New owner, need tow advice

[coolzzy]

I became a new owner of a new to me 17 expedition EL 4x4 with HD tow package (3.73 gears LS, transmission cooler, and brake controller) tonight. I traded in my max tow F150 for it and now need to outfit it for towing my 6200 gvwr 29ft trailer.

1. What is the best clip on type tow mirror? Not interested in the F150 oem type.

2. I use a husky round bar wdh, should I look into an equalizer or centerline TS instead? Not sure how the IRS and shorter wheelbase (shorter than a crew cab 6.5ft box F150) will handle sway.

3. Truck has the factory wrangler tires and unfortunately are nearly new. Do I dump them for some LT tires or let them wear out first? This is all considering I can keep any sway under control using my hitch ..

I had my truck tuned with a 5* tune. This car will be my wife's daily driver, will it benefit from an 87 performance tow tune and still be comfortable around town? Or does the eco pull fine without it most towing will be in the Idaho mountains...

 

[coolzzy]

I ordered a husky centerline TS hitch after measuring my unloaded dry tongue weight at an astronomical 750 pounds! (listed spec says 500 unloaded). Also ordered the dometic aero clip on tow mirrors.

 

[coolzzy]

Installed the husky hitch this weekend and made a test tow run. In cross winds when driving above 60mph it feels like the truck is moving on squishy tires. I have the wrangler fortitude ht tires aired up to max 50 psi and the trailer is level when using the wdh hitch. The expy squats an inch in the rear which I think is OK since the front is not any higher than when unloaded.

I might be looking for a firmer sidewall tire in the near future, or maybe dropping the tongue of the trailer. I thought it would only sway if the rear of the trailer was lower than the front?

 

[Dj Holland]

We have a 17 el and tow a 32ft travel trailer with a gvw of around 7k we use an equalizer hitch and it’s awesome we just hit a wind storm with 65mph gusts and it was not noticeable at all 48psi in all tires and the trucks sway control works very well much better the our 12 Navi that did not have it

 

[coolzzy]

How much sag are you getting in the rear when hitched up? I measured half an inch drop in the rear, none in the front. But the picture I took after running down the road looks like it's sagging more, like they settled in? I can go up another hole on the trailer frame Brackets but I'd have to about lift the back of the expedition off the ground to get the bars on. Maybe another washer on the head is needed instead.

 

[07xln]

We have a 17 el and tow a 32ft travel trailer with a gvw of around 7k we use an equalizer hitch and it’s awesome we just hit a wind storm with 65mph gusts and it was not noticeable at all 48psi in all tires and the trucks sway control works very well much better the our 12 Navi that did not have it

If the trucks sway control was activated then you had some pretty serious sway starting. The system is not linear. Once it’s activated it wheel apply the brakes pretty aggressively to right you. No way you were driving through 65mph gusts and didn’t notice anything

 

[07xln]

How much sag are you getting in the rear when hitched up? I measured half an inch drop in the rear, none in the front. But the picture I took after running down the road looks like it's sagging more, like they settled in? I can go up another hole on the trailer frame Brackets but I'd have to about lift the back of the expedition off the ground to get the bars on. Maybe another washer on the head is needed instead.

Do you have load leveling shocks? If so did you take those into account when you were setting up your hitch?

 

[coolzzy]

No load leveling, just standard shocks on my xlt. I'll be hitching it up in a few days again, but this time the fresh tank on the trailer will be full and it's forward of the axles so it will probably drop even more.

 

[johnboneske]

+1 ON the equalizer E4 hitch.

I tow a 7200 GVWR trailer with a 2003 expedition and it NEVER sways or moves around. I don't have LT tires yet either. I used to use a Reese hitch, what a world of difference with the equalizer! I also have a Prodigy Brake controller.

I also think you should have 1000 pound bars on your WD hitch. I believe you undersized it...

 

[coolzzy]

I have the 800-1200 pound bars the husky centerline is a 4 point friction hitch similiar to the e4. How high should I have to lift the back of the expy to get the bars on? Where I have it set now, it seems like I'm lifting the truck off the ground to get the bars on. My trailer is low to the ground, the tongue is in line with the frame as opposed to most that have the tongue connecting underneath the frame.

I have the height of the ball set to 1/2" higher than the trailer coupler and when the bars are set in place the trailer is level. I'll be towing with the fresh tank full this weekend which will add 300 pounds in front of the axles, would half of that transfer to my tongue weight?