[jeepermike]

It's a long story, but I need advice, I had to leave my 2001 Excursion 400 miles from home. I blew my transmission while on vacation. Now I need to go get it. Has anyone ever flat towed one of these. or used a tow dolly ? , or am I limited to using a 10,000 pound car hauler and towing it home that way....? thanks in advance.

 

[mykidsarebrats]

drive a little car out to get it and pull the little car back on a uhaul with the X. Make sure the trans works.

 

[Believer45]

Are you getting it after repairs completed or bringing it home to fix?

Would make a difference in the return trip.

Dave / Believer45

 

[cbmoore]

I would put on a trailer to bring home if it is not drivable. If it is fixed I would drive a small car and rent a uhaul trailer to tow it back with the X like mentioned before.

Good Luck,
Brian Moore

 

[larry_minn]

I have to make many (assuptions) as you didn't give info. I (assume) you want to haul it home and have it fixed locally? (any reason?) My friend had a semi tractor (loose) its tranny out East. He had another truck race out there (tractor only) to finish run then had a second tractor go to pull broken down one home. Then he fixed it. In hind sight he would have been $$$ ahead to have it fixed where it happened, Rented a tractor for his driver to continue with, and be done in days instead of getting it home and fixing it himself. Of course 400 miles is much less, you don't have driver/load stranded/etc and maybe you have a buddy/trusted tranny shop. (all excellent reasons)
Anyway what do you have to tow it with? IMO a half ton with 5.4l is minimum tow unit. (The ex is what? 7500lbs?) (I don't have any idea what they weigh) So a simple rental trailer 18-20' tandem 5k(or more) axle should be fine. Drive in evening loaded if possible (cooler and less traffic)
I am NOT a fan of tow dolly/4 wheel down. I highly doubt the EX is rated for 4 wheel down over 45mph and 50 miles. (check with dealership)

 

[andre7910]

My dads 01 EX blew a tranny about 40 miles from the house with 2 horses in a horse trailer. He called me I went out and picked the horses up and him with my 92 F-250 hauled them home and borrowed my friends gooseneck and went and got it and brought it home. the gooseneck trailer was about 25 feet long and that ex took just about all the trailer to haul it.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

That would take a real heavy tow dolly, not one of those $800 specials.

Unbolt the rear driveshaft and dolly away.

 

[jeepermike]

Sorry, I did not give enough info. my Excursion is sitting 400 miles from home with a bad tranny. I would like to get it home to have it fixed. I tried to drive it, however tranny slipped and it wont make it...need info on flat towing or tow bar use or just loading it on a trailer and going..? thanks

 

[arisley]

400 miles, trailer.

 

[MOUNTAINMAN444]

I vote trailer. That's a long way to tow with the wheels down. I never liked the tow dollies any way though.
Joe

 

[amunderdog]

400 miles is a good distance.
The Vehicle in question is very large and heavy.
My self ?????
1> Put it on a trailer
2> Haul a replacement trans to it and change it where it sets.

 

[Leader]

My first thought was trailer. Towing 4 flat will damage the transmission. Oh !!! The trans is ALREADY shot. Wouldn't matter then. Tow it anyway you want.
If a trailer is available, that is usually the easiest way to transport any vehicle. And what I would do.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Just because the transmission is not functional does not mean you can tow it with wheels on the ground. At best you will ruin hard parts that are not replaced in a rebuild, at worst the output shaft will lock up locking up the rear wheels.

The only time I will tow wheels down is a tow of a few miles (and in that case only if necessary), or a local tow that's going to the junkyard.

 

[Dualie]

If you MUST flat tow it pull the driveshaft. with the drive shaft disconnected and the front end unlocked it will flat tow fine. I wouldn't flat tow it with anything LESS than a CC DRW 1ton or your asking for disaster. Is it really worth wrecking your 40K EX and whatever your using to drag it just to save a couple of hundred bucks on towing?

I had a friend that used his 100 mile AAA towing to get his truck towed 300 miles. he just told them to haul it 100 miles and drop it. then called it in to AAA again and had it hauled the next 100 miles by a different company.

 

[Snowman269]

I've never towed a vehicle very far with a towbar. Why would you need a dually if you disconnect the rear driveshaft on the towed vehicle & use a tow bar to tow safely?

Just FYI, I have loaded my X on a trailer behing my F250 & vice versa. You will be overloaded slightly & you will know it. I'm thinking the Tow bar would be better. Just don't know about the dually & if it's needed. Obviously a Dually will tow better in most situations. I'd have one if they weren't so poor in snow.

 

[Dualie]

[ QUOTE ]
I've never towed a vehicle very far with a towbar. Why would you need a dually if you disconnect the rear driveshaft on the towed vehicle & use a tow bar to tow safely?

Just FYI, I have loaded my X on a trailer behing my F250 & vice versa. You will be overloaded slightly & you will know it. I'm thinking the Tow bar would be better. Just don't know about the dually & if it's needed. Obviously a Dually will tow better in most situations. I'd have one if they weren't so poor in snow.

[/ QUOTE ]
pushes back.

Because my excursion weighs over 7,000 lbs and its a two wheel drive.

When towing with a tow bar YOU HAVE NO BRAKES other than the tow vehicles. when you step on the brakes with any sort of force that excursion is going to push back pretty damn hard.

Your going to wish your brought a bigger truck when that excursion pushes back.

 

[arisley]

Yep, but the real man way to do it would be pull the driveshaft on the Ex, and pull it with a chain. You will have brakes.

 

[jeepermike]

Thanks guys, that was the kind of info I was looking for, I will either rent a truck and trailer, or pay to have a transport move it for me, I dont like the idea of not having no brakes if I flat tow or dolly it. I will keep everyone posted...Thanks again, Mike

 

[larry_minn]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks guys, that was the kind of info I was looking for, I will either rent a truck and trailer, or pay to have a transport move it for me, I dont like the idea of not having no brakes if I flat tow or dolly it. I will keep everyone posted...Thanks again, Mike

[/ QUOTE ]

You WILL have brakes if you put it on a trailer with brakes. Either a older trailer with surge brakes or newer one with hyd/electric/etc ones.
Most rental places will have utility trailers for rent. Say a 18' with electronic brakes (assuming you have truck that can pull 10k) I recall (I think) you saying the Ex was 8k? so make sure the trailer has 5k tandem axles (at least) and go. I just pulled 7k in enclosed trailer (only 80 miles) with half ton pickup. Had to keep it under 70 on interstate or it would overheat (hot day/head wind) but at 60 it was just a tad warm. Your haul I would go in evening and haul back at night. (cooler/often less wind) or better yet with tail wind. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif (comming back loaded)

 

[Snowman269]

Thanks Dually, I should have guessed that, no brakes...