Newbie question - CCD or Load Leveling for 7000lb+ Travel Trailer

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autoarcheologist

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We put over 12000 miles on a 2004 Tahoe and 6000 lb trailer. Having a properly set up WD hitch will be key and good trailer brakes that are properly dialed in.

Frankly I think most tow ratings are black magic and marketing. But a few aren't. Like tire load ratings, and axle load ratings. These are rear world, measurable data points.

I'm worried about your tongue weight. I'm assuming it will be over 1000 lbs. Plus 1000 lbs of people. Can it handle 2000 lbs? You might want to consider a lighter trailer. But see if you can get a rear tongue weight from a dealer. Not the BS marketing spec weight, but actual weight with a battery, full propane tanks, stuff inside, etc.

Good luck! Once dialed in our Tahoe towed like a dream, we could forget it was back there. A newer Expy should be even better. Just watch those axle and tire ratings.
 

MrTommy

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But see if you can get a rear tongue weight from a dealer. Not the BS marketing spec weight, but actual weight with a battery, full propane tanks, stuff inside, etc.

Good luck with that! Great advice, but I've never been to an RV dealer who had a scale - and I'm guessing that's on purpose.

I'd never had the opportunity to weigh just the tongue weight on our TT. I've weighed axles at closed state truck scales before but never took the time to unhook, drive up off the scale, check the weight, back up, re-hook, and move on. But, we just had a truck scale added to a local Maverick gas station in our neighborhood. I took the time to un-hook and get the tongue weighed. Wow. Just a hair under 1200 pounds. That's with two 6 volt batteries, full propane tanks, and water (though the water is over our axles). Nice to know, finally. But, we're not towing that with our Expedition. Our Pick up handles that. I'm just saying, because of the mention of getting a tongue weight from an RV dealer.
 

deweysmith

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Haven't had a chance to use the "tow - haul" option yet either.

It's amazing, I love it so much. Even with just a load of 6 teenagers, it helps so much. It engine brakes quite well and the extra time in the lower gears helps a lot. I notice in just a minute or two if I forget to turn it on, that's how nice it is.
 

mwells

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I have a 2014 Expy Limited EL. Supposedly my Sunnybrook RL27 weighed 6100 pounds at delivery. The max tongue weight on the Expy with weight distributing hitch is 910#. I bought a tongue scale ( although you can make one with a bathroom scale if you search the web) and after loading the trailer I weighed it. Was I surprised! Instead of the 10 to 13 percent most will tell you to calculate for tongue weight, the actual weight was close to 1100 pounds.
This called for a lot of cargo shifting in my rear living room trailer, especially to locations behind the trailer axles. This is a major consideration not many, if any, trailer salespeople will address honestly. Weight shifting and carrying some 160# of fresh water in the fw tank behind the axles brought me to a safe tongue weight, and did the addition of a frame attached rear cargo carrier.
I do not recommend exceeding more than 80% of the max towing limit. I have traveled with this combo through the Rockies, the and the Smokies. and more with little to no problems, both up and down. Tow-Haul required without a doubt. Remember to DRIVE THE TRUCK, don't just depend on the computer to do the down shifting or engine braking.
 

B-McD

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MostlyHarmless - I have a 2016 Platinum with CCD and the 22" wheels. Also have the HD Tow package - std that year on the Platinum. I'm just a bit under your towing weight and use a WDH setup. I leave the suspension set at Normal, but I did try Sport once to see if it made any difference. None that I could tell. The WDH handles most of the issue with any sagging. I don't think the CCD does any leveling that I can find. When I get new tires I will go with ones that have a higher load rating just to be safer, but the stock Pirelli's have done fine so far with about 4000 miles of towing on them.
 
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MostlyHarmless

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B-McD

Thanks for taking the time to respond - that's the kind of real world experience I was looking for

Cheers!

Mark
 
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The big issue with the Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) system is the wheels and tires. At least on the 2018 Expedition, CCD include 22" rims. The HD Trailer Tow package inclue and requires 18" rims. Therefore you can not have both.

Do you know if this also applies to the 2021 model year? We have the CCD and also the HD towing.
 

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