wowzii
Pittsburgh
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Joined: 05/16/2008
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Can I tow a 2008 Cougar Lite 29 foot trailer 6140 dry weight with my 2003 Expedition?
I am rated at 8650 with the 5.4 engine and 4x4.
I am a little concerned about the weight of the trailer.
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MudChucker
Winnipeg Manitoba
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Joined: 03/07/2008
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likley can tow it yes...
my truck was written off a few months back so Im using my farm truck to tow my 29 footer at the moment... 7750 gross, and im towing it with a 1991 f150 with a 302 in it... granted, im on the prairies, and Im not going more then 3 hours from home... but it tows it at 55 miles per hour easily enough... (8 mpg tho)
get a good WD hitch and try it...
2006 Springdale 292BHLS
2007 GMC Sierra 2500HD SLT 6.0
Friendly Manitoba's ATV Community
www.atvpathfinders.net
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SuperDutyMan
Western PA.
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Joined: 02/23/2008
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What gear ratio do you have?I pull my 08 Cougar 29RLS XLite with a SD with v-10 and and it's no problem at all.The wheelbase is a little short on a Expy.
* This post was
edited 05/16/08 06:44pm by SuperDutyMan *
2008 Keystone Cougar XLite 29RLS
2006 Super Duty V10 6 Speed 4.10S Tow Command Tow Pkg. 4X4
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fla-gypsy
North Florida
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Be concerned, be very concerned.
05 Super Duty XLT CC 5.4/3.73 5 sp auto Torqshift
06 Keystone Hornet 29 RLS/(The"Cracker Cabana")
Reese HP Dual Cam
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mm047
Green Valley, AZ
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I'd be scared to put those two together. I towed my Nash 22H with an '01 Expy for quite well, but it was only 24', only about 4300 dry, and 5500 loaded up. My Expy had the 2 valve 5.4, (260 hp) with 3.55 gears. The engine was OK for the load.
But at 29', your 119" wheelbase is too short.
M²
2000 Nash 22H
2008 F150 w/5.4
Equal-I-Zer, P3
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wowzii
Pittsburgh
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I think the gears are standard on the 5.4 Expedition. I have been towing a 2004 27foot hornet about 5000lbs dry. I have not had a problem at all. I am using an equalizer hitch, and have had no sway at all. I am wondering if 2 more feet and 1100 more lbs will change much in the equation.
Thank you everyone so far for your responses.
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Hornet28BHDS
Parker, PA
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Get a good hitch that is properly setup and I think you will be fine.
* This post was
edited 06/22/08 03:23pm by Hornet28BHDS *
2006 Hornet 28BHDS-Bunk House, Dual Slides
2006 Dodge Ram 2500 HD
5.7L Hemi, Factory Towing Package
Reese Brake Controller, WD Hitch and Sway Bar
Life is short, why not spend it in an RV!
SPRING HAS SPRUNG!
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wowzii
Pittsburgh
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Well,
Back from an 1100 mile trip with the new cougar. I have to say that I had no problems with towing this whatsoever. I am actually very surprised that I have little sway at all. I am using an equalizer hitch. I am glad that I listened to the majority of experienced rv'rs that told me it would be no problem. Thanks for everyone's advice.
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JaySki
Metro Detroit
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I pull a Cougar X-Lite 29BHS with a 2008 Silverado Crew Cab 1500, 3.73 gearing, 5.3L V8. I don;t have any issues other than she's a little slow to take off.
I use a Reese Dual Cam HP for WD and Sway.
Family is comfortable and a I am comfortable pulling it.
Would a 3/4 ton truck pull better? or a 4.10? or a V-10, Diesel powered rig? Of course! But the 1500 or 1/2 ton truck can do it. You'll struggle up the mountains, get crappy gas mileage, and be ridiculed all over here, but you are within the limits(although you'll be approaching them loaded).
As long as YOU are comfortable pulling it, then you are AOK. Take your time and enjoy!
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Mousefart
New Jersey
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wowzii wrote:Can I tow a 2008 Cougar Lite 29 foot trailer 6140 dry weight with my 2003 Expedition?
I am rated at 8650 with the 5.4 engine and 4x4.
I am a little concerned about the weight of the trailer.
Dry weight is meaningless (unless you plan on carying NOTHING inside the trailer). It is the GROSS weight (GVWR) of the trailer that is most important when selecting a tow vehcile.
The "weight police" crowd want you to have a Ford F350 Super Duty (diesel, of course) to pull your 2000 lb pop-up "safely". 
The other extreme crowd thinks it is perfectly safe to tow a fifth wheel with a Chevy S10 pickup as long as you put HD shocks in it.
In the middle of the two extemes is the 80% rule and is used by most people.
The 80% rule says that the GROSS weight of your trailer, should be no more than 80% of the maximum tow rating of your tow vehicle.
This is because the tow rating on most vehicles is with a SINGLE, 150 LB, DRIVER! That's it. By using the 80% rule, this allows you to load up the trailer, and actually BRING YOU FAMILY with you and put other cargo in the tow vehicle while still TOWING SAFELY.
My truck is rated to tow 6800 lbs. Going by the 80% rule means the maximum GROSS trailer weight that I could tow safely and still have decent towing performance with is 5440 lbs. This still allows me to carry passengers and throw a load of firewood and the grill in the bed of the pickup. Now my actual trailer GVWR is 3800 lbs so towing is a breeze for me even in the mountains, but I could go to a 24 to 26 ft trailer with no problem. 
Also remember that the perception of what is acceptable towing performance is different to different people. To some, if thier tranny downshifts at 70 mph while climbing a 10% grade, it is unacceptable (the testosterone crowd). To others, as long as they can make it to the top at 40 mph, that is acceptable.
For me, as long as I can maintain at least 55 mph on any Interstate grade (and yes, with the engine downshifted and reving up), that is acceptable to me.
* This post was
edited 06/22/08 11:05am by Mousefart *
Paul (Mouse)
2007 Flagstaff Shamrock 17 Hybrid (heavily modified for boondocking and winter camping).
2007 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab, 4.7L HO engine, Factory tow package, Equil-i-zer WD Hitch, Prodigy brake controller.
Yamaha EF2400 Generator.
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