I have a 98 XLT Expedition, stock 3.31 tranny, 4.6L and am doing a 1200 mile, on-time, boat pull. I am putting a cooler on it today.

Two questions: Is the truck going to survive 1200 miles on I95 from Tampa to New York and is my transmission going to fried?

I have been researching a lot and never intended to do this when I bought the Ford. However, I have moved for work. My boat is 3800 dry, trailer not sure but I think about 1200, no gear in it. The Expedition will be stripped of rear seating and limited baggage and only me in it.......1/2 tank of gas if necessary.

Any thoughts?

 

dwcarter,
Take a look in your Owner's Manual and see what it says in regards to your gears. The lower the gear, the more you can pull - within reason.

I would expect the #5,000 should be okay. If you have had regular trans. servicing (I might change pan/converter fluid and filter just to be on the safe side for the trip), I don't see any problems.

Did the Expy come with an OEM cooler? You may find an early Christimas present behind the grill! You may have to take the overdrive off when going up hills (to avoid the surging caused by the cruise control and overworking the trans), but other than that, I think you will be fine.

Have a nice trip and congrats on the new position!

Curt

 

You'll be fine. That's just 5000lbs. I've seen Rangers, Dakotas, Fronteers, and Tacomas with more trailer than that. Just don't try to out run everybody and take it easy up the hills, and easyer down the hills.

Make sure you dont let it shift in and out of overdrive. If it does (And it will) just take overdrive off, and take the mileage hit (maybe 1 mpg) but you'll save a tranny.

Good Luck

Dpostman

 

Thanks for your reply,

I check last night and I think the cooler (only one) on the driver side is the power steering cooler. I am putting a 5000 lb rated cooler on today, changing the oil and new air filter (K&N). I serviced the transmission about 6 months ago. I also have the frame mounted, draw-tite hitch.

Anybody know what an XLT 2wd weights? The GVWR is 6750.

 

I think you'll be fine. Like others have said, take it easy and don't try to win the race. I take a longer time to accellarate when possible.

I have the same 3.31, but with a 260HP 5.4L 4x4. I have a 4R100 tranny, but the truck didn't have factory tow. I tow a #4000 (wet & loaded) Airstream, and I manage fairly well. In the 8% mountain passes, you'll find me in the truck lanes doing 35-40mph, but that's ok with me.

You're towing a boat, and even though you outweigh our trailer by about 1000#, you won't have a frontal wind load to worry about due to the low profile of the boat.

I would recommend that you leave the OD off unless you are in totally flat country. I run at around 62mph without O/D, which pegs the RPM at around 2400-2500. My Expy likes that a lot better than lugging at 1700rpm. It is a lot more manageable to make speed adjustments too. Going faster will greatly increase your fuel consumption.

If I can tow something this big, I'm sure you'll be OK too.

 

Thank everyone for their input, I am leaving now to go to FL and brining the boat up. I feel confident now that if I just take it easy my transmission is going to survive (especially with the cooler on it now.)