I have a Expedition EL that I am using to pull my travel trailer. While I know that the trailer is maxing out the Expedition, it is what I have and it isn't going anywhere for a few years. Nevertheless, it actually pulls great. I know it is back there, but no waggle and it usually very stable. That is until we had some great weather here in NC for December and so off we went. Basics:Expedition EL, ecoboostTT - 7900 lbs, 950 tongue, 36ft Blue OX sway pro WD hitchAgain normally tows great. However this past trip, it was very windy. It is normally pretty windy in eastern NC, but this was sustained winds of 20-25, gusts to 35. The trailer and truck was all over the place, I could barely maintain 50 at times. The trailer wasn't swaying so much as I was having to put a lot of input into the steering to offset the wind, and then it would either gust or change direction suddenly causing the input to be too much or in the wrong direction. Basically, side to side stability sucked. But the truck and trailer moved together for the most part, so I feel that the blue ox was doing its job. So my question is, would LT tires help with this problem? I have the factory P tires on there aired up to max pressure (50 lbs). I have heard that P tires feel like marshmallows when towing, and I'd have to agree based on my last tow. So if an E rated LT tire like the LTX would solve this problem, I won't hesitate to install them. Basically, is there a drastic difference between a P and LT. If there is no hope, I guess I'd like to know that as well. Thanks.

Just to clarify in case this seems to stupid of a question, I have towed with a F350 which obviously had LT tires, but I don't know how much that was the truck or the tires. So without going out and spending $1k on tires to try and see if there is improvement, I was look for someone to say that they switched and it was the best thing they ever did, or the opposite.

peoples1234 wrote:So my question is, would LT tires help with this problem? I have the factory P tires on there aired up to max pressure (50 lbs). ...Basically, is there a drastic difference between a P and LT. Yes ! Stiffer sidewalls and heavier load rating. I would look for tires with >116T load rating (Michelin LTX). This is what is on my daughter's 2012 Expedition.Higher profile (65-75 series) tires will also have stiffer sidewalls.Do you have the factory HD trailer tow option ? You can always add the HD radiator and extra transmission cooler. Good piece of mind.

Yes stiffer side walls will help. but a 25 mph cross wind gust WILL move just about any trailer. It moved the 18 wheeler as well. so don't get excited just because a strong wind gust wiggled your TT. Slow down, and that is AFTER you put on stronger tires. Which I do recommend. My tires are rated to 2700lb, and they steady the TT greatly. but the wind will still move it around

Like Terryallen said slow down in strong crosswinds. Remember your pulling a giant billboard for the wind to catch. LT tires would be a good upgrade, stock tires can feel like your driving on Jell-O. As long as the truck and trailer move as one it sounds like you have it set up correctly. We're use to the wind in Kansas and it can blow strong enough to move the vehicle around without a RV.

I switched to E 10 ply rated LT tires 4 years ago. I never had a sway problem with my Reese Dual cam hitch but I got a great deal on the tires. I did notice they are a lot more stable especially driving thru the gorge on Hwy 84. There are always ruts worn in the pavement lots of truck traffic pulling triples (105') and usually windy.That being said they are noisy and harder riding even when I drop the pressure to 50 lbs not towing. Next set I will stay with LT's but look for more of a highway tread than I have.

Expedition EL - LT tires | Good Sam Community

peoples1234
Explorer
Dec 31, 2016
Just to clarify in case this seems to stupid of a question, I have towed with a F350 which obviously had LT tires, but I don't know how much that was the truck or the tires. So without going out and spending $1k on tires to try and see if there is improvement, I was look for someone to say that they switched and it was the best thing they ever did, or the opposite.
theoldwizard1
Explorer II
Dec 31, 2016
peoples1234 wrote:

So my question is, would LT tires help with this problem? I have the factory P tires on there aired up to max pressure (50 lbs).
.
.
.
Basically, is there a drastic difference between a P and LT.

Yes ! Stiffer sidewalls and heavier load rating. I would look for tires with >116T load rating (Michelin LTX). This is what is on my daughter's 2012 Expedition.

Higher profile (65-75 series) tires will also have stiffer sidewalls.

Do you have the factory HD trailer tow option ? You can always add the HD radiator and extra transmission cooler. Good piece of mind.
Terryallan
Explorer II
Dec 31, 2016
Yes stiffer side walls will help. but a 25 mph cross wind gust WILL move just about any trailer. It moved the 18 wheeler as well. so don't get excited just because a strong wind gust wiggled your TT. Slow down, and that is AFTER you put on stronger tires. Which I do recommend. My tires are rated to 2700lb, and they steady the TT greatly. but the wind will still move it around
colliehauler
Explorer III
Dec 31, 2016
Like Terryallen said slow down in strong crosswinds. Remember your pulling a giant billboard for the wind to catch. LT tires would be a good upgrade, stock tires can feel like your driving on Jell-O.

As long as the truck and trailer move as one it sounds like you have it set up correctly.

We're use to the wind in Kansas and it can blow strong enough to move the vehicle around without a RV.
teamster_tom
Explorer
Dec 31, 2016
I switched to E 10 ply rated LT tires 4 years ago. I never had a sway problem with my Reese Dual cam hitch but I got a great deal on the tires. I did notice they are a lot more stable especially driving thru the gorge on Hwy 84. There are always ruts worn in the pavement lots of truck traffic pulling triples (105') and usually windy.
That being said they are noisy and harder riding even when I drop the pressure to 50 lbs not towing. Next set I will stay with LT's but look for more of a highway tread than I have.
austingta
Explorer
Dec 31, 2016
Terryallan wrote:
Yes stiffer side walls will help. but a 25 mph cross wind gust WILL move just about any trailer. It moved the 18 wheeler as well. so don't get excited just because a strong wind gust wiggled your TT. Slow down, and that is AFTER you put on stronger tires. Which I do recommend. My tires are rated to 2700lb, and they steady the TT greatly. but the wind will still move it around

That's exactly right. No amount of tire strength or tow vehicle size can eliminate sway or deflection in a strong enough wind. It's tough towing a giant sail in a crosswind, it just is. Youtube is full of 18 wheelers whose trailers just get blown over in a crosswind. It's not pleasant, but since you say this was a new event, you are probably OK.

A fifth wheel trailer would mitigate a lot of that, but as you say, that's not where you are.

Happy New Year!
Rustycamperpant
Explorer
Dec 31, 2016
I could not find a D or E rated tire for my Expy due to the 20" wheel size. The only available tire in that high rating was an offroad Wrangler and frankly I did not like the look, nor would I wont the road noise. When I replaced the Scorpions that were on my Expy, I put on the heaviest load rating tires I could find in my size, Nexen Roadian 275/55/20 XL. At 2,833# rating at 50# pressure I could find nothing else that comes close. I looked at Michelins and Yokohama and the load ratings were less.

I ran my first set of tires to 60,000 miles and had them worn almost to the wear bars when I replaced them with an identical set. I researched tires again and could find nothing else that compared. To top it all off, price installed was significantly lower than anything else quoted.

As stated earlier, wind can still be an issue regardless. Yes these tires are more solid than the Pirelli tires that came with the vehicle, but at times I still wish I had a more solid platform. . I cannot afford to get another TV though. Good luck with whatever you decide.
downtheroad
Explorer
Dec 31, 2016
Above posters has pretty much said it all...about wind and trailers.

I'm do better with visuals so....
Check this out....semi and winds.......Click HERE
brulaz
Explorer
Dec 31, 2016
I had good luck with my F150 using Michelin LTX MS/2 LT-E tires.

But I also added HD shocks like Bilsteins and rear spring stiffeners like Energy Suspension Bump Stops and Roadmaster Active Suspension.

But like others say, a 36ft trailer is going to blown all over in high winds anyway.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Dec 31, 2016
Agree with above posts completely, and yes LT tires will do nothing but make the Expe handle better when loaded or towing and longer tire life.