Towing with a 4.6l?

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DExpy17

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From my opening post: I want to tow a camper.
Prefer something bigger than a popup, with hard sides, needs to sleep 2 tall people, 6'2'' and have a decent sized bathroom/shower

My advice is for you to figure out the camper you want. Then you will Know the limits of the vehicle you need instead of wishing you had bought something with a higher tow capacity so you can have the camper you want. Also keep in mind that many times using a weight distribution hitch will increase the the tow capacity.
 
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johnd393

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At 6000lbs tow capacity, at least it can tow something.
Drove the 60 miles to look it over. First impression, looks great. Love the color.
Closer look. No 7 pin trailer connector, looks like the smaller trans oil cooler. Definately not the HD tow package.
Interior dingier and more worn that appeared in the pictures.
Exterior: Some paint bubbling on edge of hood, rockers, real hatch bottom seam, but not too bad. Looking under it with a bright flashlight, the undercarriage stuff has little rust and looks solid.
Looking under the hood down the sides of the radiator there is some serious rust through on places around the lower core support. There is not an easy view to see down there but what I saw didn't look good. I can't tell but it does not look like a replaceable piece without cutting & welding. Got on my knees to look but Couldn't get a look at it from the bottom.
Test drive: Didn't feel like the seat went back far enough for my long legs (seems like the try harder to get this right in smaller cars). Not as powerful as I expected. Some shuddering upshifts, ABS light on. Low tire pressure sensor message. Check engine light came on intermittently a couple times. It's the core support rust that bothers me.
 

scythefwd

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I towed a 3k lb beetle with my 4.6L f150.. never even noticed it back there.. I assume the expy, being heavier, would have a lower functional ability than the 150.. but not necessarily that much of a difference.
 

lonestarjeff

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My experience towing with a 4.6 really depends on which rear end it's paired with. My F150 has it paired with the 3.55 rear, like Scythe says above, never notice my trailer back there unless gross weight gets near the limit. My Expedition is a different story....has the 4.6 paired with the 3.31 rear end. I thought it wouldn't make that much difference, but it does. It feels like a struggle most of the time, even with a light trailer load. When I installed the class III hitch on the Expy I noticed it was not factory pre-wired for trailer brakes(like the F150 was), that should have given me a clue.
 

proftomda

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First time poster here. May I chime in here on this old thread? I am the original owner of a 2001 Expedition 4.6 2wd 3:31 rear axle with factory aux trans cooler. Our Expo is 19 years old and over 1/4 million miles. It is a valued family hauler and looks, runs and drives like new, uses a little oil because of valve guide seals but no other issues. Way back in 2000, we traded our Chevy Astro van in on this Expo. Our towing needs were modest, a 3500lb boat. Surely a V8 Expedition could tow better than a V6 Minivan right? WRONG. Our Expedition was a complete dog compared to the Chevy Astro, constantly downshifting and engine screaming to make torque. Bottom line, it was a stress filled experience towing with a 4.6 Expo in Georgia. In the intervening years, I have had the opportunity to own a 2003 f150 5.4 3:55, a 2008 f150 3:55 and a 1999 Chevy Suburban. These 3 vehicles towed my load effortlessly compared with my 2001 Expo 4.6. So my message is, the 4.6 2wd Expedition is a marvelous well made machine that is durable but is a weak towing machine. Good luck!
 
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