Rookie tow question

[Jheit]

I bought a fiberglass trailer..double axile..bumper to hitch 21.5 feet..dry weight with factory installs 4,800 ( stated by first owner..I will take to scale but need a vehicle)..max weight 7,000 but I will not fill that much. Water is in rear and some storage so probably 400 pounds in rear..200 pounds in middle..200 in front. Tongue weight max is 500 pounds.

Im shopping for a 2019 to 2021 Expedition with Heavy Duty tow package. With 4x4 the Max should tow 9,000 and regular 9,200. My weight should be fine. Most driving is not in mountains but maybe 7 days.

I don't want to porpoise down the road or struggle handling. Sway bar included and I have weight distribution. Do I need a Max for long wheelbase or will regular Expedition due..thanks...solo women driving switching from class C

 

[duneslider]

You should be fine with the regular but honestly if you need the seating of an expedition you will be happier with a MAX than the standard. If you don't need the seating of an expedition then you may be happier with an F150.

I have a 23' hybrid that seems similar in weight but mine tops out loaded at around 6500lbs.

 

[Deadman]

The mini fuel tank on the short version will drive you NUTS towing. Get the max. Longer wheelbase always tows better.

 

[JasonH]

I strongly recommend the Max. In addition to the improved stability from the longer wheelbase, it comes with a larger gas tank. This is very advantageous when getting 9 mpg while towing. I generally travel ~250 miles between gas stops while towing. The extra five or so gallons makes a really big difference.

 

[Grizguy]

The exp max will tow better than the f150. The gas milage drops from the normal 19mpg to about 9 mpg while towing. Trailer size does not seem to matter much. My enclosed 12 ft v nose or 16 ft flat trailer about the same mpg.

 

[Tyra]

I tow a 28ft travel trailer with my 2022 Expy limited SPP (regular length) 6400lbs fully loaded including water. Tows great but I will agree with above comments getting the Max for the larger gas tank would be a plus. It wasn’t something I thought about when purchasing, I went back and forth about getting a max and decided I didn’t really need to space since I only usually have one other person and a few dogs with me. Now I wish I would have got the longer one for the gas tank. The longer wheelbase would also not hurt but I have not had any issues pulling mine with the regular.

 

[MikeL867]

I tow a 28' travel trailer with my 2017 Expy Limited Max, somewhere around 8500lbs fully loaded. Tows just fine, but mileage is terrible and doesn't seem to matter if it's my 16' open-deck sled trailer or 28' travel trailer. The larger gas tank is helpful too!

The Expy tows much better than my 2013 F-150 with the 5.0L did!

 

[rollinstone]

I tow with a standard size Limited...2014 with HD tow package. Even though the tank is 21 gallons it has never really been a concern. Besides, the EL won't fit in my garage. I average 10-11 mpg towing a 3500 lb trailer in mountainous Pacific Northwest terrain. FWIW, my Expy has never been on a long distance trip without a tow behind it so I don't know what the mpg would be without a trailer. Around town I get 15-16 mpg.