Photos of Trailer(s) that you tow with your Expedition
- Thread starter thevalleyboy
- Start date
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andrew_s
Full Access Members
Here is my truck hauling hay for the fall harvest. Usually get 210 to 230 bails at 70 to 100lbs each on top of a 3k or 4k trailer. Also here is me towing the old jeep to its current resting spot. Jeep was filled with parts and gear and was arpund 5 to 5.25k.
Both instances the truck towed with ease. The bales would be a problem on the road but hauling it across the farm to the barn was easy enough.
Both instances the truck towed with ease. The bales would be a problem on the road but hauling it across the farm to the barn was easy enough.
DTedeschi
New Member
This is exactly what I tow, a BMW Spec e30 (Mine is white), on a open 18' roll back trailer. I do have a front fairing on the trailer. I know for a fact my trailer is 1950 lbs and the E30 Spec empty, is 2500 lbs (I scale at 2700lbs with me in it, fuel and ballast). Trailer has a spare tire mounted on it and two 5 Gallon Gas cans, plus tools in the E30 putting the tow load to 5,000 lbs. With my BMW E36 M3 I am at 5,500 lbs. Not a problem to cruise the legal limit of 80 mph on the toll way in Austin Texas with either car. Average 12 mpg from Fort Worth to Austin with an average cruising speed of 65-70 mph. Which is about the average for all my tows I have made in last past 10 years. The longest has been about 1,900 miles.
I have PM a few of y'all about my plans to upgrade to an 24' enclosed trailer. With the Spec E30 loaded in it I am figuring I will be towing 6,200 lbs. I own a 5.4 Liter, 2000 Expedition, with the Ford Heavy duty tow package, 3.73 gears, aux trans cooler, self-leveling, etc.
Would really appreciate knowing about experiences of others towing an enclosed race trailer or something similar. Also please tell me if I need to do anything like an anti-sway system or something else.
Thanks
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rice_classic
Active Member
You may want to avoid the 24' if possible. Reason: Windsail. You get a strong side wind at the length of the 24 (not the weight) will catch so much of the wind it may wag the dog in a dangerous way. But this is up to you. Also your race car is heavier than mine (mine is only 2200#s) so if you go with a 24' full loaded for a race weekend you may be towing dangerously close to your max which isn't recommended, especially for the distances you tow.
Perhaps limit yourself to a 8.5x20'. This was my decision for my race car and my 2002 expy with big-tow. I have a 8.5x20, weighs 3200# empty.. Fully loaded (with car and all) it's roughly 7500#. A 24' is about 300-400# heavier dry and if you add a tire rack or benches or A/C you're adding even more weight and you're 1st gen Expy will be towing at it's absolute max and you won't like that and neither will it.
You won't be going up any hills over 60MPH with a giant box behind you.. The weight combined with the wind resistance is too much, you will drop speed quickly as the incline increases but I've been up some pretty steep mountains and can maintain 50mph then on the flats it like 65mph.. above that you're using A LOT more pedal and fuel economy drops to ~7mpg.
I use the 1000# Equalizer Hitch and I wouldn't use anything else. Being able to turn tight and back up without having to get out and unhook my anti-sway is a gift from gawd. Spend the money on the Equalizer, set it up properly and you'll be towing your big box with 1 hand no problem. I just towed back from central oregon to Seattle and the head winds and cross winds were brutal, ~30-40mph winds. Equalizer was amazing.. at no point did I ever feel panicked and when big trucks passed and the big gusts hit, the equalizer damped the sway immediately. It was wonderful.
Raoul1219
Member
Horse Trailer
our rig for endurance horse riding :
trailer empty 980kg
rolling 1500kg
maximum weight trailer 2500kg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_r5d0UtHL_U/VX6cEiSPY5I/AAAAAAAAly0/oOhjXM8LvZQ/w1437-h959-no/IMG_5035.JPG
our rig for endurance horse riding :
trailer empty 980kg
rolling 1500kg
maximum weight trailer 2500kg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_r5d0UtHL_U/VX6cEiSPY5I/AAAAAAAAly0/oOhjXM8LvZQ/w1437-h959-no/IMG_5035.JPG
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DTedeschi
New Member
A little off topic, but this best I can do. The Spec E30 Race Car in Front of the Expedition.
Currently the Expedition, Race Car and trailer are in Texas and I got to tow them up here to Yankee Land in October.
I need to take a picture of the car loaded up on the trailer and a picture of the scale setup I used to put 500 lbs in the hitch. When I get the right weight on the hitch, towing is a breeze. 85 mph can be done with cruise control and one hand on the wheel When the weight on the hitch is too low, towing at speeds over 65 mph can be a side to side trailer dance, and pleads to, as they say in Texas, Jesus take the wheel please.
Which asks the question: Do I really need a Equalizer Hitch when I got the weight on the hitch correct?
Currently the Expedition, Race Car and trailer are in Texas and I got to tow them up here to Yankee Land in October.
I need to take a picture of the car loaded up on the trailer and a picture of the scale setup I used to put 500 lbs in the hitch. When I get the right weight on the hitch, towing is a breeze. 85 mph can be done with cruise control and one hand on the wheel When the weight on the hitch is too low, towing at speeds over 65 mph can be a side to side trailer dance, and pleads to, as they say in Texas, Jesus take the wheel please.
Which asks the question: Do I really need a Equalizer Hitch when I got the weight on the hitch correct?
Attachments
rice_classic
Active Member
On an enclosed, you would have to. Your expy's tow rating is listed with Weight Distribution as part of the equation. Without a WD hitch like an equalizer, you'd be exceeding your tow capacity (tow capacity w/o hitch =/= tow capacity w/ hitch).
Secondly, the IRS will absolutely not like the tongue weight of a fully loaded 24' enclosed (or even a 20').
With an WD Hitch your towing experience will be calm, cool, collected and relaxing. Also, stop speeding. There isn't a trailer tire in the world that's rated for higher than 65mph. You're over stressing the tires and setting yourself up for replacing trailer tires on the side of the road. But then again, my 2003 expedition simply cannot do 80mph with my enclosed behind it.. You could drop expy w/ trailer out of airplane and it wouldn't exceed 70mph.
Finally, scroll down in this thread. Good enough reason for me to have an Equalizer hitch:
nasaforums.com • View topic - USTCC @ Miller Motorsports photos!
hendricksen11
Active Member
Some trailers my expedition pulls.
I want this push bumper guard! Anyone know who makes this or a very similar one? I know off topic, but I don't have a trailer to tow
Gruz7
Full Access Members
Here's a pic of mine towing our old jet ski with a trailer that is way too big for just one jet ski haha
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spotdog14
Full Access Members
I got myself a trailer over the weekend. I'm pretty happy with it so far, but the real test will be this Friday when I pick up all my tile for a project at the cottage.
Mediamonkey11
Well-Known Member
Rented this guy for the next week!
Jayco 280QBSH 28' 6000lbs or so...
With an Equilizer weight distribution hitch this thing is solid! Definitely know it's back there but hey...
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Jayco 280QBSH 28' 6000lbs or so...
With an Equilizer weight distribution hitch this thing is solid! Definitely know it's back there but hey...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Mediamonkey11
Well-Known Member
Trip update: made it to eastern Washington yesterday, Snoqualmie pass proved to be a force to be reckoned with. The load combined with the boat on top made overdrive an impossibility and as long as the rpms were above 2400 she cruised fine, 3500 was the upper limit I didn't feel comfortable going over so I had to be diligent the entire time.
I really think the transmissions in these aren't suited well as the tach drops below the power band in 2nd before 1st is even approachable! Yes, at the top of the pass I did actually drop to about 35mph, mostly carried 50 though!
70-75 came up a few times and it was surprisingly stable!
Unloaded this trailer specs out at 5600lbs so I'm guessing with all our stuff we were at about 63-6500 plus the boat and motor, us, and then the dogs and their kennels. Yah, with 3.55 gears and larger tires I'm glad she did as well as she did!
Averaged 8mpg with AC on most of the way (turned it off on the pass).
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I really think the transmissions in these aren't suited well as the tach drops below the power band in 2nd before 1st is even approachable! Yes, at the top of the pass I did actually drop to about 35mph, mostly carried 50 though!
70-75 came up a few times and it was surprisingly stable!
Unloaded this trailer specs out at 5600lbs so I'm guessing with all our stuff we were at about 63-6500 plus the boat and motor, us, and then the dogs and their kennels. Yah, with 3.55 gears and larger tires I'm glad she did as well as she did!
Averaged 8mpg with AC on most of the way (turned it off on the pass).
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dspfeiffer
Member
2009 Expedition EL Limited, towing a 2013 Keystone Cougar 31SQB. This is our fourth (2012-2015) season towing this TT, thousands of miles with no problems. We have a Husky centerline WD hitch and sway is never a problem even when the semi's pass. A little waggle, then back on track. It's a little heavy at the tongue, but I never feel it in the handling.
We bought it in Indiana and towed it back to NJ. Since then it's all east coast, so not too many mountains to deal with. We're due for a new truck this year and I am looking at the 2016 Expedition EL. I love our truck and am looking for essentially the same truck, just a little more HP and torque from the EB. Can't hurt!
We bought it in Indiana and towed it back to NJ. Since then it's all east coast, so not too many mountains to deal with. We're due for a new truck this year and I am looking at the 2016 Expedition EL. I love our truck and am looking for essentially the same truck, just a little more HP and torque from the EB. Can't hurt!
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rice_classic
Active Member
It might be the 1st gen, combined with taller tires and the 3.55. I have a 2003 with OEM sized tires and the 3.73s. I tow a 20' enclosed with race car and equipment and when I went to Spokane and back (passes, etc) it did just fine with the O/D off. Up the passes I would be down in 2nd gear but nonetheless it'd do 50-55mph no problem. It seemed to enjoy 3500-3800 RPM without complaint when getting up the steep stuff. My trailer, fully loaded is ~7500lbs and the front is flat (no V-nose or bubble nose) so the aero is horrific.
The worst is coming back (east to west) up Vantage through the Gorge. Holy moly, that's the real test. Once again 2nd gear, 50mph no problem.
On the flats it moseys along at 60-70 just fine because that's the aero-terminal-velocity (and WA freeway speed limits). It really struggles above that, not due to weight but due to aero. You could drop my expy+trailer out of a cargo plane and it wouldn't free fall faster than 70mph.
Mediamonkey11
Well-Known Member
Yah that vantage hill is a killer test, I was able to pull 50-55 as well most of the way in 2nd with no pedal to spare, I was impressed nonetheless. Coming down snoqualmie I accidentally caught myself doing 80 once, kinda scary
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tcdawg
New Member
joeyg8
Full Access Members
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