Tow Vehicle Selection

If your Avy has a 12k tow rating, then it has the 8.1L and 4.10 rear axle like my Suburban. Any Expedition is not going to handle the weight like your current vehicle. The only thing that will replace your tow capabilities and current garage length requirements are a reg cab 2500 truck or possibly a crew cab with short bed.

If you want a new SUV for daily driver, then I would get the Expy and keep the Avy outside as a dedicated tow vehicle. If you don't trailer anywhere else except back and forth to the seasonal lot, then I agree just hire someone 2x/year for that job and buy whatever you want.

This is exactly why I haven't been in a hurry to replace my Burb.....

PS if you decide to sell the Avy, post a link here to where it's listed...even though this isn't a "for sale" site, these vehicles are getting hard to find and it's almost a public service for folks looking for a HD SUV for towing.

llr wrote:
Do you use the TT anywhere except the seasonal site? If not I would leave it at or near the seasonal site. short distances and low speeds with a less then ideal TV is not a major issue. Otherwise you really in the truck area. Possibly a very well speced half ton but really 3/4 ton

None of the 3/4 ton will fit in the described length, even the 5/8 ton XD is too long. I'm thinking buy whatever commuting vehicle you want and rent a 2500 from Enterprise Truck twice a year for moving to and from the seasonal site.

Do you use the TT anywhere except the seasonal site? If not I would leave it at or near the seasonal site. short distances and low speeds with a less then ideal TV is not a major issue. Otherwise you really in the truck area. Possibly a very well speced half ton but really 3/4 ton

For the twice a year you move it I'd just hire someone to do it then buy whatever vehicle you want .

jerem0621 wrote:
Looking at the numbers you are going to be close.

The Expedition is a fabulous vehicle. It’s limit for heavy towing is the payload capacity. The amount the truck can carry will be limited to 1,300-1,600 lbs. The receiver is also limited to about 1,000 lbs.

So, if you can manage your weights it will be manageable.

Just know that your towing experience may be very different. You will be going from a 3/4 Ton platform to a half ton platform. This means that Your springs will be a bit softer and your “P” rated tires a bit squishy compared to the “LT” rated tires on your Avy.

Excellent advice, especially about the "P" rated tires. My daughter's 2012 Expedition EL currently has LT tires on it.

Starting in 2014, Ford started using Sachs Nivomat rear struts. There is no air suspension option for 2018MY.

APT wrote:
No 2014+ SUV for towing 8k dry TT. Not enough payload or receiver strength. If you need 3 rows of seats, find an HD van. Otherwise, find the 3/4 ton pickup your wife likes best.

OP never said anything about 3 row seating and I have yet to see any non-custom pickup that has 3 rows of seating.

You can get an F150 with plenty of payload capacity that will fit under your length limit. The one thing that might limit you would be the 1,220lb tongue limit with WD for the factory receiver, I can't find a class v hitch for the current generation F150 so that's going to be your limit unless you get something custom made.

I checked the Titan XD just to see if the other built half ton was a better option and it has the same 1,220 class 4 hitch limit, but there are aftermarket class 5 hitches for the Titan XD. Unfortunately at 230.5 inches it doesn't meet your length requirement.

It doesn't seem like there's a great option for a garaged tow vehicle for something that heavy.

Using dry weights to match up a tow vehicle is not a good idea.

You posted 7960 trailer and 790 hitch weight. Using those weights, that trailer was over 8000 lbs and about 825 lb hitch weight, before it left the dealers lot. Now, it has been loaded for camping, which adds on average 800 - 1000 lbs. When used for seasonal sites, they're normally loaded a little heavier. What you're really looking at towing is more like 9000 lbs with 1125 lbs hitch weight. And, it could be more. Besides the hitch weight, your payload takes another hit (about 100 lbs) from your weight distributing hitch.

Manufacturers have no way of knowing what or who you will be carrying in or on the tow vehicle. Thus, their calculations for payload and tow capacity, do not include room for aftermarket accessories, people, pets, or cargo. If any of these things are added to the tow vehicle, it's available payload and tow capacity are reduced, pound for pound.

You need a tow vehicle that has enough available payload to carry the weight of everybody / everything you put in or on the vehicle, plus a minimum of 1300 lbs.

The numbers look like, an Expedition, matched with your trailer, would be at or over it's max ratings, before you add a passenger or cargo.

Looking at the numbers you are going to be close.

The Expedition is a fabulous vehicle. It’s limit for heavy towing is the payload capacity. The amount the truck can carry will be limited to 1,300-1,600 lbs. The receiver is also limited to about 1,000 lbs.

So, if you can manage your weights it will be manageable.

Just know that your towing experience may be very different. You will be going from a 3/4 Ton platform to a half ton platform. This means that Your springs will be a bit softer and your “P” rated tires a bit squishy compared to the “LT” rated tires on your Avy.

Thanks and Good Luck on your hunt for a new vehicle.

Jeremiah

No 2014+ SUV for towing 8k dry TT. Not enough payload or receiver strength. If you need 3 rows of seats, find an HD van. Otherwise, find the 3/4 ton pickup your wife likes best.

Edit:
I would not tow that with my Suburban with more payload, higher receiver limits, and higher tow rating than a new Expy. For my family, that would be over 9000 pounds loaded with I expect over 1100 pounds TW. Spend $15 at a CAT scale to understand your current weights and what you actually need.

Ignore tow ratings.