Towing Airstream Trailers with 2021 Ford Expedition Max

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Expedition81

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I am thinking about buying a travel trailer soon and am looking for some help as to which model would be best. Our tow vehicle is a 2021 Ford Expedition Max (9000 lbs max tow, 900 lb max tongue weight, max payload 1668 lbs, front GAWR 3550 lbs, rear GAWR 4380 lbs). The Expedition is also a daily driver, so not really interested in upgrading the tow vehicle to a F250, etc. We anticipate the trailer being mostly for weekend use and for a couple 1-2 week excursions per year. We travel light with regard to things, but total weight of adults/kids in the vehicle will be about 650 lbs.

Does anyone have any experience or advice on how this Expedition Max would do with towing airstreams ranging from 23 to 28 feet in length? Thoughts on tongue weight? Is a 28 foot trailer just plain too long for an Expedition Max?

For the sake of discussion, here are a few of the trailers we are considering (dry hitch weight includes propane and batteries):

Trailer #1 - Airstream flying cloud 23 CB bunk: Dry hitch weight 654 lbs, GVWR 6000 lbs.

Trailer #2 - Airstream flying cloud 25 RB: Dry hitch weight 835, GVWR 7300 lbs.

Trailer #3 - Airstream flying cloud 27 FB: Dry hitch weight 791, GVWR 7600.

Any and all advice is much appreciated! Thanks!
 

JasonH

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My GVWR is 7,700 and my length is 33'. I don't carry that much and most of my towing is flat, so downhill control isn't much of an issue. The hitch weights on these may be problematic, as they seem on the heavy side. Also, it's much easier to get the loads configured properly with the lighter trailers. Ideally you'll want to max out tongue around 700 to 800 wet. How committed are you to Airstream? The tongue weight seems to be the biggest limitation here.
 

Molaf

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I am thinking about buying a travel trailer soon and am looking for some help as to which model would be best. Our tow vehicle is a 2021 Ford Expedition Max (9000 lbs max tow, 900 lb max tongue weight, max payload 1668 lbs, front GAWR 3550 lbs, rear GAWR 4380 lbs). The Expedition is also a daily driver, so not really interested in upgrading the tow vehicle to a F250, etc. We anticipate the trailer being mostly for weekend use and for a couple 1-2 week excursions per year. We travel light with regard to things, but total weight of adults/kids in the vehicle will be about 650 lbs.

Does anyone have any experience or advice on how this Expedition Max would do with towing airstreams ranging from 23 to 28 feet in length? Thoughts on tongue weight? Is a 28 foot trailer just plain too long for an Expedition Max?

For the sake of discussion, here are a few of the trailers we are considering (dry hitch weight includes propane and batteries):

Trailer #1 - Airstream flying cloud 23 CB bunk: Dry hitch weight 654 lbs, GVWR 6000 lbs.

Trailer #2 - Airstream flying cloud 25 RB: Dry hitch weight 835, GVWR 7300 lbs.

Trailer #3 - Airstream flying cloud 27 FB: Dry hitch weight 791, GVWR 7600.

Any and all advice is much appreciated! Thanks!
Trailer #1, should be no issue.

Trailer #2, the hitch weight once loaded with propane, batteries, WDH, water, etc will probably put you well over 900lbs. Probably closer to 1k. That leaves you with 668 lbs of payload left. Since you said weight of passengers will be @ 650lbs, that leaves you with basically next to nothing for any sort of cargo at the front of your trailer or inside of the SUV.

Trailer #3, similar story as #2 imo.
 

Fasttimes

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I am thinking about buying a travel trailer soon and am looking for some help as to which model would be best. Our tow vehicle is a 2021 Ford Expedition Max (9000 lbs max tow, 900 lb max tongue weight, max payload 1668 lbs, front GAWR 3550 lbs, rear GAWR 4380 lbs). The Expedition is also a daily driver, so not really interested in upgrading the tow vehicle to a F250, etc. We anticipate the trailer being mostly for weekend use and for a couple 1-2 week excursions per year. We travel light with regard to things, but total weight of adults/kids in the vehicle will be about 650 lbs.

Does anyone have any experience or advice on how this Expedition Max would do with towing airstreams ranging from 23 to 28 feet in length? Thoughts on tongue weight? Is a 28 foot trailer just plain too long for an Expedition Max?

For the sake of discussion, here are a few of the trailers we are considering (dry hitch weight includes propane and batteries):

Trailer #1 - Airstream flying cloud 23 CB bunk: Dry hitch weight 654 lbs, GVWR 6000 lbs.

Trailer #2 - Airstream flying cloud 25 RB: Dry hitch weight 835, GVWR 7300 lbs.

Trailer #3 - Airstream flying cloud 27 FB: Dry hitch weight 791, GVWR 7600.

Any and all advice is much appreciated! Thanks!

Does your Expy have the HD tow package?
 

Soupflakes

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You'll be fine. We pull a 37 foot double slide, weighs right at 9k fully loaded. Just make sure you've got the HD tow package. If it doesn't have an integrated trailer brake controller you don't.
 

Waterbeach

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We just did our first trip with 2020 Expy Max Platinum pulling a Flying Cloud 23FB. Initial experience was poor with the front end feeling "floaty" going into a high wind. At end of trip we reviewed experience with dealer who confirmed the "floaty" experience and beefed up the weight distribution - changed the experience to perfect: could not notice we were pulling the trailer. We chose the 23 mainly because of tongue and hitch weight and its impact on payload as we like to carry bikes, canoe etc in the Expy. Other models have a much higher hitch weight initially. Also under 24ft seems to be a magic cut off length for provincial and state campgrounds.
 

Jon K

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We recently replaced our 2009 f150 ford crewcab (with full tow package) with a 2020 expedition XLT with HD tow package. We pull a 25' 2014 flying cloud Airstream.
Just completed our annual summer escape from central Florida to upper Maine, I 95 north then through I81 to I84 then the mass Pike.
No issues at all. Pulls easy, no strain, tracks perfectly.
The exp max should be great with any Airstream up to 28'. IMO
 

veedub

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You'll be fine. We pull a 37 foot double slide, weighs right at 9k fully loaded. Just make sure you've got the HD tow package. If it doesn't have an integrated trailer brake controller you don't.
That's a long one! I'm in the market, having just recently picked up a Expy with HD Tow package. What's your typical MPG towing that rig?
 

Matthew Marlowe

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Wdh will push 20% of tongue weight back on trailer if configured right. If you balance weight inside airstream right you might be fine 99% of time, I only worry about steep windy passes where expedition relies on transmission shifting to keep speed stable under 45mph...on a really hot day, the transmission temp will push limits even with secondary cooler active.
 
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