THX for all your help, L@@K at my NeW ToW Vehicle!
Hina said
03:41 AM Jul 20, 2012
Thanks everyone for all your advice, here it is, my long awaited tow vehicle! I thought I was going to buy a 2000 7.3L diesel Ford Excursion in Sacramento, I thought it was a done deal, drove all the way over there, 2 1/2 hours, only to find, they sold it to someone else last night!!! Boo hoo hoo, I was so mad/sad driving home, almost ready to cry! Life isn't fair! Then, I saw this on the side of the road, with a for sale sign! Two years newer, 130,000 miles less, and, it has such a good vibe! (The one in Sacramento sort of had funky vibes, and, loose steering, and 3rd row seating) This one is sooo much better, just driven on Sundays by a little ol' lady pulling a horse trailer. When the horse died, she put it up for sale, and now it's all mine!
OK, now I need a hitch.... any advice?
WestWardHo said
04:50 PM Jul 20, 2012
Love it! Congratulations.
Rosie RV Thumper and Dog Dog said
03:34 PM Jul 21, 2012
That's awesome! As they say, everything happens for a reason. A MUCH better vehicle found you!
Hina said
05:06 PM Jul 21, 2012
Yes, she's a 4X4 beauty, gotta take care of her! Now, a tank of gas, and a hitch.
Workinrvers said
11:36 AM Jul 22, 2012
Congrats! Looks like a nice one! Just one quick question, if the truck doesn't have a hitch on it where did the horse ride???
Phil
RickandJanice said
02:24 PM Jul 22, 2012
Hina wrote:
.....
OK, now I need a hitch.... any advice?
You will need one with a 2 58" ball. I would suggest you get a hitch insert designed to hold weight distribution bars and a anti sway bar. I believe Reese actually makes a kit that has all of this together. They also make a tow kit where the anti sway device is part of the weight distribution bars.
Now if cost is not an issue, then the Hensley Arrow is supposed to be one of the best in the market, but be prepared to spend allot more.
Hina said
04:47 PM Jul 22, 2012
Hi Phil, it's set up for a hitch, but doesn't have the ball, just the slot (or whatever you call it) and thanks Rick and Janice, that's what I had in mind; the owner's manual says "weight distributing hitch required" so something like the Reese kit is what I need. I'll be researching, this is a one step at a time process.
Workinrvers said
06:08 PM Jul 23, 2012
Hina wrote:
Hi Phil, it's set up for a hitch, but doesn't have the ball, just the slot (or whatever you call it) and thanks Rick and Janice, that's what I had in mind; the owner's manual says "weight distributing hitch required" so something like the Reese kit is what I need. I'll be researching, this is a one step at a time process.
Kinda thought that was what you meant, just couldn't get the picture of the truck going down the road with the horses head sticking out the window .
Check with the local RV dealers and they can hook you up with the tow bars and such. If you can swing a Hensley style hitch I have heard nothing but great reports from their owners. Say they take most if not all the sway out of towing their trailers.
Good luck with your search and enjoy that new truck!
Phil
Hina said
12:01 AM Jul 24, 2012
Actually, I'm renting my space from the dealer, so expert help and a parts department is close by. I'll see what they have in the catalog, and how much. May have to whip out the visa, I've got about 3-4 $400-$500 things on my list before I'm ready to hit the road.
Soody said
03:50 AM Jul 31, 2012
Hi Hina
I think the universe was watching out for ya. That is a young engine and plenty of towing power. Good luck with it. It looks nice with your road abode too. As far as the gas, it is what it is. $80 or $100, not too big a difference in the end. That puppy will do whatever you ask, and that is what counts!
smuff168 said
02:57 AM Aug 5, 2012
Hi Hina !
nice buy !....52k miles...a real nice ride !..lots of life left in the ford extortion...oops, excursion !...LOL.....( I was there at ford engineering, when these were just starting to come out, that was our nickname for them, as they extorted money out of you )....personally I prefer the 7.3 diesel, not the 6.0 diesel, they are junk..but the 6.8 v-10 will work for you just fine....one thing to keep in mind on these and then we go on to hitch....the 6.8L V-10 is the top of the triton series line which includes the 4.6 and 5.4 engines....there is a TSB out on them about spark plug removel / replacement...you may want to check on this with ford dealer or on I/net...just so your informed when plug replacement time comes around ( they didnt use steel inserts in the cylinder heads, so the plugs just go striaght into aluminum, which could pull out at time of replacement...meaning helicoil inserts into head or head replacement, god help us there !..just have to be very careful...an FYI for ya )
Hitch - 2 5/16 ball with drawtite bars ( 1200 lb bars or let a hitch dude recommend the bar weight ) and shackles on the trailer tongue, so you can load the bars, will work just fine...dont use the reese setup...the drawtite bars lock into the sockets better...cant drop out !..I had a reese setup with the bars and one bar dropped out of the insert and drug it down the road, so needless to say it had a nice grinding job done to it !...reese and drawtite are now in the same company fold....check out craigslist for ones for sale....cheaper too !....by the way, the place where the trailer insert goes is called the receiver and the factory hitch receiver should work just fine for you..well, enjoy !....happy motoring !
Smuff
Hina said
12:37 AM Aug 6, 2012
Thanks Smuff, for the V10 advice. Never had a V10 before. The parts department where I am renting sold me a hitch with the "favorite renter discount", not Reese or DrawTite, an off brand. But I will be putting it on soon, and I'll practice doing donuts around the lot ;b Then, maybe I'll try actually towing it to a camp ground in a couple of weeks. Scary Stuff!
Thanks everyone for all your advice, here it is, my long awaited tow vehicle! I thought I was going to buy a 2000 7.3L diesel Ford Excursion in Sacramento, I thought it was a done deal, drove all the way over there, 2 1/2 hours, only to find, they sold it to someone else last night!!! Boo hoo hoo, I was so mad/sad driving home, almost ready to cry! Life isn't fair! Then, I saw this on the side of the road, with a for sale sign! Two years newer, 130,000 miles less, and, it has such a good vibe! (The one in Sacramento sort of had funky vibes, and, loose steering, and 3rd row seating) This one is sooo much better, just driven on Sundays by a little ol' lady pulling a horse trailer. When the horse died, she put it up for sale, and now it's all mine!
OK, now I need a hitch.... any advice?
Congrats! Looks like a nice one! Just one quick question, if the truck doesn't have a hitch on it where did the horse ride???
Phil
You will need one with a 2 58" ball. I would suggest you get a hitch insert designed to hold weight distribution bars and a anti sway bar. I believe Reese actually makes a kit that has all of this together. They also make a tow kit where the anti sway device is part of the weight distribution bars.
Now if cost is not an issue, then the Hensley Arrow is supposed to be one of the best in the market, but be prepared to spend allot more.
Kinda thought that was what you meant, just couldn't get the picture of the truck going down the road with the horses head sticking out the window
.
Check with the local RV dealers and they can hook you up with the tow bars and such. If you can swing a Hensley style hitch I have heard nothing but great reports from their owners. Say they take most if not all the sway out of towing their trailers.
Good luck with your search and enjoy that new truck!
Phil
Hi Hina
I think the universe was watching out for ya. That is a young engine and plenty of towing power. Good luck with it. It looks nice with your road abode too. As far as the gas, it is what it is. $80 or $100, not too big a difference in the end. That puppy will do whatever you ask, and that is what counts!
Hi Hina !
nice buy !....52k miles...a real nice ride !..lots of life left in the ford extortion...oops, excursion !...LOL.....( I was there at ford engineering, when these were just starting to come out, that was our nickname for them, as they extorted money out of you )....personally I prefer the 7.3 diesel, not the 6.0 diesel, they are junk..but the 6.8 v-10 will work for you just fine....one thing to keep in mind on these and then we go on to hitch....the 6.8L V-10 is the top of the triton series line which includes the 4.6 and 5.4 engines....there is a TSB out on them about spark plug removel / replacement...you may want to check on this with ford dealer or on I/net...just so your informed when plug replacement time comes around ( they didnt use steel inserts in the cylinder heads, so the plugs just go striaght into aluminum, which could pull out at time of replacement...meaning helicoil inserts into head or head replacement, god help us there !..just have to be very careful...an FYI for ya )
Hitch - 2 5/16 ball with drawtite bars ( 1200 lb bars or let a hitch dude recommend the bar weight ) and shackles on the trailer tongue, so you can load the bars, will work just fine...dont use the reese setup...the drawtite bars lock into the sockets better...cant drop out !..I had a reese setup with the bars and one bar dropped out of the insert and drug it down the road, so needless to say it had a nice grinding job done to it !...reese and drawtite are now in the same company fold....check out craigslist for ones for sale....cheaper too !....by the way, the place where the trailer insert goes is called the receiver and the factory hitch receiver should work just fine for you..well, enjoy !....happy motoring !
Smuff