What Size Travel Trailer Can A Ford Expedition Pull?

That Ford Expedition that you bought is a beautiful vehicle, and you are really looking forward to getting out on the road with it. So, what is going to be the best travel trailer choice for you? We've done the research to bring you the answer. 

Depending on the model and the type of hitch the vehicle is equipped with, a Ford Expedition can pull between 6,000 and 9,300 pounds. The Expedition can pull between 6,000 to 9,300 pounds, and the Expedition MAX can pull between 6,300 and 9,000 pounds. 

There are other things to consider than just the maximum towing capacity, and we are going to have a look at those here. We are also going to present you with some ideas for great trailers that you can buy to go with your Ford Expedition. So be sure to keep reading. 

A travel trailer in an RV park, What Size Travel Trailer Can A Ford Expedition Pull?

Model Towing Capacity

The actual towing capacity determines whether your Ford Expedition can pull your trailer of choice. Let's begin with the figures, as provided by Ford here.

Model 4x2 4x4
2021 Expedition 6,600 lbs 6,500 lbs
2021 Expedition MAX 6,600 lbs 6,500 lbs
Towing Capacity With Heavy-Duty Trailer Towing Package
2021 Expedition 9,300 lbs 9,200 lbs
2021 Expedition MAX 9,000 lbs 9,000 lbs

 

Ford Expedition in an auto show

Dry Weight Vs. Real Weight

When you are looking at dry weight, what you are looking at is the travel trailer with absolutely nothing in it, no water or anything.

Add in the water that you may be able to take in the tanks, any propane you may need, and any other equipment, which seems to add up to about 1,500 lbs for an average RVer. With those components, you have the real weight, or gross weight.

You need to know what both are for your trailer so that when you are thinking about purchasing one, you know whether or not the trailer is going to come in under the maximum towing capacity that your Expedition has. To be safe, you are also going to want to make sure that you have some amount of cushioning between the real weight of the trailer and the towing capacity. This gives you a safety margin.

Tongue Weight Capacity

Tongue capacity is the downward force that the tongue of the trailer applies to the hitch of the tow vehicle. This is a great indicator of the amount that you can safely tow with your vehicle.

The tongue weight capacity needs to be between 10% and 15% of the load that you are towing. So, with a weight of 4,000 lbs, you want a tongue weight capacity between 400 and 600 lbs.

Why Is Cushioning A Great Idea?

Cushioning allows for not only any weight that you add during your trip but also gives you some leeway in non-optimum conditions. Pushing it right up to the limit assumes that you are going to have perfect conditions the whole way.

Whereas calculating your dry weight and your real weight are easy. Seeing where they are in relation to your towing capacity means that the amount of cushion that you want to leave is something that is more about personal preference.

A lot of people talk about leaving a 10% or 20% margin. Some RVers are looking at the duration of the journey or any terrain that they are going through to determine how much cushion they are going to need. Mountainous area? Allow more. Going to be doing a lot of towing? RVers are recommending to allow a little more.

Exceeding the towing capacity is strongly advised against. In the short term, it could put you at risk if you have also exceeded your vehicle's braking capacity. And if you are new to towing a trailer, it is definitely going to make it harder to steer. You are not just putting yourself at risk either, you could be endangering others on the road.

The long-term effects could be tire problems, damage to the trailer’s frame, and even engine issues.

5 Great Lightweight Travel Trailers For Your Ford Expedition

Jayco Jay Flight

This great travel trailer has a large residential shower with a glass door and also has a foot flush porcelain toilet, a medicine cabinet, and a power vent. It has a dry weight of 3,715 lbs, and a 19 ft box length. It is the lightest of our entries, and this measurement is not driven up too much by the various configurations that are available.

Click here to see more about this travel trailer.

R-Pod

The next heaviest trailer is this beautiful entry from Forest River, which weighs in with a dry weight of 3,786 lbs. You get the option of a queen-sized bed, or bunks with storage, and a dinette. There are some great configurations that are available that do not affect the dry weight significantly but are going to increase your comfort levels. This entry is 17 ft long.

Click here to see more on this travel trailer.

Rockwood Mini-Lite

Our third trailer is 25 ft box and 29 ft total and is 4,800 lbs without gear and water. There are 10 different configurations that you can choose from. This means there is some variation in this model, but it is definitely not going to pose a problem for your Ford Expedition. You get wifi, a microwave, tinted bonded frameless windows, and some other great features as standard.

Click here to see more on this travel trailer.

Coleman Lantern 244BH

Our fourth entry weighs 5,541 lbs and is 27' 7" long, and sleeps 6-8. There are a number of configurations that are available within the towing capacity range of your Expedition. It can sleep up to 10, it has a 13,500 BTU air conditioner, backup camera prep, foot pedal flush toilet, and some other wonderful details.

Click here to see more on this travel trailer.

Salem Hemisphere 24BH

This entry is a little bit heavier than the other entries, at 5,118 lbs dry, but it is designed to be wind-resistant, and give you a smoother ride and better gas mileage. You are going to have to think with its real weight and whether it is going to totally work with your towing capacity.

It comes with some great standard features like push-back recliners, oversized bunks, tall wardrobes, etc. You can get a dinette, an exterior kitchen/bar, and an extra-large refrigerator as an option, just to name a few things. It is 24ft long, and it looks great.

Click here to see more on this travel trailer.

Need more suggestions? Check out this post: Which travel trailers are the lightest?

How Does The Expedition Compare To Other Suvs When It Comes To Towing Capacity?

As you will see from the comparison table below, the Ford Expedition leads the pack by a very respectable margin. This is great news for anyone that is using it to tow an RV because that huge towing capacity totally opens up the range of RVs that you can choose from. You can pull some of the heavier RVs out there and you are not going to have to worry about coming anywhere near your towing capacity.

Bear in mind though that this is the towing capacity after it has been increased, and that without the optional Heavy Duty Towing Package, you are looking at a maximum towing capacity that comes in under the lowest amount of its competitors. You are going to have to judge whether that extra expense is worth it or not. Given the options in different RVs, it opens up for you.

Towing Capacity Comparison Table

Ford Expedition 9,300 Lbs
Dodge Durango SRT 8,700 Lbs
Lincoln Navigator 8,300 Lbs
Chevrolet Tahoe / GMC Yukon 8,400 Lbs
Infiniti QX80 / Nissan Armada 8,500 Lbs
Land Rover Discovery 8,201 Lbs
Toyota Land Cruiser 8,100 Lbs
Range Rover / Range Rover Sport 7,716 Lbs
Audi Q7 7,700 Lbs
Mercedes-Benz AMG G 63 7,000 Lbs

 

You can read more in our post: What's the best SUV for towing a travel trailer?

What Hitch Can You Use With A Ford Expedition?

You need a Class 3 trailer hitch with your Ford Expedition. A receiver hitch is pretty easy to install if you are a first-time user, and also a great option for anyone that wants an easy installation.

Lots Of Towing Power Means Lots Of Options

The Ford Expedition is a beautiful-looking and very powerful vehicle, and that may be enough to sell you on it as the best option for you when it comes to towing your RV around. Add in that optional towing package and the Expedition leaps out ahead of its competitors with towing capacity. The extra amount it affords is no joke when it comes to increasing the different types of RV that you can pull comfortably behind your vehicle.

The Ford Expedition doesn’t get the best gas mileage compared to other SUVs on the market, 17 mpg in the city, and 22 mpg on the highway, and that is obviously going to be affected by how much weight you are pulling. It is a really dependable and powerful vehicle that is designed to get you out on the road, and able to take your RV with you, without having to worry that you are going to be pushing the vehicle to capacity.

Suggested Reading

If you're planning on towing a travel trailer, we think you'll find these posts interesting as well -

How Fast Can You Safely Drive Towing An RV?

How To Prevent Travel Trailer Sway

15 Travel Trailer Towing Tips Every Driver Should Know

What Size Trailer Can A Chevy Tahoe Pull?

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