Check out the availabilty of Ford Excursions in your area...there are lots of real 'deals' out there, as dealers aren't giving much of anything for them as trade-ins due to the perceived fuel mileage issues....
But, as tow vehicles, the fuel mileage is not such an issue as it's going to be around 9-10 MPG anyway, for most TV's.
Ford quit making the Excursion in 2005. Most of them were spec'd out with most options, they were the top of Ford's lineup.
You can find them with diesels, or V-10 gas engines (also V-8 gas, but not for towing, IMHO)...we found a 2001 4x4 Limited, V-10 for a 'song' and really like the way this big brut handles with our 28 ft AS behind.
The Excursion has the heavy truck frame, with a heavy SUV body and all the comforts of home!
Our's still has leaf springs up front on the 4x4 set-up. The ride is firm, and you will get some feed back when hitting a rough spot in the road, but not the same harsh ride you'd get in a pickup truck. I believe the 2005 model changed to coil springs up front in the 4x4 and improved the ride even more. This isn't an issue with a 2x4 Excursion, as they all have coil spring up front, and the ride is even better. We wanted a 4x4 for some snow and off-road driving...otherwise we'd have opted for the 2x4 model and saved even more $.
I can't stress the great handling when towing, with the Excurision...there's just nothing like a long wheel base and heavy chassis to keep things in line...try one, you'll like it!
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Let us not be too particular;
it is better to have old secondhand Airstreams than none at all.
Mark Twain, updated
I tow with a F250 Superduty 2wd extended cab short bed. The ride is very stiff but the seat is absolutely the most comfortable seat of any TV I have been in. I can drive all day without getting out all bent over and stiff. I'm not sure if a seat in a regular pickup cab would be less comfortable or a F150 have lighter suspension.
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Like a couple of Balboas we headed into the wild pavement of yonder with a monstous piece of aluminum hooked to our rear end. "The Long, Long Trailer".
Anyone here use a ford ranger? What are your experiences with something this small?
I have a 3.0 V6 XLT with a ~4000-lb dry weight (weigh'd it since they gave the same dry weight for all of them), 1280-lb payload weight and 4500-lb trailer rating. I use a class III hitch of course and will be getting a load-distro linkage installed at U-Haul as soon as I get the tires replaced.
As far as towing, it towed our "new" '65 Overland great the 110-miles from Socorro NM when I bought it last weekend. She was in a state of "renovation" (meaning much was removed and the rest had to go) and had a scale weight of 3100. After removing everything down to the interior skin, I'm guessing the weight is now in the range of 2100-lb to 2500-lb.
Anyway, I'm interested in hearing about others' experiences with a Ranger as a TV.
(As a side note, I'll send the first photos of the whole "Complex Overhaul" shortly!)
I've never towed anything with a Ranger, but my experinces with driving a company vehicle Ford Ranger tells me I wouldn't want to do it. The one I drove was a 3.0 liter V6, and had so little power, it would not stay in OD driving 70 MPH in West Texas into a 15 MPH wind. Additionally, it was supposed to get in the neighborhood of 20+ MPG, but the one I drove for a year never got over 16 MPG.
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Steve
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'01 25' Excella, '07 GMC 1/2 Ton Ex. Cab
AIR#23457
WBCCI#4521
Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented immigrant" is like calling a drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist ".
Much of the ride issue when towing is due to the tire pressure. I run 60 lbs when towing, much less after getting home. For a 34 ft trailer and gear, you are not going to get a cadillac ride any way you slice it.
Tom
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2007 28' Int CCD.
2008 F 250 6.4L Diesel.
DTV 5lnb on a tripod.
Wilson wired repeater with YAG.
Check out the availabilty of Ford Excursions in your area...there are lots of real 'deals' out there, as dealers aren't giving much of anything for them as trade-ins due to the perceived fuel mileage issues....
Here's a quote from a famous test magazine, a non-profit one you may have heard of. I'm afraid that their experience was somewhat different than yours:
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The enormous Excursion was introduced for 2000. Derived from the Ford "SuperDuty" pickup-truck chassis, the Excursion offers V8, V8 turbodiesel, and V10 engines. The V10 we tested delivered just adequate oomph, but it slurped down more than a gallon of fuel while covering just 10 miles of mixed-road driving. The ride is stiff, bouncy, and uncomfortable. The Excursion's vast bulk makes it difficult to hold in a traffic lane, and its slow and vague steering demands constant attention. The brakes are inferior. A huge interior, a commanding view out, roomy three-row seating, and tremendous towing capacity are among this model's few virtues. Discontinued after the 2005 model year.
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Thats why I like that 'enormous Excursion' as my TV...and the ride we experience is not as written by that reviewer. To each his own...that guy (or gal) must be riding around in too many big buck cruisers to appreciate just what Ford made the Excursions for...Towing our stuff!
If he'd hooked up a trailer to that 'X' and compared it to some other TV's, he'd most likely sing a different tune...
We like ridin' in style when we're towing that big Alum Tube behind us...the firm, stable feeling with the 'X' is hard to beat....
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Let us not be too particular;
it is better to have old secondhand Airstreams than none at all.
Mark Twain, updated
What about a 1999 dodge durango pulling a 28 ft argosy ...looking for any info on this would be helpful... thanks.. right now we are using a 350 ford looking for something smaller..
What about a 1999 dodge durango pulling a 28 ft argosy ...looking for any info on this would be helpful... thanks.. right now we are using a 350 ford looking for something smaller..
Personally, I would not pull a 28' with anything smaller than a 3/4 ton. It is my opinion, and based on years of experience, a 24-25' is the largest I would tow with a 1/2 ton, and the earlier Durangos were smaller and lighter than a 1/2 ton.
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Steve
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'01 25' Excella, '07 GMC 1/2 Ton Ex. Cab
AIR#23457
WBCCI#4521
Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented immigrant" is like calling a drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist ".
Hi, my Lincoln Navigator with self leveling rear air suspension rides nice while towing our 25' Safari. As for the original poster, I would find it hard to find a nice soft ride in anything capeable of properly towing a 34'er.
What about a 1999 dodge durango pulling a 28 ft argosy ...looking for any info on this would be helpful... thanks.. right now we are using a 350 ford looking for something smaller..
I tow my 1970 23' Safari with a '99 Durango with a 5.9. I currently have 140k on the truck. Although I don't have expereince with other combo's, I would enjoy having some more power to get the trailer up to speed.
I cruise at 62. That is where the truck feels good. Steeper hills do seem to cause the truck to wok harder (naturally). Personnaly, if I were going above a 25', I'd want a more powerful truck.
Overall though, this combo works. But it could be better.
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DanB
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Always Looking for Pinball Machines!
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This is the nicest riding tow vehicle I've ridden in, 3/4 Autoride Suburban. The 3/4's do not have the auto leveling feature.
Hi, my Lincoln Navigator with self leveling rear air suspension rides nice while towing our 25' Safari. As for the original poster, I would find it hard to find a nice soft ride in anything capeable of properly towing a 34'er.
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