Questions on towing with a Ford Expedition

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johnboneske

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I tow a 33' Keystone Outback with a GVWR of 7600lbs. I have an Equalizer E4 and a Prodigy Brake Controller... I would ALWAYS recommend them both.
 

CaptOchs

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My 2003 tows a 32' Keystone Springdale that is 7000 lbs. I have a Reese dual cam sway control. It tows works well as long as I don't push it past 70 mph.

As far as brake controller, I use a Tekonsha Prodigy P2. What I like about this is it has a wiring harness for Ford trucks. It used to be you had to have them professionally installed because they would need to splice wires. Since it's just a plug on both ends, its easy to remove when I park the camper for winter. It also means if Ford changes the plug or your next truck is another make, you just have to replace the cable.

Check out the tow guides for your year at
http://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-towing-guides/
 

Daryl Lorne

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Had air bags or "bladders" installed on my 2001 {5.4} in the rear, helped immensely with ride height & vehicle stability of the hitch in & out of gas stations + overall handling. I believe 8 pounds of pressure yields the max for handling & ride.

Visited U-Haul & had the brake controller installed. When checking out the brake controls, take a look at how the control functions are set up to "brake your trailer". Use a 15 ' single car hauler {with two axles} from time to time to transport a few original covered wagons & an occasional vehicle. Check out the brake controller designs being you'll be using it without looking at it. I'm right handed, so if your a lefty, let them know what side to install it on for safety. Watch how they mount it not to interfere with your vehicle computer hookup to check out codes. Some mechanics don't think & locate it directly in front.

Mine has a lever {its in the front vs the side mount {over a knob controller} so I know to the right I'm increasing braking power on the electric trailer brakes & to the left, I'm decreasing. In an instant [without going to the far right] on a wet road will cause the trailer to hop, {did that just once to know better - trailer empty in a parking lot}. I found by sense of touch where to position the lever without a visual like most operate it. Down grades or heading toward a light... when a 4 cylinder pulls right out in front of you & decides to stop, with -0- consideration that you're hauling, helps to control the rig to stop within seconds.

Now on my Suburban, I found it best to disconnect the controller power at the fuse box when not in use. Mainly being the guy at the U-Haul didn't connect it right in the first place in route from Michigan to Montana. When I got back to MI on that trip, stopped by U-Haul & they gave me the next higher upgrade for free, being the one he installed was blowing out fuses. Keep a copy of the Brake Controller & place of purchase always with the vehicle, rather than file it, for the road.

On my Ford, if the trailer is connected & I turn off the vehicle, the brake controller light goes out. A good connection. On the Suburban even with the new controller, all is off & its still on, meaning a battery draw over night... so I disable the connection at the hitch plug on overnight stays. Keeping up the trailer brakes to a good mechanical condition are equally important as the wiring, especially after sitting through the winter. Had a newer brake seize up on me in South Dakota once as was able to drive a 100 miles without the rear right hand wheel attached to a major town on a Sunday for that repair. Kept it at 50 mph on the e-way. Locked up right in front of Wall Drugs of all places, better than the freeway. Spun a bearing & just had them checked prior to departure. It got hot fast with little warning & locked up. Was a bear to get off & repair. Stopped at a Semi Repair shop & they had the right equipment for little cost.
 

m3olsen

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One more support vote for the Tekonsha brake controller here. I used a P3 Prodigy in my 08, with the plug-in harness. I mounted the bracket where the ODBII port was attached to the bottom of the dash, and let the OBD port sit above it. No new holes, no wires cut or tapped into. Worked great (though in fairness most of my towing was a boat with surge brakes, so the unit spent most of it's time in it's sleeve). Come to think of it, Andrew, I pulled mine when I moved to my 17 Expy. It's in basically new condition and I hadn't decided yet if I was going to hold onto it for another vehicle, or sell it. PM me if you'd like a dialogue about it.
 

joethefordguy

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I used to pull a 16 footer, and Uhaul, trailers from California to Georgia and back. the WDH and the sway bars are a must. when everything is fine, they aren't doing all that much - except keeping everything fine. without it you might find yourself with braking and sway issues that can lead to a catastrophic wreck. don't do without them.
 

johnboneske

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One more support vote for the Tekonsha brake controller here. I used a P3 Prodigy in my 08, with the plug-in harness. I mounted the bracket where the ODBII port was attached to the bottom of the dash, and let the OBD port sit above it. No new holes, no wires cut or tapped into. Worked great (though in fairness most of my towing was a boat with surge brakes, so the unit spent most of it's time in it's sleeve). Come to think of it, Andrew, I pulled mine when I moved to my 17 Expy. It's in basically new condition and I hadn't decided yet if I was going to hold onto it for another vehicle, or sell it. PM me if you'd like a dialogue about it.


you still have your Prodigy P2? Or P3? I have the original P1, and when I get a different truck, if it doesn't have it built in, i would be interested for sure...
 

crrfive

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Greenphrog, What model Expedition are you driving? 2011? I have a 2010 with a very similar size travel travel (2018 Salem Cruise Lite 31', 5893 dry weight.) I made 1 tow with it using WDH w/ sway control, but couldn't hardly get over 55mph due to trailer sway (I only had maybe 400 lbs additional weight in rv) and a white knuckle experience every time a semi truck passed due to vacuum. I've pulled heavy loads with my 2002 F350 from coast to coast, but this was the first time with my Expedition. I only towed about 160 miles round trip but am very unsure about taking it out with Expedition again... I am interested in your setup because my family fits better in the Expedition than in my old dually.
 

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