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Old 05-24-2020, 06:45 PM   #1
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26BH and Expedition EL

First post but have been lurking for a while and already picked up a ton of helpful information researching a new TT, so thanks in advance!! I’ve narrowed it down to a few options with the 26BH / 264BH at the top of the list. I have experience towing but want to make sure my TV is capable of handling this trailer. Specifically:

Jayco 26BH / 264BH
Equalizer 1000/10000 Hitch
2012 Ford Expedition Limited EL
  • HD Tow Package (trans cooler, brake controller)
  • 3.73 gears
  • Air Suspension
  • LT tires

I’m comfortable with the loaded weight of the TT as I’ve towed a 5000+ pound boat/trailer and I can manage the payload limitations of the Expedition with proper WD. What has me a bit concerned is the stability and safety of highway towing with the 26’ box and 29’ overall trailer length of the 26BH paired with the 131” wheelbase and relatively soft suspension of the Expedition.

Does anyone have any real-world experience with a setup similar to this? The 26BH is such a great value, but if towing it will be overly stressful every time a crosswind hits 10mph or a semi passes I’ll go with something shorter. I know a PP or Hensley hitch would eliminate sway, but if this TT/TV combo needs a $2800 hitch to be safe and stable then I’d prefer to just go shorter.

Thanks for any feedback!

DAN
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Old 05-24-2020, 08:45 PM   #2
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Starting point is to check the yellow sticker in the driver's door jamb, see what your payload is, then go from there, most vehicles run out of payload well before they run out of towing capacity. With a gross weight of 6000# the 264BH will likely have a real world tongue weight of around 800+#. Payload and towing numbers you see online and in brochures are not specific to any particular vehicle, the numbers in the door are. Using a WD hitch while, by definition, re distributes tongue weight it does nothing for changing the payload capacity of your vehicle, except to actually use up payload by virtue of it's own weight. As an example if your payload is#1000 and your family weighs 400#, and your WD weighs 50# total, then all you have left for tongue weight is #550 minus anything else you put in your vehicle. Happy Camping, stay safe.
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Old 05-25-2020, 05:39 PM   #3
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Man I think you are more than OK with that setup. The 26BH is not a massive trailer, and it is manageable with something like an Expedition. Are there things you could do to improve the towing experience? Absolutely. Air bags and LT rated tires would be my first recommendation, second only to making sure your hitch is properly dialled in.

Heck, I ran into a guy towing a 29RLS across the country with a newer Expedition. That's a big heavy trailer. He was probably over his hitch and rear axle rating but didn't seem to complain about anything.
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Old 05-25-2020, 06:22 PM   #4
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I have the 2012 Ford Expedition EL. When I had the 26BH I didn't have any issues towing. BUT, I did wish I would have had the Equalizer 4 point sway hitch. Never really needed to use the TOW/HAUL mode button on the shifter.
Now, I have a 28BHBE and my Expedition pulls that easily as well. Yes, I am at my limits with this trailer. AND, with the Equalizer Hitch, No sway problems at all like I had with the round bar, chain and sway control bar.

By the way, when you set up your hitch, make sure the nose of the trailer is just very slightly nose low.
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Old 05-28-2020, 09:41 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by AndyO View Post
Starting point is to check the yellow sticker in the driver's door jamb, see what your payload is, then go from there, most vehicles run out of payload well before they run out of towing capacity. With a gross weight of 6000# the 264BH will likely have a real world tongue weight of around 800+#. Payload and towing numbers you see online and in brochures are not specific to any particular vehicle, the numbers in the door are. Using a WD hitch while, by definition, re distributes tongue weight it does nothing for changing the payload capacity of your vehicle, except to actually use up payload by virtue of it's own weight. As an example if your payload is#1000 and your family weighs 400#, and your WD weighs 50# total, then all you have left for tongue weight is #550 minus anything else you put in your vehicle. Happy Camping, stay safe.
Thanks for your reply and information! I think your numbers are very accurate and point to the Achilles Heel of the Expedition - the payload. We always take 2 vehicles on our trips and it will (almost) always be just me and the Expedition with the trailer for that reason. Next TV will probably be a F250 capable of taking all 3 of us at one time.
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Old 05-28-2020, 09:44 PM   #6
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Man I think you are more than OK with that setup. The 26BH is not a massive trailer, and it is manageable with something like an Expedition. Are there things you could do to improve the towing experience? Absolutely. Air bags and LT rated tires would be my first recommendation, second only to making sure your hitch is properly dialled in.

Heck, I ran into a guy towing a 29RLS across the country with a newer Expedition. That's a big heavy trailer. He was probably over his hitch and rear axle rating but didn't seem to complain about anything.
Yeah I was thinking the same thing. But I've towed pontoon boats with a Jeep Grand Cherokee where I wasn't sure I would live through it even though the numbers worked. Will definitely dial in the WDH and make sure it's all good before travels! I'll come back and post my findings.
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Old 05-28-2020, 09:48 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by RAurand View Post
I have the 2012 Ford Expedition EL. When I had the 26BH I didn't have any issues towing. BUT, I did wish I would have had the Equalizer 4 point sway hitch. Never really needed to use the TOW/HAUL mode button on the shifter.
Now, I have a 28BHBE and my Expedition pulls that easily as well. Yes, I am at my limits with this trailer. AND, with the Equalizer Hitch, No sway problems at all like I had with the round bar, chain and sway control bar.

By the way, when you set up your hitch, make sure the nose of the trailer is just very slightly nose low.
I've been tempted to jump right into a 28 like you have or something with a slide or two, but I'm going to wait to see how it goes with this "smaller" one. I will definitely make sure the WDH is dialed in with the nose low. Thanks for the response!
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Old 05-29-2020, 03:54 PM   #8
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What is the payload of your Expedition? It's printed on a sticker on the inside door jamb of the driver's door.
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Old 05-29-2020, 05:10 PM   #9
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What is the payload of your Expedition? It's printed on a sticker on the inside door jamb of the driver's door.
My Expedition is imported from Canada - it's an "Expedition MAX" which is the same as the Expedition EL in US - weird, I know. It doesn't have a yellow sticker but does have an import sticker showing GVWR 7720. The vehicle itself weighs 6028 lb which would imply a 1692 lb payload rating. However, I've seen payloads listed as low as 1530 for similar vehicles for some reason so I'll go with the lower number.

So assuming a 1530 payload and 890 (have also seen 920) max tongue weight I calculate the following:

4610 lb dry weight 264BH (470 lb dry hitch weight)
5400 lb max expected loaded weight

540 lb (10%) - 810 lb (15%) tongue weight

TV Hitch Tongue Capacity: Adding in the 100 lb Equalizer WDH moves the weight on the hitch to 640 - 910 lbs depending on tongue weight of the TT. So I'll need to make sure the TT is loaded so that there is less than 810 lb tongue weight to stay within the limits of the hitch. That should be no problem.

TV Worst Case Cargo Capacity: 1530 (TV max payload) - 910 (worst case tongue weight) = 620 lb carrying capacity of TV. I'm 70 lb larger than the tiny estimated 150 lb driver for GVWR so reduce it to 550 lb. This would allow for the usual 2 passengers I may have (wife and kid) and still be within the capability of the Expedition.

I plan to take it to the CAT scales before traveling and I have a tongue weight scale at home.

This look reasonable? Thanks for helping!

DAN
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Old 07-02-2020, 12:33 PM   #10
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Here's some info for you.

I have a 2013 26BH that, loaded for a long trip, weighs 6200 lbs with 760 lbs on the tongue measured on a CAT scale. The water tanks were empty. Note that the 26BH can carry over 750 lbs of fresh water all of it ahead of the axles.

The 2012 F150 that I towed it with had a 1588 payload rating. It makes me think that your Expedition will be lower than 1530 lbs. Check again for that door sticker with the payload info. Canadian vehicles do have it by law. I doubt that someone peeled it off.

When you're calculating the Expedition's payload you do not get a free 150 lbs for the driver. That is for the tow rating not the payload rating. Everything added to or in the Ex is deducted from the payload including the driver's full weight. Best bet is to load up as for a trip and weight the Exp to figure exactly what your remaining payload. A $10 weigh may well help you decide that the larger trailer you want is possible with the Exp.
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Old 07-03-2020, 10:22 PM   #11
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Here's some info for you.

I have a 2013 26BH that, loaded for a long trip, weighs 6200 lbs with 760 lbs on the tongue measured on a CAT scale. The water tanks were empty. Note that the 26BH can carry over 750 lbs of fresh water all of it ahead of the axles.

The 2012 F150 that I towed it with had a 1588 payload rating. It makes me think that your Expedition will be lower than 1530 lbs. Check again for that door sticker with the payload info. Canadian vehicles do have it by law. I doubt that someone peeled it off.

When you're calculating the Expedition's payload you do not get a free 150 lbs for the driver. That is for the tow rating not the payload rating. Everything added to or in the Ex is deducted from the payload including the driver's full weight. Best bet is to load up as for a trip and weight the Exp to figure exactly what your remaining payload. A $10 weigh may well help you decide that the larger trailer you want is possible with the Exp.
Thanks for the info! You are correct about everything - found the door sticker showing only 1381 lb payload. Ended up with a different trailer (see next reply if interested) that is close in weight but a little shorter.
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Old 07-03-2020, 10:46 PM   #12
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Thanks to everyone for helping me find a suitable TT and understand the limitations of my TV. I really appreciate people taking the time to help out the new guy.

The 26BH was sold when I got to the dealer, but I ended up with a 2015 KZ Sportsmen Show Stopper 242SBHSS that looks almost new. It's similar in weight to the 26BH but a little shorter. Dealer installed a Husky Centerline TS WDH that performed extremely well and is easy to hook and unhook.

My Expedition towed the KZ from Detroit to Colorado Springs for a work assignment last week (~1350 miles). Super easy to tow and completely stress free drive (until hitting the crazy construction and potholes between Denver and Colorado Springs on I-25). Was very stable even at 70mph, but cruised at around 62-65mph most of the time. I was shocked to get almost 10mpg for the trip. Been living in this thing for the last 9 days and it's been great, everything works flawlessly! My wife and kid are jealous and waiting for them to let me return to Michigan so they can use it!

Side note: Flushing out the black tank (which was not completely empty at purchase lol) was quite the experience. Took a ton of Nebraska KOA campground water to flush it out, but I even got the fill sensors to work again!
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