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Old 03-25-2022, 07:44 PM   #1
NikkiG
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Default New here and need advice

We are in the market for a Trailmanor but we have literally never towed anything in our lives. We own a Ford Expedition that we will use to tow it. My husband and I have researched but we are still in the dark on what exactly we even need to tow this thing. We have a tow hitch but there seem to be so many options and we are clueless.
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Old 03-26-2022, 01:07 AM   #2
Larryjb
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What year Expedition do you have?

Brake controller: your Expedition might possibly have a trailer brake controller already built in or installed. If not, you will need one.

Mirrors: I know a lot of people use the existing mirrors (sometimes they extend out for towing). Whatever you have, it is a legal requirement to be able to see the same point 200' behind your trailer. Most stock mirrors won't do that so you may need mirrors.

Tow ball: this may seem silly, but your Expedition will have a receiver (the open square thing coming out from around the rear bumper), but you need to make sure you have the right ball to use. You probably already have a 2" ball. Later, you might want to invest in a weight distributing hitch. Even though your Expedition may not "squat" with a trailer hooked up (when the rear end sags with a trailer hooked up), there is still of lot of extra weight sitting on the rear axle, wheels, and tires. A WDH will literally transfer some of that weight to the front axle and improve handling and safety. Don't forget that when travelling, you won't have just the weight of the trailer on your rear axle. You will have all your passengers in the rear seats (possibly), and your gear. I actually overloaded the rear axle of my Tahoe one year, which has a similar towing capacity as your Expedition. That said, it's not something you need to get right away.

Good luck!
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Old 03-26-2022, 08:38 AM   #3
Wavery
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NikkiG View Post
We are in the market for a Trailmanor but we have literally never towed anything in our lives. We own a Ford Expedition that we will use to tow it. My husband and I have researched but we are still in the dark on what exactly we even need to tow this thing. We have a tow hitch but there seem to be so many options and we are clueless.
The Ford Expedition is a GREAT choice for towing a TM (depending on year/miles and condition). I doubt very much that you will need a WDH on that vehicle unless it is very high mileage or you have a ton of passengers and cargo.

The one thing that many neglect is getting the transmission serviced before starting to tow if your Expedition has 50K+ miles on it. It's a good idea to have the brakes and tires checked before towing. If it has 100K+ miles, it's a good idea to have the brake fluid flushed.

When you find your TM, be sure that it has working brakes on the trailer and that the tires are under 5-years-old. The tire manufacturer puts a DOT date code on every tire. Be sure to check them (including the spare).
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Old 04-04-2022, 10:56 AM   #4
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We towed our 2619 with an Expedition for almost 2 decades. It's a great tow vehicle for this trailer.
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