anyone towed a 35' travel trailer?

[redskins]

hello,
I just bought a 2005 cherokee 35 foot trailer
its dry weight is 7041 lbs
tongue weight is a bit heavey at 967 lbs
the trucks max tongue weight is 890 lbs but I was told that the truck will not have any problem with the extra 70 lbs and it can be lessened with the distribution kit.
I'm going to purchase a weight distribution kit which comes with anti sway bar.
my EX is a 2003 with 5.4 FX4 package.
(ps-how do you know you have the tow package?)
Anyway my question is .... will my truck haul this trailer easily or is it going to struggle with it?

redskins

 

[phateddie]

I had a 25 ft trailer that weighed 5400, and it struggled a little, but I didn't have a weigh distribution hitch. Never used one. You should problem be ok, but your expy won't like that load.....

 

[tufnoogies]

I tow a 28 1/2 foot boat with a 35 foot trailer , boat is just over 7000lbs and thats dry, add 125 gallons of fuel ,40 fresh water,20 in the hot tank, food, beer "tons" and gear and were talking some weight. I went over 5000 miles last year towing and as far as towing is concerned it handles like a freightliner, Im excited to try this year as I have had a paxton blower installed. seems to wrinkle pavement off the line!! I love harassing those too fast - too stupid little cars out there trying to cut me off at the light. I had a 2000 expy and dumped it for the new one , handles the trailer much better.
my tongue weight is about the same as REDSKINS but the air ride levels off nicely when its loaded..I keep it out of overdrive..I never usede it towing but i have heard some stories about it not responding too well to a load on it.towing the boat

 

[sumo]

I just bought a 27' travel trailer. From everything that I've read on various RV forums, that's about the max length you would want to tow with an Expy. The issue isn't the power of the tow vehicle, it's the wheel base. A 35' trailer is going to give you some serious sway issues. Basically, the trailer is so long, it's the tail wagging the dog because of the short wheel base of the Expy.

At the very least, you need to be looking at an Equal-i-zer hitch. The Hensley Arrow hitch would eliminate all sway, but it's very pricey at $2500 - $3000. You can pick up the Equal-i-zer from $500 - $650. An anti-sway bar simply won't cut it for that length of trailer.

If you haven't check them out yet, try the Trailer Life Forums at:

http://www.trailerlife.com/cforum/index.cfm

Lots of great info there.

 

[redskins]

Thank you for your response
I should be getting my trailer soon and I will find out first hand how the truck fairs.
I too have been doing alot of reading on the net and have found opinions all over the board.
The reason I was asking is because I may be buying a 2005 Excursion(desiel) or a F350(desiel) and should an opprtunity present itself I would have to move on it.
I don't want to spend the money if I don't have to.
Odds are I will probably be towing this trailer once every year or two down to Florida or across to British Columbia and up through Alaska and the Yukon.
I have pulled my boat which sits on a 28 foot trailer and weighs in at about 4000 lbs.,,, but towing a boat and towing a travel trailer are two different beasts.
A web site I was looking at said that the most you should pull with the Exp. is a 22-24 foot trailer and that you would require a wheel base of 172 inches on the towing vehicle to accomidate a 35 foot trailer.
any way thank you again

Redskins

 

[tufnoogies]

I havent had any issues , as the boat has lasted thru 3 expys, I leased one, bought a 2000, and traded for the new syle 03. weight wise a lot of travel trailers weigh less, I towed a 24' shasta , fogot it was back there till i hit the brakes.. hehe . thank god for electric brakes.

 

[whitehat]

On your first question about the tow package : I think the Fx4 has the package. If you had a hitch and wiring setup, a transmission oil cooler and a engine oil coller you have the towing package. I also think it's standard equipment on the 5.4L. I have a 22 ft camper now I have no problems. I also have the weight distribution kit. I'm curious to see how your expy handles your new camper.

 

[redskins]

Whitehat and everyone else,
I am eagerly awaiting the delivery of my trailer.
It should arrive any day now
as soon as I pick it up and bring it home(1.5-2.0 hour trip) I will post how the truck handled it.
Hopefully it pulls like tuffnoogies boat

skins

 

[redskins]

Bad News
I won't be able to write about how the Expedition pulled the trailer.
I traded my truck in on Saturday and bought an EXCURSION

Sorry

Bye

Redskins