You need to look into a class V hitch. Reese makes the tow beast. How heavy of a hitch do you need? It sounds like you will be WAY overloaded if you need a higher hitch capacity.
04 Lariat Supercrew 4x4,5.4,3.73, Edge tuner, flowmaster duals
06 Trail Bay 31BH, nicely optioned
Equal-i-zer
Prodigy
Follow vehicle, 05 KIA Sorento EX for the golden retrievers.
Reese does not list any hitches for the Excursion. GVRW on the trailer is 10,500# Tongue weight loaded is about 1,600# yes I know I need to upgrade the suspension.
WOW! I just searched on Putnams site, Reese's site and Hidden Hitch. NO ONE makes a hitch for your EX. That is just plain silly. You got a truck extremely capable of towing, and yet you cannot get a hitch for it. Thats messed up!
The reason your not finding a hitch for the Excursion, is the Excursion hitch is part of a safety system call a "Beam Blocker" that Ford has designed into the hitch.The Beam Blocker is designed to prevent cars from going under the back of the Excursion in the event of a Rear End Collision.
The only option that I'm aware of is a 20K lb Pull Rite Hitch System, I had a custom one on my last Excursion.
Good Luck and Happy Trails
2007 Dodge 3500 4X4 MC,SRW,CTD EB
2004 Citation 29NP
Equal-i-Zer
Yamaha EF2800i
Nascar24 A lengend in my own mind, A Scary thought in someone else's!
Nascar24 hit the nail on the head - nobody makes a replacement receiver for the Excursion, due to the liability involved (OEM receiver is part of safety design for the truck).
Thats not to say that removing or replacing it makes your truck unsafe or anything like that, just means no aftermarket hitch company wants the liability that is implied with removing something thats named as part of the safety design for a vehicle. Almost any custom hitch would serve the same safety purpose as the OEM receiver would, so I wouldnt worry about that.
It is possible to have one custom built, I know of at least one place in California (mentioned in your other thread), that makes one for the Excursion. A closer option for you, might be to talk to the folks in Canada at CanAm RV. I know they make a lot of custom hitches, they may well be able to do such for your Excursion. Look them up and see. Shoot Andy Thomson there an email, see what he says.
Only other option (and may well be best one for you) would be to purchase a 20K Pullrite hitch, and find a shop willing to replace the OEM hitch on your Ex with the Pullrite. Its not an easy job, you have to temporarily drop the fuel tank to get the OEM receiver off, but it can be done. I think thats what I'd do in your situation.
Also, as suggested in the other thread, with 1600 lbs of tongue weight...You need to be thinking about suspension upgrades. The axles, brakes, drivetrain, chassis, tires (assuming you have load range Es), etc. on your Ex. can handle the weight no problem. However, the leaf springs are a bit soft for that much weight and would be the weak link needing some attention. Replace them with F350 springs, or maybe install air bags or helper springs of some kind to beef them up, should take care of it. I think with 1600 lbs of tongue weight, I'd be looking for F350 leaf springs, they are a direct bolt-in replacement as I understand it.
Not only that, but with that much trailer weight and 3.73 gearing...I'd seriously consider upgrading the gears in your Ex to 4.30s. That bumps up your GCWR from 17,000 to 19,000 (might be 20000, dont recall). This V10 pulls much better when you give it 4.30 gearing, I think you need that with this much trailer.
Anyway, I think if you're willing to spend a few $$ on the Ex, this can be done and made to work real well. Good luck with it, and let us know what you end up doing.
Will & Angela
2 wonderful children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2003 Ford Excursion V10 4x4
2003 Thor Citation 33M, Hensley Arrow hitch, Brakesmart Brake Control
(wanna see? Here is a picture of it )
Thanks for all the help guys. I need the X for the people room for us and the dogs. That is why I turned in the 350 when the lease was up. I love the excursion and I hope I can make it work out I will let you know.
I do NOT like the installation methods of their hitch on the Excursion because I called them and asked them to REMOVE my OEM reciever and bolt on theirs...the can NOT...they will install it BELOW your factory receiver it hangs low...I've seen more than a few Ex's with them...Thankfully the Ex is high...but if you really want that much tongue weight...it's either this or drive the Ex to California for Eckhart to install one of his! There may be other ways as eluded to by Nascar and Will above to 'custom' install the pullrite...but when I called them directly...they would not do it for me!
Will hit the nail on the head about suspension mods with that much people and tongue load...I'd follow his advice.
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