Extra cargo

[Nakita23]

I have a 2011 XLT. Non-extended length. I will be taking the family on a long road trip in the fall. I've made this trip before but this year our SIL will be riding along. This puts me driving, wife in front passenger, 1 yr old twins outside middle seats, 4yr old center middle. SIL is small & probably be relegated to on of the rear fold up. We've typically packed everything in the rear with those seats down.

I know, finally to my question. What do you all use for extra luggage? Thule top cargo, trailer, trailer hitch attachment..?? I don't want to have to rent a van or make her drive separately so I'm at a loss.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

We travel with 4-5 dogs on vacation so most of our gear gets stored outside the vehicle on those trips. We did the roof rack thing for several years w/ my last SUV, but it was tedious to load and unload, not to mention trying to snag something quickly while at a rest stop. Since we've had the Expedition, I went a different route. I have one of these and one of these, which I bungee to the rack. It's easy to load and unload, watertight, and when we get to the hotel we can just lift it off and wheel it inside. If you get the extended cargo rack like that one, there is room for a second smaller cargo box also. You can stack those larger boxes also, but I would probably secure the top box with something stronger than bungees.

 

[ExplorerTom]

I have a Thule rooftop cargo carrier. Works well. Had it for 12 years- it’s been on a handful of vehicles, several that we no longer own. Stuff stays dry and clean- and is fairly theft secure with the provided lock. It’s been all over the country.

Also have a trailer hitch basket. This doesn’t get used much. Stuff gets really dirty. And depending on which way the tail pipe points, it can get really hot back there (seen pictures of coolers with melted exterior plastic due to the tail pipe). Depending how tall you stack stuff, you may not be able to open the lift gate until you remove stuff from the basket.

 

[chuck s]

Long road trip as in several hours or several days?

Luggage on the roof will just drink fuel, is subject to weather (probably leak), falling off, and requires a ladder to load or unload. Small trailer tucked behind the has none of those liabilities.

https://www.uhaul.com/Trailers/Sport-Trailer-Rental/ST/



-- Chuck

PS: I melted the tire off a bicycle on a bike carrier on the back of an Explorer once. Was right behind the rear directed exhaust, just like the current Expedition. This rules out a rear carrier for me.

 

[Nakita23]

Roughly 9 hour trip 1 way. I'm liking that pull behind trailer idea. I have looked at the large Thule & like it too but ~$800. Whew. I still have factory side exhaust so anything behind would be safe .

 

[Black]

Rear seat folded flat. 7 people 900 mile trip to Cocoa Beach and Disney. I was mainly the stuff carrier everyone else rode in the in-laws Suburban.

It looks tiny on top of the Expedition. Have had it on top of 4 vehicles now. Explorer, Highlander, Expedition, and Escape. The only vehicle where mileage was diminished was with the Escape but the nose of the carrier was out over the windshield.
The thing is great I snagged it on Craigslist brand new for $75. Worth every penny. I would gladly pay $500 or so for a Thule as the hardware and attachment points are so much easier to do.
This is a SportRack which is Thule’s economy line. Thinner plastic cheaper hardware and mounting but this thing is solid and keeps everything dry.
Got hit with straight line winds in WV one summer knocking the vehicle two lanes over. I thought for sure the carrier would be long gone. Nope still on top.
Even useful when it was just my wife and I. Wet dirty stuff goes up top so the vehicle does not smell. All the sandy stuff from the beach goes up top. Skis, boots, poles, up top no slush in the cabin.

Never leaked, no less mpg, no need for a ladder. Expedition I stand on the tire the other smaller SUVs opened the rear door and stood there. Though do use a step ladder at the house as it is a bit easier but no big deal to stand on the tire.

 

[ExplorerTom]

Exactly- stand on the tire. Or open the doors and stand on the floor.

I drove with my Expedition loaded up from Denver to Myrtle Beach. Thule cargo box and 2 other boxes. Mileage wasn’t much different than similar cross country road trips without the roof loaded up. It was less, sure, but I doubt the extra fuel cost would have offset a trailer rental. A trailer that they recommend to not go over 55 mph. And the trailer will also burn more fuel- regardless of how streamlined it looks.

 

[Dorzak]

For acccessing the roof rack from the back I have this in the hitch receiver - in black with red reflector when folded up -

 

[scottdm]

We've had good success with the Stowaway 2 Max hitch mounted cargo box. It's lockable, watertight, and swings out of the way to open the tailgate. I like that I can park my Expedition in the garage with the box mounted. A rooftop box makes our Expedition too tall for our 7' garage door. It also has an exhaust shield integrated into the frame to avoid the heat issues from exhaust that others have mentioned in this thread.

https://www.stowaway2.com/

 

[Andy B]

I know, finally to my question. What do you all use for extra luggage? Thule top cargo, trailer, trailer hitch attachment..?? I don't want to have to rent a van or make her drive separately so I'm at a loss.

I have both a Thule car top torpedo and a hit hauler.

I mostly like the car top carrier. That way I can still open the rear hatch without unloading the hitch carrier. Also, too much weight on the hitch carrier and the truck handles poorly.

I use the hitch hauler just for "dirty" stuff like firewood, gas cans, lawn mower, or a deer.