By the numbers I'm showing I should be able to pull my new Keystone Bullet 287qbswe with my 2005 Ford Expedition. I have the heavy duty tow package and have 95,000 miles on the vehicle. My concern comes with the reality vs. theoretical numbers. Vehicle is rated to tow 8,600 lbs. Trailer has 7600 GVW, 5700lb dry weight. I'll be using an Equalizer 4 way sway control hitch. I plan to tow with just a little water in the tanks, just enough to flush if the kids need to use the bathroom on the trip. Mostly towing within 100 miles of home, with a trip or two each year closer to 500 round trip. My vehicle has an oversize transmission cooler from the factory, but would it be worth adding an additional transmission cooler? Am I running too close to max to comfortably tow?

First...Welcome to the Forum.Now, for the hard facts: That is a a 33 foot trailer that will have a tongue weight of right around 1000 lbs when you are trip loaded.It's not about what your Expy can tow but more about Payload. Subtract the 1000 lb. tongue weight + the weight of your hitch + the weight of the family and the dog and all the gear that you load in your Expy from the Payload rating on the door plate.Having had an Expy (P rated tires, soft suspension and short wheel base) I suspect that you will be marginal or worse.Sorry to be so negative, hopefully others will chime in with a brighter outlook.Any, good luck with your new adventure.

8600 pounds minus passangers, gear, fuel equals what? Thats what you can actually tow. Remember, the tow rating is based on a stripped vehicle, one 150 pound occupant and a 1/4 tank of fuel. Everything else is taken away from the tow rating.

Passengers and fuel are about 650. So still under tow weight and GCVW even IF I load the trailer to the max. Hitch weight is listed at 740, so 120 less than max, leaving room for the WD hitch weight. Has air bag leveling also. Still too much?

akblackfoot wrote:Passengers and fuel are about 650. So still under tow weight and GCVW even IF I load the trailer to the max. Hitch weight is listed at 740, so 120 less than max, leaving room for the WD hitchD weight. Has air bag leveling also. Still too much?Do you travel with absolutely nothing in the trailer? Everything you add will add to the tongue weight. Listed weight is empty trailer. Air bags do nothing to increase your axle weight rating.

I towed with a 2004 Expy with the HD tow package. It was fine for a 4,400 lb. trailer, but was really scary when we got our 29' trailer that weighed 7,300 lbs. White knuckle ride all the way. I think you'll be really disappointed when towing a trailer that size. I'd recommend a trailer with a gross weight, not dry weight, of 6,000 lbs.

Expedition Towing | Good Sam Community

26 Replies

akblackfoot
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
jerem0621 wrote:
Great Match!

It looks like a 6.0 with A 7.3 Powerstroke Badge....

Come on sir...more details on the truck! ;).

Big ole congrats on a beautiful rig!

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Nope, just a straight 6.0 F350 Lariat Fx4 CC short box. Banks High Ram and cold air intake, added a coolant filter yesterday, new Rancho 9000XL shocks, BF Goodrich KO2 tires, Mini Maxx tuner (run mild and no power only). Runs great but plan to have it bulletproofed after the first of the year, possibly this fall. Looking forward to a summer of camping!!!
jerem0621
Explorer II
Apr 18, 2016
Great Match!

It looks like a 6.0 with A 7.3 Powerstroke Badge....

Come on sir...more details on the truck! ;).

Big ole congrats on a beautiful rig!

Thanks!

Jeremiah
SouthpawHD
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
Congrats!!! Looks like a nice set-up you've got there.
akblackfoot
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
SouthpawHD wrote:
Aren't the rules "pics or it didn't happen"?

Congrats!

Here she is. Just picked up the trailer.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Mar 22, 2016
akblackfoot wrote:
Picked up a F350 Crew Cab diesel. I should have gotten a heavier trailer :-)
You will be so much happier with the ride when towing, congratulations.
SouthpawHD
Explorer
Mar 22, 2016
Aren't the rules "pics or it didn't happen"?

Congrats!
akblackfoot
Explorer
Mar 22, 2016
Picked up a F350 Crew Cab diesel. I should have gotten a heavier trailer :-)
akblackfoot
Explorer
Mar 16, 2016
Thanks for the reality check everyone. Looking at a F350 tonight.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Mar 15, 2016
It doesn't matter if you load 500lbs or 2000lbs into the trailer, you want to load the trailer so the final tongue weight is around 12.5% of the trailers loaded ready to travel weight. If that means moving stuff around to arrive at that number then that's what needs to be done! I did just that and my trailer tows perfect. I'm at just under 1200lbs of tongue weight on a 9200lb loaded for a trip trailer. Right around 12.5% probably closer to 13%.
akblackfoot
Explorer
Mar 15, 2016
It's not that I don't believe you, but there is a ton of conflicting information out there. I just got the measured tongue weight with the batteries and empty propane tanks as the trailer sits with no fluids or cargo. 660lbs. I will most likely be "upgrading" to an Excursion, but according to some information posted here even that won't handle the over 1000# tongue weight some are estimating.