weight.

What fun this is. Here is a pic of me getting ready to leave for this past weekend. You can see the bikes on top of expy. It works great.

**bikendan** · 05-28-2012, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbrackney

My payload is 8600 pounds.

that's your tow capacity, not the payload capacity.

kamp k · 05-28-2012, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbrackney

I also carry 4 mountain bikes on my luggage rack on top of my expy and carry 6 family members inside. A bike trailer is also located in the back of the expy.

Hey Philip...Curious, if you have taken your new set-up to the scales? Whenever I read something like this, I get concerned for the safety of the family and the safety of others on the road, should something unfortunate ever happen. And when you stated that your payload capacity was 8600 lbs, a red flag goes up because 8600 is your towing capacity, not your payload capacity. Your payload capacity can be found on the yellow sticker inside your driver door, and the payload capacity in simple terms is how much weight your vehicle can carry, and would include the weight of you, your family, your hitch, your fuel, your cargo, etc.

Since I have a TT similar to yours, I know your hitch weight is in the neighborhood of 1k lbs right off the bat, plus you have a family of six, four mountain bikes, and a bike trailer. Without even knowing the weight of your family members, this a lot of weight AND a lot of trailer for an SUV to handle. My old '07 F150 had a payload capacity somewhere around 1500 lbs. and with just my hitch and my family of 3 (yeah I could stand to lose a few lbs) I would have been right at my max payload, and that's without factoring in fuel, the dog, firewood, bicycles, or anything else in the bed of the truck. I bet you are over your payload capacity by a substantial amount with what you are carrying. Can your Expy pull the trailer? Sure, it will pull it. Your TT has a GVWR of 8550, which is the towing capacity of your Expy, and with a family of 6, I would think you may be loaded somewhere near that GVWR, or at least 8k lbs. But towing capacity is not the only factor when it comes to safely towing a camper.

What happens when you have to make a quick and sudden stop due to the idiot that merged into your lane without even looking? Or when the deer jumps out in front you? Combine the shorter wheelbase of your SUV, the 34.5' TT, an overloaded TV, and IMO that's a formula for, well...it's an invitation for something bad IMO. And when you mentioned that you've towed in the mountains of Ky and Tn, you weren't referring to towing your new TT, correct?

Not trying to alarm you, and I didn't mean to hijack this thread, and you can tell me to take a hike and mind my own business, and I will. But, if you take a few minutes to educate yourself on payload capacity vs. towing capacity, then find out what your Expy's payload capacity really is and compare that to the way your Expy is loaded for traveling/camping, you can draw your own conclusions. That's what someone on one of these rv forums advised me to do, and I am thankful that they did.

**bikendan** · 05-28-2012, 01:16 PM

i agree with all you said, kamp k!

pbrackney · 05-28-2012, 11:22 PM

I'll take a look tomorrow at the payload.

I know the 4 bikes together weigh 140 lbs, bike trailer is 28 lbs, family members are at 535 lbs.

pbrackney · 05-28-2012, 11:24 PM

Thanks for the concern by all.

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