Excursion owners got cheated

[coldair]

Hi All, Us Excursion owners got cheated in the hitch department. My wife sold my 99 f350 lariat dually because she wanted more of family car to tow the boat, OK cool with me the dealer said it could tow almost what the dually could but carry more people. Yes the truck pulls well but the hitch is only class 3, that means 500 lb. tongue weight and 5000 lb. dead weight. So you say don't be cheap just go buy the class 5 hitch that you need. But here is the problem, because every Excursion comes with a class 3 hitch Nobody makes a heavy-duty replacement. You 250 and 350 owners are OK there is heavy duty hitches available for you but not the Excursion, Boy did we get cheated or what.
Now for those of you who say so what, just use that 5000 lb. hitch to tow a 6000 lb. boat you will be fine think of this, some nice person cuts you off while towing and someone dies. Their Lawyers will place blame on you, not Ford for " Improper use of your truck which resulted in the death of my drunk, bone head client who innocently violated your right of way ". Scary isn't it? Now please help get this resolved by complaining to your dealer ship and Ford. I love my truck and I do not want to drive a Ch*** just to tow safely. thanks Mike

------------------
2000 Excursion limited,psd,Diablo extreme, vdo tri guages, Eclispse,oz+orions 1200 watts PPI, ARB air locker front, Aubuorn ls rear 4:10's, 6" Skyjacker lift 35BFG KO's
Race Magnum Maghytech,NRA life IGFA

[allis]

I don't even know what class hitch my truck has on it and to tell you the truth it doesn't even bother me because on my old truck I know what hitch it had on and I towed more with it than it was rated at and it held up just fine. If your boat ways 6000lbs you would be ok with a 5000lbs.Trailer themselves are capable of handling 20% more than they are rated for safely. Just my 2 cents.

------------------
Y2K f250 SD PSD 6sp 4x4 WD turbo brake,Hypertech ppg-III,K&N filter,gooseneck,straight pipes, smittybilt nerf bars,and rancho steering stablizer

[DUKES2FORDS]

Coldair,
I see your point, that does suck. How come a 250 hitch won't fit the Ex???
Is it a different bumper or what??

I can't believe Ford would rate the Ex to tow up to 10,000 lbs, then cut that rating in half??? Ridiculous!
Have you checked all hitch manufacturers??
Reese, Valley, Hidden Hitch, Titan???
I know someone with an F-150 who has a hitch rated to tow more than that (my dad's F-150)

I wouldn't worry too much about towing/accident/lawers/lawsuit. They'll find some reason to sue you no matter what.

I asked my ambulance chaser brother in law about this, too.
He looked at my rig and said that there were SO MANY things that they can sue you for.
For example, how'bout the lockers?? Whose to say they didn't cause you to lose control of your vehicle?? How 'bout the oversized tires?? Whose to say they didn't cause your braking/handling to be compromised??

Not trying to scare you, but these are the things these scumbags look for. ANYTIME you modify a vehicle (lift kit, springs, tires, lockers, etc) it all has an effect on handling. Lawyers will point to YOU for making these changes in the vehicle.

We're all in the same boat (no pun intended).
I would think just adding a chip could make any of us liable since it changes performance characteristics.

Now that I've scared the be-jesus out of you , any chance of getting those 4:56's for a lower price???

Good luck finding a hitch. Let us know what happened.
Tow your boat anyway, enjoy your life.

I'll bet those hitches have a LARGE safety/overload factor built in. Just be careful till you get a beefier hitch.

Duke

------------------
'99 F-350 4x4
'99.5 F-450 4x4

[This message has been edited by DUKES2FORDS (edited 01-14-2001).]

[crewzer]

Link to topic in Towing & Hauling forum:
http://forums.ford-diesel.com/ubb/Fo...ML/000792.html

[JLester]

My Super-Duty F-350 is rated the same way: 5000lbs weight carrying or 10000lbs weight distributing. I don't see what the problem is? If you tow more than 5000, you should use a weight distributing setup. It tows better and is safer in my opinion.

Jason


------------------
Ford-Diesel.Com Webmaster
2000 F-350 Crew Cab Dually Lariat 6-speed 4x4
Black/Tan 4.10LS Fully-Loaded

[Troutly]

This is one of the reasons I decided not to get an X (as well as others).

Ford says that the receiver hitch is part of the under ride protection for the rear of the X. When I spoke to Reese about a Class V for the X, they said they don't want the liability as well as they did not feel this rig was built to handle over 10K in towing. I agree with them, it's much too soft.

The factory hitch is rated for 5000 weight carrying and 10000 weight distributing so that is how Ford touts the 10K rating.

[goldframe]

BUT WAIT…

My FoMoCo Excursion 2000 brochure says it has a “Class IV” hitch – if I remember correctly that means “Class 4” – NO?? and of course the brochure also says it’s rated to pull 10,000 lbs. max and it’s a load equalizing hitch.

I’m not towing yet but I bought it expressly, later, to pull a 9,000-lb. travel trailer.

I’ve towed a lot but it was a 4,000-lb. boat that I pulled with my Cadi. I really don’t have experience with the big stuff. I’m puzzled. HELP!!

------------------
00 Excursion LTD 4X4 PSD , Estate Green, Born 3/13/00 - Bought 9/21/00 - Code AXD0, Western Diesel, Diesel Turbo Life Saver, BFG Long Trail, K&N, Hellwig Rear, Pro Comp shocks & stabilizer, PS Diesel V8 “badges”, Husky Splash Guards, Locking Wheel Nuts

[tlphlps]

Confusion reigns! I know there are differences in the Excursion and the F-250 Super Duty, but I think too many have heard and believed rumors that the Excursion is a wimpmobile . . . NO WAY!

The Excursion bumper is 500/5000 and the hitch is a Class IV rated for 1000/10000 with an equalizer setup.

I pull well over 9000lb with my Excursion with no difficulty.

Terry

------------------
'00 EXCURSION XLT, White 4X4, PSD, 3.73 LS, Alum Wheels, Pwr/Htd TT Mirrors, Skidplate, K&N filter, PSD badging, Hypertech PPIII, Catch-all floormats, MPC bug deflector, Thule rack system, Bauer Cargo rack, Edelbrock IAS shocks, ProComp steering stabilizer.

[This message has been edited by tlphlps (edited 01-14-2001).]

[JMB3]

I towed 10,000 lbs. recently 1000 miles with no problems and will email a photo if you'd like to see the load.

[SmokeyWren]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by goldframe:
I’m puzzled. HELP!!

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The problem is likely only money.

He probably has a boat trailer with surge brakes, and he doesn't want to spend the money to trade for a trailer with electric over hydraulic brakes. Or to convert the brakes on the current trailer to a type of brakes that can be used with a weight-distributing hitch.

Most weight-distributing or equilizer hitches cannot be used with surge brakes.

So it's just a question of money.

------------------
Ole retired guy in west Texas with Darling Wife and Sierra Blanca - the white mountain of a '99.5 F250 PSD CrewCab. Click here to learn how your donation can help this website.

[coldair]

That is right Smoky, I tow aluminum boat trailers, and at a boat show yesterday, not one of over hundreds of boat trailers at the show had electric brakes. Also Load Master said no way with the equalizer bar, there was not one of those in sight either. Down here in the South we like to do things the right way so nothing short of a class v hitch will do, and because Ford decided to make the hitch part of a safety system then its up to Ford to provide the proper hitch.
For those who say I just towed 10000 lb. with no problem on a 5000 lb. hitch you need to call Naples hitch and ask about the accident with a Dodge towing a 10000 lb. load on the factory 5000 lb. hitch. it snapped right off the truck.
Duke the x frame slants down at the back, plus Ford put the same stupid hitch on your truck thanks again for the help. mike

------------------
2000 Excursion limited,psd,Diablo extreme, vdo tri guages, Eclispse,oz+orions 1200 watts PPI, ARB air locker front, Aubuorn ls rear 4:10's, 6" Skyjacker lift 35BFG KO's
Race Magnum Maghytech,NRA life IGFA

[shamuex2000]

Hitch Masters has a hitch for the Ex with a load-carrying rating of 10,000 gross, 1,200 tongue. It is a weld-on design. I found it by e-mailing to info@hitch-web.com.

[coldair]

shamuex2000, is this what you put on yours? how does it look ? any pics? thanks mike

------------------
2000 Excursion limited,psd,Diablo extreme, vdo tri guages, Eclispse,oz+orions 1200 watts PPI, ARB air locker front, Aubuorn ls rear 4:10's, 6" Skyjacker lift 35BFG KO's
Race Magnum Maghytech,NRA life IGFA

[shamuex2000]

I haven't ordered it yet. Unless someone else beats me to it, I'd be glad to share pics and details of the installation.

[fannyfoodle]

It's a Class IV!!

Say it with me..."Class Four".

It's not a class III or a class V, but a class IV, so the illustration about towing 10,000lbs on a 5,000lb hitch is moot...doesn't apply...not relevant.

Besides, if my primary consideration was with regard to towing, I think I would have done a little more research before buying ANYTHING!!