We are getting a travel trailer that is 33 ft, 6100# dry weight, 8000# gross weight, and dry hitch weight of 880#. It has a husky center line WDH. We like this trailer best bc it has double bunk beds, which is perfect for us. We can downsize to a smaller one but leaning toward just getting a new tow vehicle.

We currently have a 2017 expedition with HD tow package, but I don't want this to be the tow vehicle. I tried towing it and it sways a little too much for my liking when a semi passes. And this is on non windy days. So I'm looking for a 3/4 or 1 ton vehicle to tow it. Original budget was gonna be under 10k (so looking at very older models that would likely only be used as a tow vehicle), but wife has given me the approval to get a newer used one (only a few years old) and turn that into my daily driver plus tow vehicle. Sounds great, but we currently have 4 children. So, getting a 3/4 ton would mean we would have to take two vehicles.

Considering a HD van (which wife will likely veto) or maybe an excursion or 2500 suburban. Those are hard to find, and I've only found this one that was decent https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/806644947/overview/

Thoughts on this vehicle? I like that I can use it as a daily driver and tow vehicle I would likely put about 18k miles on it per year. I know absolutely nothing about engines or whether this engine is a good one that has tons of life left (assuming well cared for).

Any other things to consider, or recommendations on used vehicles? If we get a 3/4 ton, anyone know the laws in Texas about kids riding in front middle bench seat? Oldest kid is 7.

Thanks!

Do a US wide search for an Excursion and when you find one in decent shape that fits the bill buy it immediately and catch a plane

https://www.davis4x4.com/vehicle-details/2001-ford-excursion-monster-lifted-limited-loaded-4x4-suv-4ecff342b50f314aaed0b50cae2c4c33

I was looking at the ProPride or Hensley hitch. Do you think those are much better than the Husky center line? Will they make that much of a difference. Google search said they are all good but very limited data about whether it would help in this situation.

If they eliminate sway that much, I'd definitely like to go that route. Our towing numbers are easily within the expeditions towing capacity by about 2000lbs; however, our payload fully loaded is about 200# over limit. That is with entire family loaded in car, so we could easily eliminate some weight by taking two vehicles. That's not ideal but if it saves me having to buy a new vehicle than I'm for that.

I did a truck+trailer CAT scale weight Friday and plan on going back later this week to get an individual vehicle weight. This way I can know exactly hitch tongue weight.

I like the 2500 Suburban idea for your needs. 8.1 would haul it down the road fine.

The 2500s also have leaf springs in the back, which the 1500s and Expedtions don't

A good WD hitch is ended either way with the longer bumper pulls

Prices on clean used ones aren't too bad, but you need to find the right one.

Load range E (10 ply) tires can also help sway and stability, forgot to mention that. And air them up.

Nissan n3500 with a conversion package.

Check out the Roadmaster Active Suspension, it along with a good sway hitch is all you will need. Give them a call and talk to their tech people to confirm, but I think it's exactly what you need.

Corps_Ag12 said:

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You just need a 3/4 or 1 ton with a bench seat

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We thought about couldn't find anything describing laws of children in middle front. The closest thing I found was saying that it's legal as long as there is no empty back seat, which there won't be.

I agree with those saying to check your setup. We have nearly the exact same setup ... 2017 Expedition EL w max tow and a 6100 dry travel trailer. With the right setup it is rock solid and I have been very impressed. Our rig is under the expeditions payload, max trailer, and gross combined (I'd assume yours is too). If you want a new truck then go ahead ... that's always fun. I'd be glad to help with the setup over text if you want.

Edited to add...
We have the Husky Centerline hitch. Having good tire pressures is a must (check the tires - not just the door jamb). Offer still stands on helping with tweaking the hitch and setup.

lkx398 said:

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I agree with those saying to check your setup. We have nearly the exact same setup ... 2017 Expedition EL w max tow and a 6100 dry travel trailer. With the right setup it is rock solid and I have been very impressed. Our rig is under the expeditions payload, max trailer, and gross combined (I'd assume yours is too). If you want a new truck then go ahead ... that's always fun. I'd be glad to help with the setup over text if you want.

Edited to add...
We have the Husky Centerline hitch. Having good tire pressures is a must (check the tires - not just the door jamb). Offer still stands on helping with tweaking the hitch and setup.

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I'd appreciate any help! I'm out in Boerne area. We have the regular size expedition that has HD tow package. It's the limited model if that matters We are under all weight limits by a decent amount except payload. We are very close to it when we are all in the vehicle. It all depends on hitch and tongue weight. We have good truck tires, and I keep them maxed to cold psi when towing.

I've decided we are gonna get the ProPride 3 - 1400#. I called and spoke to them today. Crazy that their people answer on Sundays. They were very helpful and knowledge. If this helps, then we don't have to get a new vehicle. We might have to take two vehicles depending on payload BUT that's much cheaper than new vehicle.

Question, is the max cargo/payload specific to make and model or to an individual vehicle. Our vehicle yellow sticker says 1441 but Google says 1698-1731. That's a big difference .... is yellow sticker dependant on tires that came stock? If I bought higher rated tires, could I reach upper end of what Google says payload is? Anything else I could upgrade to reach that higher payload limit?

FIDO*98* said:

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Do a US wide search for an Excursion and when you find one in decent shape that fits the bill buy it immediately and catch a plane

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I agree with this. I had an excursion for about 5 years and loved it. This coming from a Ram guy. They still demand a pretty penny though.

https://www.themarkmotors.com/vehicle-details/used-2003-ford-excursion-limited-boerne-tx-id-36263774

This is in your neck of the woods

The 8.1 gas Chevy pulls pretty damn good...up to about 65mph. After that, wind resistance kills you. It won't power on up to 75mph like a diesel can.

Mountains in New Mexico or Colorado would also be a killer. You'd find yourself at 40-50mph at best.

And the 8.1 will pass anything on the highway....except a gas station. Expect about 11mpg at best, maybe down to 8mpg in wind and hills.

Your payload limit is the limit ... no modification will change that. You can do things to use your payload capacity better (eg take heavy stuff from your car and put it into the trailer) or make your ride more comfortable (eg tires, shocks/struts, etc).

If I were in your shoes, I'd opt for a better sway controlling hitch (sounds like you're already down that path) and spend some time adjusting it to your truck. I've had luck using the hitch shank to make gross adjustments and the sway bars to tune. I'd also air up your tires to ~10 psi below the max cold pressure listed on the tires (the pressures listed on your door jamb are for max fuel economy from Ford). Take some test drives, see how it goes, and make adjustments.

If you still aren't happy, then you're only out the cost of your hitch and you'd probably want that on whatever vehicle you get next anyway.

Buy a smaller trailer or get used to the sway. Simple as that. A 36' trailer will sway, it's twice as long as your Expy. If you want a "tow vehicle" might as well buy a true RV.

DallasAggies01 said:

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FIDO*98* said:

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Do a US wide search for an Excursion and when you find one in decent shape that fits the bill buy it immediately and catch a plane

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I agree with this. I had an excursion for about 5 years and loved it. This coming from a Ram guy. They still demand a pretty penny though.

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Any recommendations on which year or engine type to look for or avoid? I know it's hard to know how they cared for it, but just a general idea of type of mileage these engines get? I've been searching this morning, and the 6.0 diesel should get around 300k and maybe more? Any big expenses that come up around 200k? I've found 2 in the state that are between 165-200k miles.

Depending on the mileage, I could potentially turn this into my daily driver. Would help when I need to haul around all the kids to not switch vehicles (wife would love that...). I usually average around 14-16k miles per year (75% highway) and then add on our trips, looking at maybe 20k max. If I could get 5 years out of a Excursion with minimal repair work that would make me happy. For reference, I currently drive a 2013 F150 XLT w/ 3.5 V6. It is pretty basic with no big upgrades.

Thanks again for all the help!

I think the Burb is going to be way more comfortable for a DD then the Excursion

The 6.0 is not known for its reliability or ability to get to 300k, but with enough extra money, they can be made to be reliable

The 7.3 Excursion is a badass truckI, but they are loud, and will be rougher riding. These even seems to need new rear leafs to tow adequately.

JB said:

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I think the Burb is going to be way more comfortable for a DD then the Excursion

The 6.0 is not known for its reliability or ability to get to 300k, but with enough extra money, they can be made to be reliable

The 7.3 Excursion is a badass truckI, but they are loud, and will be rougher riding. These even seems to need new rear leafs to tow adequately.

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I like the idea of a burb or excursion. We can all travel together. I'm worried about the mileage, though. You'll probably find similar mileage on many excursions too but a few years older. I know many on here like Ford so that's why I'm leaning toward excursion. I don't know much about longevity of Chevy (then again I don't know much about any engine...). I looked at the car fax and they have a lot of dealership service done which I think is good. I'll probably go check it out today or tomorrow. If I trade in my truck, I'll probably only owe about 2-3k which isn't bad. Since it's fairly even with trade, if it's a bust, then we are back at square one in looking at 2500/3500.

So, something happened with the ProPride decision? Are you over the GCWR of the Expedition with the combined truck, trailer, and cargo weights?

AIrbags are cheap and can be used (not 100% sure on the Expedition) or a Roadmaster Active Suspension, if needing to beef up the suspension to ride level.

Chevy 8.1L was in a class A we had and GCWR was 26K pounds or something, it is plenty of engine and it's a commercial engine I believe. It can take the miles.

I had a 2005 Excursion with a beefed up 6.0L diesel - more power than ever needed, so that was nice, but it's a huge vehicle to drive every day and I didn't care for that.

Still getting the ProPride, but I think we are gonna be over payload capacity. Our sticker says 1441 payload/cargo. With a dry hitch of 890 (plus any weight in trailer) in addition to two adults and 4 children and car seats and 1 dog, I think we might be over. That's why I was hoping we could get more in line with what Google says with better tires etc.

Our CAT scale reading this week had our rear axle about 200 lbs over limit. I hope the ProPride can redistribute more weight to front axle but don't see if doing 200-300 lbs. All other numbers are good.

Just trying to plan ahead. I try not to impulse buy, so doing all research now.

Definitely try to find one with the 7.3 diesel. My neighbors wife down at that coast has one for her daily driver. She easily covers 20k mikes a year. Find one with less than 225k you'd be great. I'd still buy one at 300k for the right price.

The Propride 3P is an excellent hitch. We bought our TT over a year ago, about the same length as yours. Upgraded to an F250 from my half ton after the second row and haven't looked back. With a travel trailer that size I wouldn't tow with anything less than a 3/4 ton rated truck or SUV (Excursion or 2500 Suburban). If you plan to travel into high altitudes you will likely want a forced induction engine as naturally aspirated get wheezy and weak.

My '17 EL pulls our 23 foot travel trailer great, fully loaded. Another 10 feet of trailer it can do, but it would be much more taxing on it .I am sure. That's simply a lot of moment it has to resist forwards and rearwards of the lateral pivot center of the trailer axles if any force like a gust of wind hits the trailer broad side. And a lot of weight. It can do it but running anything right at its limit is a challenge for it. That is a long trailer Length for a bumper pull.

I'd try the hitch stabilizer and see if there are weight reduction measures you can take. Run empty and buy food when you get there, for example. Don't pack things you don't plan to use.

chumpy said:

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The Propride 3P is an excellent hitch. We bought our TT over a year ago, about the same length as yours. Upgraded to an F250 from my half ton after the second row and haven't looked back. With a travel trailer that size I wouldn't tow with anything less than a 3/4 ton rated truck or SUV (Excursion or 2500 Suburban). If you plan to travel into high altitudes you will likely want a forced induction engine as naturally aspirated get wheezy and weak.

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Did you ever tow the TT w/ the 1/2 ton? I've read many posts online about the ProPride letting ppl tow 30-33 foot trailers w/ a 1/2 ton. I have no doubt my Expy can get the job done, if I can our payload under the limit; however, not sure I want to tow a TT right at our vehicles limit, especially w/ my family in it.

I did find a ProPride on CL and picked it up yesterday. It's brand new still in the box. Someone bought it but then switched to a 5th wheel and couldn't return it. I called ProPride, and they confirmed it was legit. I plan on installing later this week and taking the 1/2 ton out to test it. I also plan on going to look at a 3/4 ton truck or SUV if one is in the area.

Trying not to hijack the thread, but I would love some feedback.

We are in the same boat in that our older Suburban isn't really a towing vehicle. It's got the smaller axle and can't handle the weight.

We are buying a new SUV for my wife's DD as well as towing. Pulling the trigger in a 2015 King Ranch Expedition EL with the HD Towing package.

3.31 axle with the package shows 9200 gross trailer weight with 920lbs tongue weight. If we are looking at a 33.5' Jayco with a dry weight of my 6,245lbs, even accounting for another 1,000 in loaded capacity, we should be fine, right? It fits in line with OP's numbers, but I also looked at adding the 1400# Equal-i-zer hitch.

Should be all we need?

Whats the GVWR of the trailer? What is the tongue weight? Be warned that dry weights can be without propane or battery (seems to vary, mine were accurate) and can impact the tongue weight as well. Still, you can address this with airbags or Roadmaster active suspension - if available for your vehicle.

I've towed three different trailers with 4 different vehicles and can report you can generally "make it work" if at, or even slightly over, your recommended GVWR and GCWR. However, towing can be work and draining the longer distances you tow with something at limits, or if driving in hilly areas or interstates with lots of big rigs and having to go below speed limits. The more oversized the tow vehicle is relative to what it's towing, the more you get close to the "can't tell it's even back there" feeling people talk about.

The "make it work" solution is usually cheaper and gets you more trailer and works fine for shorter trips or if you don't tow much. The longer and more often you tow I'd suggest perhaps getting a trailer that may be a bit smaller than you'd prefer or getting a 3/4 ton tow vehicle.

GVWR of the trailer is 7500#, so it can handle a cargo weight of 1340#.

Hitch weight is 721#.

All the numbers look fine. If anything, just watch the tongue weight. The Equalizer hitch has very good reviews and with the EL version of the Expedition you should be fine with sway. I towed a 33 footer with similar numbers behind a 2005 Nissan Titan years ago and sway wasnt an issue. Most of my complaints were power/gearing related, and transmission got hot at times. That was when I went to the Excursion (with E rated tires, Roadmaster active suspension, engine upgrades) and could barely feel the trailer.

Initially we're going to be doing a lot of short trips, maybe West TX being the longest. Eventually we want to start making our way back up to CO, so hopefully I will have everything dialed in by then.