Travel Trailer

I am thinking of getting a 23 foot travel trailer(Jayco). It weighs 4200 pounds dry.t has a GVCW OF 5500 pounds. I have a 2008 Mercury Mountaineer with a v8 and the factory tow package. I know I need a brake controller and a weight distribution hitch. Anyhow anybody tow a trailer around this size? How did it go? How do I add a transmission temp gauge?

Thanks
Sanman

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I pulled one on flat ground with my 2001 v-8 Mountaineer, but it and your 08' are apples and oranges.

There is a couple of write ups in the stickies on the top of this forum you should read- brake controllers and transmission temp gauge.

 

[sanman68]

Nobody has towed with this setup? como'n guys give me some advice, tell me your stories. i know i need a weight distribution hitch and a brake controller. i also know i need to moniter the trans temp, but how will it tow a 21-23 foot travel trailer that weighs between 35-4500 pounds.

give a brother some advice.
sanman

 

[Flounder]

Watching as Mom & Pop are looking to get a 23-25 footer and tow with his V8 Adrenalin....

 

[Alkey3]

I have 2006 Explorer two wheel drive 4.6 with factory tow package. I had to buy it when my truck blew up on me out in the middle of New Mexico. I had my camper with me. I had to get back to Illinois. My old truck was 2002 Dakota Quad Cab with a 4.7 with a tow package and Superchips tuner with a tow program installed. It towed strait and what I thought was quite easily. Oh yeah, the Travel Trailer was 19ft Puma with a dry weight just over 4000 with a weight distribution hitch with sway control. Anyways I hooked up to my explorer and it was night and day. The explorer pulled it so much easier the only thing I didn't like was the fact that I had alot of sway I didn't have with the truck but that is easily fixed with a different sway control. As for the brake controller I don't have one installed on the explorer yet but it did ok without it. I will have the one from my truck installed soon. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

 

[v8merc]

I have an 06 Mountaineer 4.6 with the factory tow package. I just purchased a 19 ft. Jayco TT that weighs about 4000lbs empty. I havent towed it yet. Picking up trailer this Saturday. After all the people I have talked to and the research I have done on this site, I think you will be fine. You're doing the most important things by getting the electric brake controller and weight dist/anti sway hitch installed. The longest trailer I have seen being towed by an Ex on this site was a 23 foot TT. However, a friend who is also an Ex enthusiast told me today he saw an Ex towing what had to be a 30 ft TT with no weight dist hitch. Said the rear end barely looked like it was sagging. IMO, thhe Ex/Mounty with the factory tow pack is a pretty formidable setup. I will post up more impressions post tow.

 

[sanman68]

Awesome

V8merc,
Please let me know how it goes. We really like the jayco213 but we are really looking hard at the trailmanor elkmont. We could easily tow the elkmont and we would go farther while saving on gas. Still not sure but I want know for sure I can tow the trailer before I buy it.

Thanks
Sanman

 

[v8merc]

I sure will. In the meantime, check this out. I really think you and I will be fine based on this.

http://www.campinglife.com/output.cfm?id=2242963

 

[infiend]

Folks decided on this: Despite the model number, it's about a 22 footer travel trailer rental.

I'll be installing (i.e., plugging in) a Tekonsha P3 sometime this week. Going to install the unit in the center console (route the wires through the tunnel and under the dash) in lieu of drilling/screwing/installing velcro on any part of the dash. Gotta say that the fact Ford pre-wired its vehicles with tow packages for brake controllers is a huge thumbs up.

Also going to install an auxiliary cooler with electric fan. Can't beat the $100 or so for the protection it provides.

Biggest complaint is no one makes decent vehicle-specific mirrors for 2007+ Explorers/Tracs. Looks like they'll have to go with the ones that strap to the door.

its a tough choice but you cant go wrong with gettign exactly what you want

 

[v8merc]

^^huh??^^

 

[roverz]

Here is a great all in one device that i run on my explorer for towing (light duty) and crawling.

http://www.amazon.com/ScanGauge-Com...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1281557926&sr=8-1

Gives me Tran temp, Water temp, Air Inlet temp

And a whole host of things under the sun.

 

[Flounder]

Folks decided on this: http://keystone-premier.com/index.php?page=floorplans&model=19FBPR&year=2011 Despite the model number, it's about a 22 footer.

I'll be installing (i.e., plugging in) a Tekonsha P3 sometime this week. Going to install the unit in the center console (route the wires through the tunnel and under the dash) in lieu of drilling/screwing/installing velcro on any part of the dash. Gotta say that the fact Ford pre-wired its vehicles with tow packages for brake controllers is a huge thumbs up.

Also going to install an auxiliary cooler with electric fan. Can't beat the $100 or so for the protection it provides.

Biggest complaint is no one makes decent vehicle-specific mirrors for 2007+ Explorers/Tracs. Looks like they'll have to go with the ones that strap to the door.

 

[v8merc]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.amazon.com/CIPA-11954-Suc.../dp/B0019IL6EQ

As far ar mirrors, I went with this for now. They were cheap (abot 20 bucks each) and are so easy to install/de-install. Another bonus is that once they are installed, you can use your power mirrors on the vehicle to adjust them.Put them on the truck and went for a ride with no camper and the vibration was bearable.

 

[v8merc]

http://www.stewartsrv.com/new_vehic...2010J7I54I01JPMQ3706R0&veh=147957&pov=1387323

That is a nice looking trailer! This is what I will be picking up on Saturday.

 

[sanman68]

Flounder,

Do you know the weight of that unit?

Sanman

 

[Flounder]

Supposed to be about 4,000 due to the slider. It's been a little pain as it's a new unit, so they've had to use larger units to get a feel for the design and base Bullets to get a feel for the size. But, apparently one is either almost built or starting to be built for them. Not quite sure until it arrives on the dealer's lot.

 

[v8merc]

Towed the new TT home yesterday. About 100 miles down all types of roads, i.e. interstate, small town, suburban strip mall, etc., etc..Mountaineer did great. I was alot more comfortable just generally manuvering around the streets and in traffic than I thought I would be. Handled the steep hills pretty well. Hard to back this sucker up. Practice practice pracice. Sway was what I would consider minimal, but again, this was my first time towing anything. I have weight dist. hitch with sway control and I guess it was doing its job. More on this later.

 

[sanman68]

Wdh

V8Merc

What WDH did you get and what are you using for sway control? Do you think it is working? I wasd thinkong of the equal-liz-zer brand.

 

[v8merc]

My wdh is a Valley product goood for up to 800 lbs. tongue weight. Cant remember what sway control is. Towed the thing out of my driveway to the storage area and the sway control kept locking up. I know its my fault. Need to learn the ins and outs of adjusting it. It will come with time. I will say this, the Mounty with the tow package must have some pretty stout springs. When we put the weight of the trailer on it the first time, it only went down about an inch. Of course, the wdh brought it right back up, but I give kudos to the Ford engineers for designing this vehicle. After towing with it, I have gained even more appreciation for it.

 

[thebrakeman]

http://www.amazon.com/CIPA-11960-Un..._2?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1281992723&sr=8-2
I've been using these mirrors for the last 8 years on our minivan towing the popup (just bought the Mounty and hopefully a hybrid camper next spring). They have never slipped out of position on me, including our 1900 miles round trip last year. I keep the normal mirror adjusted like normal, and the CIPA mirrors so I can see just a little bit behind the camper. Yes they vibrate a little, but if you look at them long enough for that to bother you, you are going to rear end somebody! Side mirrors are for quick glances anyway.

For the WDH, I've heard great things about the Equil-i-zer (with integrated sway control). Whenever I get our hybrid, that's what I'll be getting. I think they have them in 600, 800, 1000, and 1200 lb versions (max tongue weight).