Excursion as tow vehicle?

[MPG_Dog]

We have a Jayco 287 TT. About 32 feet in length (tongue to bumper) and dry weight of 6,200. At most it will be 7,500 loaded. Looking at a 2000 Excursion for sale today as TV. It has the v10, less than 100,000 miles. We are a family of 8, 6 children under age 13. We generally pack light. The Excursion can tow a lot. Will it handle our TT well cross country? Through mountains? If we buy it, I will install a brake controller and I already have a WD hitch. Anything else I might need or will this combo be good? Will our TT sag the X at all? All advice welcome.

[Ranger431]

Stock hitch, no issues.

[dodge_guy]

Roam Schooling wrote:
Phone man, and anyone else: Did you just use the factory Ford V-5 hitch that was on the Excursion? Or did you upgrade to something else? I've heard the Ford hitches from those years were kind of junk?

Don`t know where you would've heard that from. the factory hitch on 02 and up was rated at 12,500 lbs and 1250lbs TW (W/D). they are very strong! the 00,01 were only rated around 10k lbs, but if you upgraded the attaching hardware to 02 and up it is rated to the 12,500. the attaching hardware is the only change.

They are getting older now so watch for rust. I replaced mine with a Curt due to rust. just as strong and about $300 cheaper than OEM.

[parcany]

Used what came on the truck. No problems at all.

[Roam_Schooling]

Phone man, and anyone else: Did you just use the factory Ford V-5 hitch that was on the Excursion? Or did you upgrade to something else? I've heard the Ford hitches from those years were kind of junk?

[phone_man]

I had a 00 V10 Ex for about 10 years. I matched it to a 33ft bunkhouse weighing about 8K. I had E rated tires, Roadmaster Activie Suspension, and custom tunes from 5 Star Tuning. It worked really well and besides the fuel economy, it did whatever I asked it to do. I thought it was the perfect tow vehicle. That is until I traded it in on a 6.7 Powerstroke F250 :D.

[Roam_Schooling]

...

[SprinklerMan]

I have a 02 X havent done any mods to it , to a 30 ft 10K rated bunkhouse . Tows like a dream ( Pro pride hitch )

[Ranger431]

I love our '04 Excursion. I also installed the Roadmaster Active Suspension and it works great. Adds about 1" in the back and really stiffens it up. If you notice, many Ex's look soft in the back even when not towing - this eliminates that. Our last 3 campers were all 35 footers and we've towed as far south as Disney / Ft. Wilderness all the way to Canada without issue. I've never had the transmission more than a tick over midway on the temp gauge.

We have 6 kids, and usually only keep a few pillows / blankets for the ride, plus the dogs in the back.

Tows very well.

[parcany]

We tow a 36 foot travel trailer with a 2002 Ford Ex. Had all fluids changed, new spark plugs, new tires, replaced all brakes with upgraded brakes, new rotors, bought a scan gauge and programmed in the towing menu, put on a K&N filter and replaced some of the y-pipe and installed Air Bags on the rear. Best tow vehicle around. We don't have the sway bar neither, doesn't wonder at all. While being passed on the interstate from 18 wheeler, the truck only moves less than 1/4 inch.

[usmc616]

My 2004 V10 Ex has taken us from Florida to Maine without issue. I did add a rear sway bar that was beefier than the factory one. My TT weighs around 9200lbs when loaded to camp. I do have E rated tires and installed new shocks when I bought it in 2009. I opted for the Roadmaster Active Suspansion to shore up the Ex's soft rear instead of airbags. I mainly use the Ex to tow and average 7.5 - 8 MPG.
I would go with 1200lb - 1400lb bars.

[MPG_Dog]

I've got about 1,800 lbs of payload on the X. The plan is to put the 8 of us in the X along with snacks and light things like pillows and blankets, etc. Everything else will be distributed in the TT. Also, our WD hitch should help quite a bit. And since our TT will be 7,500 lbs at the Max, I would think the X could handle it well anywhere. What do you think?

[dodge_guy]

I'm towing a 9200lb loaded, 35 foot TT with an 02 V-10 X.
First off, if it hasn't already been done get a rear sway bar for the rear axle. Some X's didn't come with them some did. He ones hat didn't were plagued with wander issues due to the soccer mom springs Ford put under these beasts! Some people go as far as putting in F250/350 springs to help out with towing issues. I went with airbags.
The exhaust manifold issue is more broken studs than anything. I have 1 on each side of mine that are broken right now (going to do hose his winter).
Once setup to tow it is an amazing SUV!
As was said, check all maint. have the frt end checked out for loose parts. If it was truly cared for it will show!
I do several 10+ hour trips non stop (other than gas and bathroom) I've even done a couple 13 and 14 hour trips. Very comfortable vehicle!

[K_Charles]

We did nothing to our X and is still working fine. Our 33' trailer has a tongue weight of over 1000 lb and that doesn't leave much room for stuff in the X. Remember the tongue weight plus kids might put you at the the GVW and your stuff might need to go in the TT.

[Adam_H]

Yes the Excursion will tow well. Couple of things to check on a 2000 model year:

1. Some of the early EX's either did not have an external transmission cooler or a in radiator cooler (can't remember which) later models had both. Check and make sure the trans cooler line split at the radiator and go to an external cooler and inside the radiator. If not, might think about a later MY radiator and cooler lines that include both coolers.

2. Some of the early EX's came with load D tires. If the owner kept these upgrade to load E. Ford had a recall to upgrade the tires. The loading sticker in the door jamb could be incorrect because of this.

3. Be careful when changing spark plugs and BE SURE to torque them with a TORQUE WRENCH, not "feel." Use ONLY Motorcraft Spark Plugs / Coils (if needed) to avoid misfires.

4. I prefer to use 5W30 oil as the engine originally called for it. Ford in their infinite wisdom, changed that specification to 5W20 to please CARB. Interestingly modular engines call for 5W40 outside North America....

The 2000 MY should have the "better" Y-pipe in the exhaust and the V10's didn't have chronic exhaust manifold problems. Exhaust flutter noises yes but you might not notice them anyways.

My 01 needed no modifications to tow my 30ft bunk house all over the sierras. Have fun and happy camping....