Hey, new to the site. I have been looking at dozens of old threads trying to find my answers. Since I am somewhat new to this travel trailer towing game, I thought I would run my ideas by you guys. I have an 07 4x4 expy with the heavy duty tow package. 3.73 rear, tranny cooler, and the 7 pin. I have 2 little kids, so I have been looking at the dutchmen 261bhs. The unloaded weight of this trailer is 6587 lbs, with a tongue weight of 856 lbs. I read somewhere the expy has a tongue weight of 920 lbs. I would definitely use a weight distributing hitch. Loaded up, I would still be somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,000 lbs under the 15,000 gcwr. Am I pushin my luck. I have always rented small trailers and never had to worry about weight. Let me know what you guys think.
07 Expy Towing and Tongue Weight ?'s
- Thread starter 77 Bronco
- Start date
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B
bedrck46
Guest
agree with GJarrett
but I would be careful especially with 2 little ones on board. Keep your wits about you and know your limitations and you should be fine along with the WD hitch add sway control and elect brake control. Learn how to use them and also how and what to do when a big Tractor Trailer comes flying by you. When I towed a larger Trailer I would keep an eye on the passing big rigs and just about the time that they were even with me I would just hit the gas to gain about 2 or 3 mph That cause's you weight to shift and helps to break the vacuum created by the big rig passing you also try to keep as much distance as possible between the passing rig and your rig
but I would be careful especially with 2 little ones on board. Keep your wits about you and know your limitations and you should be fine along with the WD hitch add sway control and elect brake control. Learn how to use them and also how and what to do when a big Tractor Trailer comes flying by you. When I towed a larger Trailer I would keep an eye on the passing big rigs and just about the time that they were even with me I would just hit the gas to gain about 2 or 3 mph That cause's you weight to shift and helps to break the vacuum created by the big rig passing you also try to keep as much distance as possible between the passing rig and your rig
Travel Trailer Towing with 2007 Expedition
I also have a 2007 Eddie Bauer Expedition with the same tow package as you do. I have first hand experience in towing a couple of different sized Travel Trailers. The first Travel Trailer I owned and towed with my Expedition was a 26' Rockwood that had a GVWR of around 6500 lbs. I used an Equalizer Weight Distributing/Anti-Sway Hitch. The hitch is an absolute necessity when towing with this vehicle. With the weight distributing hitch I had minor sagging in the back of the vehicle.
I recently bought a Starcraft Travelstar 292RESA. This trailer is much nicer, but it is also quite a bit heavier. The GVWR is 8550 lbs, and I know that I have had it packed to it's limits. I recently took my family on a trip from Phoenix, AZ to Seattle, WA. The Expedition had more sagging with this trailer than it did with the lighter one, so I will probably be posting a question about resolving this issue....I am open for any ideas. I didn't have any issues with the Expedition pulling that heavy of a trailer, but she definitely knew that she was pulling something heavy, especially going through the mountain passes (Tehachapi, Shasta, Siskyous and Grants Pass). A couple of key things I have learned is that you need to watch your speed (CA and OR Speed Limits are 55 mph when towing anyways). Inflate your rear tires to 50 PSI or the safe max limit that is stamped on your tire. This will help to reduce sway. I ran in to some nasty winds in California, pretty much from Bakersfield to Redding, CA. The worst areas were around Tehachapi pass and Sacramento. There was some serious white-knuckle driving going on. The gas mileage was terrible, but what do expect when towing 4 tons? I just kept on trucking at 55 mph and all went well. The trailer brakes were a lifesaver going through the mountain passes.
Just remember to watch your speed, enjoy your trip and most of all...have fun! Our family loves to go camping in the RV, and the Expedition has proven to be a good tow vehicle.
I also have a 2007 Eddie Bauer Expedition with the same tow package as you do. I have first hand experience in towing a couple of different sized Travel Trailers. The first Travel Trailer I owned and towed with my Expedition was a 26' Rockwood that had a GVWR of around 6500 lbs. I used an Equalizer Weight Distributing/Anti-Sway Hitch. The hitch is an absolute necessity when towing with this vehicle. With the weight distributing hitch I had minor sagging in the back of the vehicle.
I recently bought a Starcraft Travelstar 292RESA. This trailer is much nicer, but it is also quite a bit heavier. The GVWR is 8550 lbs, and I know that I have had it packed to it's limits. I recently took my family on a trip from Phoenix, AZ to Seattle, WA. The Expedition had more sagging with this trailer than it did with the lighter one, so I will probably be posting a question about resolving this issue....I am open for any ideas. I didn't have any issues with the Expedition pulling that heavy of a trailer, but she definitely knew that she was pulling something heavy, especially going through the mountain passes (Tehachapi, Shasta, Siskyous and Grants Pass). A couple of key things I have learned is that you need to watch your speed (CA and OR Speed Limits are 55 mph when towing anyways). Inflate your rear tires to 50 PSI or the safe max limit that is stamped on your tire. This will help to reduce sway. I ran in to some nasty winds in California, pretty much from Bakersfield to Redding, CA. The worst areas were around Tehachapi pass and Sacramento. There was some serious white-knuckle driving going on. The gas mileage was terrible, but what do expect when towing 4 tons? I just kept on trucking at 55 mph and all went well. The trailer brakes were a lifesaver going through the mountain passes.
Just remember to watch your speed, enjoy your trip and most of all...have fun! Our family loves to go camping in the RV, and the Expedition has proven to be a good tow vehicle.
DF5.4
Full Access Members
I have a 30' Tracer with 2 slides. GVWR is about 7700 lbs. as said before weight distribution and sway control is a must. I'm using the Reese dual cam HD setup and it's working great. Don't go cheap on the hitch. I have the self leveling rear suspension and between the weight distribution and the air suspension I have no sag.
Make sure the trailer tires are aired up to the max stamped on them when they are cold. Do not over inflate them. I still have the P rated tires on the truck. At the normal 35 psi I got too much squirm. Their max pressure is 55 psi. I air them up to 50 when I tow. When they are replaced I'm putting better tires on.
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Make sure the trailer tires are aired up to the max stamped on them when they are cold. Do not over inflate them. I still have the P rated tires on the truck. At the normal 35 psi I got too much squirm. Their max pressure is 55 psi. I air them up to 50 when I tow. When they are replaced I'm putting better tires on.
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catmandu
Well-Known Member
Totally agree, I was amazed at the difference in handling when I pumped up my tires when I first started hauling big loads.
