Thanks for all the responses. I don't know if pulling the camper hurt my engine but it's just funny that it happened right after the last trip. It might be just bad luck but nonetheless it is a big camper that it honestly too big for my vehicle. I've finally admitted it and now I need to find a better solution. I'm going to start looking at gassers (Excursions and Trucks both interest me) but if a great Diesel comes along I won't hesitate to jump on it. Thanks.
I just traded in a V-10 Excursion that I used to pull a #8000 TT with for several years. It handled the job very well. I used a equalizer hitch on long trips but didn't really need it when we went to our local lake, about a fifty mile round trip. It would get about 10 mpg while towing but only got about 13-14 mpg not towing. Plenty of power and seated 7 comfortably as long as three were kids.
2009 Mobile Suites TKSB3
2008 Ford F-450 Superduty
2000 Jeep Wrangler toad
blt2ski wrote: AN Ex/Burb or a Van with the larger V8's or V10 motors would work fine. Not the best mpg's, but any of them would work. With larger families, even with smaller trailers one will need a larger TV and motor to have decent performance, as my family of 6, in the later teen yrs with 4 adult sized teens, the family ALONE weighed in at 1200-1300 lbs, add in trailer at 7000 lbs, and a TV, one needed a bigger rig to handle all the items being taken along.
If you do not put more than 15-20K miles on this rig in a given yr, a BB gas is the better choice over a diesel for cost per mile etc. UNLESS like all things great and small, you find a deal on a diesel, then go for it, but if the prices are greater than 3-4G or so, it will take you some 100K miles min to pay off the excess initial cost for the diesel.
Marty
I agree, and so far my 8.1 BB extended 12 passenger 3500 van is perfect for me. It ran even better than I expected on a vacation trip to Florida and back in hot weather with the AC on fully loaded and the engine temp stayed cool the whole trip. My PSD Excursion got about 30% better MPG but it was too small for trips with 9-12 people (8 adults,4 kids). The kids also like the larger 12.1" widescreen DVD player that I had installed than the 7" one that was in the Excursion.
It was a warped manifold that was causing my ticking. The dealership said they have seen a lot of F150's and Expeditions coming in with that problem and they didn't think towing the camper was to blame. I'm still looking at upgrading my TV though. Thanks for all the info.
I also recently "stole" an Excursion V-10 Limited. I am up in central MI right as I type this, and it pulled my Jayco 27BH like it was a small popup. They are a bargain right now.....
Bob
2009 Palomino Puma 26 FBSS
Blue Ox Sway Pro - Prodigy controller
2000 Ford Excursion Limited V-10
Bob, Sharon, Alex, and Sam
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a_colebank wrote: I had just enough power with the Expy and our next TV was going to be an older truck just for pulling the camper and winter diving so I don't want to invest too much money. Opinions needed.
I have had my X two years and only put about 5-7K miles on it a year. Only use it to tow or go to Home Depot or Lowes. (An 8ft sheet of plywood will fit in with doors closed.) Look around they can be had very reasonably with the V10. Good luck, John
2000 4X4 Excursion Limited 6.8V10, 4.30, 122,000 miles
Hellwig Rear Sway Bar
Roadmaster Active Suspension
2004 4X4 Expedition 5.4V8, 3.73 210,000 miles
2000 Coachmen 297 RKS
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