Tow Capabilities of 2018 Expedition / Navigator 4x4

[jmslade]

Hi:

I don’t have an Expedition but have a 2018 Navigator 4x4 Reserve, without the enhanced towing package. I understand from the manual that I’m rated at 8300 lbs and that tongue weight should be between 10-15% of trailer weight. I don’t see a specific tongue rating in the manual.

That said, I crawled under the vehicle and see that the receiver is rated at 9,300 and hitch weight of 930.

I’m looking at possibly towing a 30’ airstream that has a max weight of 8800 and a tongue weight (empty) of between 820-900 (depending on which thread you read).

Does anyone have experience towing with this vehicle (or comparable Expedition w/o tow package) to know whether I’m way out of bounds trying this?

Thank you!
Jeff

 

[JasonH]

You'll be over weight once loaded. I suggest finding something with a GVWR of under 8,000 lbs. Also, your payload with be the towing limitation, not the max camper weight. You can get that number from the sticker on the driver door. In addition, you'll want to add the towing goodies (brake controller, 7-pin, radiator, tranny cooler, etc.) Not sure how the 4th gens handle transmission cooling. I've seen mixed info about it being integrated into the radiator or something. But there should be a compatible one available on the aftermarket. Mishimoto makes a good quality aftermarket radiator as well.

 

[Fizzy]

In this instance, it doesn't matter what your hitch receiver is rated to. Your vehicle (cooling, engine, transmission, etc) are rated to 8300 lbs. The hitch is the same one they use on the HD tow pack vehicles, hence why it's rated for more than your particular vehicle can handle.

You also should stay a minimum of 10% below your vehicles maximum rated tow capability, bringing you down to 7470 lbs maximum, with the trailer fully loaded (water tank full, propane tanks, groceries, clothes, equipment, beers, bikes, camp chairs, tools, etc etc).

In reality, you should be looking at a trailer with a maximum dry weight of 6000 to 6500 lbs.

I have the 2020 Platinum with the HD tow package (9200lb max tow capacity), and I pull a 33' trailer that weighs 5500 dry (7700 full loaded) and let me tell you, I would not want to be puilling much more than that.

In summary,

I’m way out of bounds trying this

 

[Waterbeach]

Take a look at the Airstream forum - there are extensive threads on towing with an Expedition. General opinion there seems to agree that 25' Airstream is max for an Expedition / Navigator from a weight perspective thought there are those who tow longer rigs. A really good hitch set up may make it feasible but payload and hitch weight will always be close to max.

 

[LG_123]

You’d be fine, we had a 34’ airstream with our Expy. Contact CanAm RV in Ontario for advice if you want to make sure your hitch setup is right. They’re the foremost hitch experts on the continent in the opinion of many people, including myself.

 

[Molaf]

Where do you live OP? Imo, I wouldn’t tow anything over 7k gvwr and 27 feet on either a full size SUV or half-ton truck. Even if you’re within safe levels for payload and tow weight, you still need to consider suspension, engine and transmission cooling, and braking limitations. A 30’+ airstream will be a pig in terms of weight and length. One nice gust of wind along the interstate and you’ll reconsider. Same with going up and down significant grades.

 

[Zig10]

I just finally, after 2.5 years, put the pieces together for my tow setup. I've got a 7500 lb 25' offshore boat that I haul on vacation for a 1200 mile trip. Boat trailer manufacturers don't recommend WDHs because they can bend the tongue support on the trailers, so I have to dial in the tongue weight to 7% and work from there.

I added sumo springs, the new rear sway bar/end links, and then finally put on a set of XL rated tires (Continental Terrain Contact HT in my case) and finally have a fully planted vehicle for highway towing. The tires made as big a difference as the sway bar did. I even had a blowout on the trailer on I-95 (unfortunately at 3:00 AM) and everything was smooth and controlled.

The Expy now tows nearly as well as my 1500 pickup, but I can actually take the entire family in one vehicle with this one.