towing w/ expedition

[vpurdy]

just purchased 25ft classic....pan to tow with 06 expedition king ranch/heavy duty tow package/auto load levelers/sway bar...am i in for surprises here? thanks van

[moosetags]

Welsome to the Forums and congratulations on your new baby. We tow our '05 25' Safari with our '04 Tahoe Autoride, 5.3 liter, Hensley Arrow, and it does pretty well, especially in the flats of Florida. We also tow the Airstream with our '05 Suburban 2500, 6.0 liter. It is significantly more comfortable, especially when encountering steep grades.

You will probably do just fine, but, regardless of the brand, a 3/4 ton is always better when towing 7000#.

[CanoeStream]

Hi Van -- the other Expedition thread you've seen was discussing an EL. I might assume you have the standard 119" Expedition. What you gain most from the HD tow package is a good receiver and probably a transmission cooler. This Edmunds page shows an 1825# payload capacity -- the limit of your combined tow vehicle people, fuel, cargo and tongue weights. So keep an eye on that. Please look in your owners manual and see if it shows any lower payload number for the tow package -- a 2" receiver weighs quite a bit and depending on model listing that may subtract out of your payload capacity.

Otherwise you'll want to make absolutely sure you have the 3.73 axle ratio and not the 3.31.

The Expy is not more (and may be less) compared to a 1/2-ton truck. I traded away the latter and went 3/4-ton because I just retired and have long distance plans for the years to come. You have a nice but heavy Airstream. There are no absolute assurances on towability. Most of your travels will be in a forward direction -- but it's avoidance and emergency maneuvers where the trailer might take command of an on-the-margin tow vehicle. Be careful and conservative -- and enjoy this to beat the band!

[CanoeStream]

By the way -- auto load levelers will not remove any of the absolute need for weight distribution and antisway gear. I like my Reese HP Dual Cam. I'm sure the Expy's load leveling system won't know what hit it when you put an almost 1000# hitch load onto the receiver. You are on such an edge here that I think this would be a very good situation for a Hensley Arrow.

[vpurdy]

thanks folks...i'll try the expedition and see...i started out planning to get a safari...but decided at the last minute on the classic...van

[TIMEMACHINE]

Originally Posted by vpurdy

thanks folks...i'll try the expedition and see...i started out planning to get a safari...but decided at the last minute on the classic...van

Let us know how it worked out for you and your new classic.

[davidz71]

Van,
I can't blame you for selecting the Classic. It is a beautiful trailer and I wish I had the money to upgrade to the 25' widebody. Oh well, let me go buy a lottery ticket.

[Silvertwinkie]

Keep in mind that the GVWR is nearly 1000lbs of availible NCC depending on options. I agree with Bob, it's pretty close, but only if you fill it up the max.

If you have the 119" wheelbase, be careful in higher than normal winds....she'll get away from you really easily. I was shocked what a longer wheelbase can do.

[vpurdy]

thanks again all...i have the 3:73 axle...have equal-i-zer being installed...4x4 w/ 17 in tires/trans cooler/heavy radiator/load balancing as well/stability trac control. van

[CanoeStream]

Good for you. It's a clean slate! Enjoy and please come back often to share adventures, dealer/warranty matters, preventive maintenance & solutions you discover. It's already time to Walbernize... Thanks Van!

[moosetags]

One additional note. Check the sidewall of your tires for the load range. Most likely yours will be a "C". Sometimes you can improve towing stability by going to a load range "E" tire as they have less flex. They will result in a harder non-towing ride, though.

I mention this because I just became aware that tire manufacturers are beginning to offer load range "E" tires for 17" wheels. A friend of mine just bought a new Dodge with this combination.