Questions on towing with a Ford Expedition

[Andrew Herman]

Just purchased a 2007 Ford Expedition. Eddie Bauer with tow package and 3.73 Rear Gears.
I was previously hauling a pop up camper and the reason for purchasing the Expedition is so that we can upgrade to a larger camper.

I'm curious what people think of a weight distributing hitch? Are they worth it?
I've never towed anything larger than a pop up camper before. Looking for any advice I can get.

 

[Threedollarkings]

Well worth the money if you will be pulling a travel trailer. I had a 25' trailer and it made a world of difference.

 

[Andrew Herman]

Also, what are the recommendations for a brake controller? Mine didn't come with a factory equipped one.
I will need to add one aftermarket.
Is there one in particular that is the most popular?

Also, what is the towing weight limit with this vehicle? Ford manual says either 6,000 or 9,000 lbs depending on if you have the heavy duty tow package. Is there any way to double check that I DO have the heavy duty tow package?

 

[Plati]

I recommend you search the postings on this site (others if you have time), read as many as you can, figure out who seems to make sense, weed out the incorrect ones, see what advice is most frequently given, and decide something based on that. On any given individual thread here you seem to see a wide variety of conflicting opinions.

Read the Owners Manual and find other documentation from Ford such as the RV & Trailer Towing Guide. Clearly though you need the weight distribution. I also think you bought the right Expy for towing but I'm not a tow guy so my advice is FWIW. Good luck!

 

[ktscrapin]

Also, what are the recommendations for a brake controller? Mine didn't come with a factory equipped one.
I will need to add one aftermarket.
Is there one in particular that is the most popular?

Also, what is the towing weight limit with this vehicle? Ford manual says either 6,000 or 9,000 lbs depending on if you have the heavy duty tow package. Is there any way to double check that I DO have the heavy duty tow package?

There will be a code on your door sticker that tells you if you do have HD tow... Chart codes are in the manual. Can also check for sticker located under hitch (if you can still read it).

 

[Andrew Herman]

Several posts mention if I have both the factory 4 and 7 pins, then I have the Heavy Duty Tow Package. Based on that I believe I have it (as I have both the 4 and 7 pin tow harness). If this is inaccurate, someone please tell me.

I've never towed this much weight before, so I'm sure it will be a learning experience. As it stands, we are looking to buy a medium sized camper/trailer. I'm guessing between 4,000 and 5,000 lbs. My first concern was how a "newbie" like myself will handle a load that large and if I should get the weight distributing hitch. Some have told me I will need it, while others tell me it isn't critical. I DO have some towing experience and the pop up camper we owned was the largest you could buy. But I definitely have never towed 5,000 lbs before and would rather do my homework before I'm on the highway for the first time.

Google searching for brake controllers almost always leads me to the brand "Tekonsha". I don't really see any "bad" reviews of brake controllers so perhaps my choice is of brake controllers is more of an aesthetic one. I do wish there was something I could purchase that would look more like a factory installed brake controller instead of something I'm just attaching to the dashboard. Anyone know of one that won't look like an eye sore?

 

[coolzzy]

Get the weight distributing hitch, the independent rear suspension on the expy is very soft even with HD tow package. Get a 4 point friction type hitch so it can control sway as well as put weight back onto the front tires. I'm using the husky centerline TS, which is a 4 point friction hitch and properly set up, it works great. I tow a 6200 pound trailer, that has a deceptive 900 pound tongue weight when water tank is full. The expy sags several inches in the back until I have the bars in, then it removes all but an inch of sag and keeps the front tire wheel well height the same as if I was unloaded.

 

[1997SCEBFEX]

+++ on WDH to help with the bobble. Imagine several semis passing you at once and the vacuum "suction"; or emergent lane change/swerve to avoid something. I have a Reese.

check CGVW as others said.

I also have the Tekonsha brake controller. take the extra time in an empty parking lot completely hooked up to get used to it.

 

[MattyMMA]

Yes on weight distribution. Along with maintaining proper ride height, most will help with sway, either as part of it's design or with friction plates, which is the big part of towing such a large item. Weight distribution isn't really required when towing something like a boat. Boat trailers have lower weight and are usually designed with the boat in mind so that it's carrying it the best way possible

With the travel trailer, you will find that you can easily and drastically change the load and how it tows by were you place items in the RV. Are you towing with full tanks because your dry camping. Are you having extra coolers due to an extended stay. Kids bikes, clothes, just the extras you drag along to support the RV etc will all change the balance. The weight distribution hitch will correct most of that and make it so you tow the same every time.

Trailer brake controller is very necessary as well. It keeps stopping distances reasonable and also maintains the life of your tow vehicles brakes. Your expedition is designed to stop it's full GCWR by itself, but you don't want to be doing that all the time. I couldn't tell you the name of mine. They all work pretty much the same. You'll want to see if you have the factory harness to connect, then you just splice this harness to the brake controller and it just plugs in. It's worth having this harness and not splicing directly into the vehicles wiring.

Tow mirrors are another item that you didn't really need before with a pop up but will be beneficial now. There are strap on ones at walmart or tractor supply that work fine. You'll be able to kind of see to the sides of the RV with just your factory mirrors, but if your in any amount of traffic then you'll want to be able to see farther back to be able to make a lane change.

Keep asking the questions, I prefer to know what to expect before I go. Then it can be easier to determine if I have a problem, or it's normal while on my trip.

Matt

 

[greenphrog]

I've towed with our expedition since 2011. WDH and sway bars are a must. Tow mirrors really do help. Our rig is a 2011 Jayco 29L that's 5850 dry but most of the time around 6500lbs. We have towed it from Virginia to Yellowstone and back without issue. I've only lost one tire since 2011 and that was in South Dakota. We take it out at least six times a year!


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[greenphrog]

And a picture


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[johnboneske]

I tow a 33' Keystone Outback with a GVWR of 7600lbs. I have an Equalizer E4 and a Prodigy Brake Controller... I would ALWAYS recommend them both.

 

[CaptOchs]

My 2003 tows a 32' Keystone Springdale that is 7000 lbs. I have a Reese dual cam sway control. It tows works well as long as I don't push it past 70 mph.

As far as brake controller, I use a Tekonsha Prodigy P2. What I like about this is it has a wiring harness for Ford trucks. It used to be you had to have them professionally installed because they would need to splice wires. Since it's just a plug on both ends, its easy to remove when I park the camper for winter. It also means if Ford changes the plug or your next truck is another make, you just have to replace the cable.

Check out the tow guides for your year at
http://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-towing-guides/

 

[Daryl Lorne]

Had air bags or "bladders" installed on my 2001 {5.4} in the rear, helped immensely with ride height & vehicle stability of the hitch in & out of gas stations + overall handling. I believe 8 pounds of pressure yields the max for handling & ride.

Visited U-Haul & had the brake controller installed. When checking out the brake controls, take a look at how the control functions are set up to "brake your trailer". Use a 15 ' single car hauler {with two axles} from time to time to transport a few original covered wagons & an occasional vehicle. Check out the brake controller designs being you'll be using it without looking at it. I'm right handed, so if your a lefty, let them know what side to install it on for safety. Watch how they mount it not to interfere with your vehicle computer hookup to check out codes. Some mechanics don't think & locate it directly in front.

Mine has a lever {its in the front vs the side mount {over a knob controller} so I know to the right I'm increasing braking power on the electric trailer brakes & to the left, I'm decreasing. In an instant [without going to the far right] on a wet road will cause the trailer to hop, {did that just once to know better - trailer empty in a parking lot}. I found by sense of touch where to position the lever without a visual like most operate it. Down grades or heading toward a light... when a 4 cylinder pulls right out in front of you & decides to stop, with -0- consideration that you're hauling, helps to control the rig to stop within seconds.

Now on my Suburban, I found it best to disconnect the controller power at the fuse box when not in use. Mainly being the guy at the U-Haul didn't connect it right in the first place in route from Michigan to Montana. When I got back to MI on that trip, stopped by U-Haul & they gave me the next higher upgrade for free, being the one he installed was blowing out fuses. Keep a copy of the Brake Controller & place of purchase always with the vehicle, rather than file it, for the road.

On my Ford, if the trailer is connected & I turn off the vehicle, the brake controller light goes out. A good connection. On the Suburban even with the new controller, all is off & its still on, meaning a battery draw over night... so I disable the connection at the hitch plug on overnight stays. Keeping up the trailer brakes to a good mechanical condition are equally important as the wiring, especially after sitting through the winter. Had a newer brake seize up on me in South Dakota once as was able to drive a 100 miles without the rear right hand wheel attached to a major town on a Sunday for that repair. Kept it at 50 mph on the e-way. Locked up right in front of Wall Drugs of all places, better than the freeway. Spun a bearing & just had them checked prior to departure. It got hot fast with little warning & locked up. Was a bear to get off & repair. Stopped at a Semi Repair shop & they had the right equipment for little cost.

 

[1997SCEBFEX]

i use an infrared thermometer to check hub temps whenever I stop as an added precaution to bearing fatigue/failure.

 

[shane_th_ee]

i use an infrared thermometer to check hub temps whenever I stop as an added precaution to bearing fatigue/failure.

Me, too!

 

[m3olsen]

One more support vote for the Tekonsha brake controller here. I used a P3 Prodigy in my 08, with the plug-in harness. I mounted the bracket where the ODBII port was attached to the bottom of the dash, and let the OBD port sit above it. No new holes, no wires cut or tapped into. Worked great (though in fairness most of my towing was a boat with surge brakes, so the unit spent most of it's time in it's sleeve). Come to think of it, Andrew, I pulled mine when I moved to my 17 Expy. It's in basically new condition and I hadn't decided yet if I was going to hold onto it for another vehicle, or sell it. PM me if you'd like a dialogue about it.

 

[joethefordguy]

I used to pull a 16 footer, and Uhaul, trailers from California to Georgia and back. the WDH and the sway bars are a must. when everything is fine, they aren't doing all that much - except keeping everything fine. without it you might find yourself with braking and sway issues that can lead to a catastrophic wreck. don't do without them.

 

[johnboneske]

One more support vote for the Tekonsha brake controller here. I used a P3 Prodigy in my 08, with the plug-in harness. I mounted the bracket where the ODBII port was attached to the bottom of the dash, and let the OBD port sit above it. No new holes, no wires cut or tapped into. Worked great (though in fairness most of my towing was a boat with surge brakes, so the unit spent most of it's time in it's sleeve). Come to think of it, Andrew, I pulled mine when I moved to my 17 Expy. It's in basically new condition and I hadn't decided yet if I was going to hold onto it for another vehicle, or sell it. PM me if you'd like a dialogue about it.

you still have your Prodigy P2? Or P3? I have the original P1, and when I get a different truck, if it doesn't have it built in, i would be interested for sure...

 

[crrfive]

Greenphrog, What model Expedition are you driving? 2011? I have a 2010 with a very similar size travel travel (2018 Salem Cruise Lite 31', 5893 dry weight.) I made 1 tow with it using WDH w/ sway control, but couldn't hardly get over 55mph due to trailer sway (I only had maybe 400 lbs additional weight in rv) and a white knuckle experience every time a semi truck passed due to vacuum. I've pulled heavy loads with my 2002 F350 from coast to coast, but this was the first time with my Expedition. I only towed about 160 miles round trip but am very unsure about taking it out with Expedition again... I am interested in your setup because my family fits better in the Expedition than in my old dually.