Posted 2009-09-21 9:08 PM (#110950) Subject: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
New User
Posts: 4
Location: NY & TX
I need a new 4 wheel drive vehicle and trailer big enough for at least three horses so I can haul myself and 2 kids and our horses to local trail rides, etc. in upstate NY. However, we also need to haul between NY and TX one time, or one round trip. (long story). Also, I want to haul a little pony team and their 8 ft wagon (sans tongue) sometimes. We are in TX now and considering finding a Ford Excursion 04 or 05 and a BP stock trailer in the 6k or less range. I'm thinking the Excursion can haul a 16 foot stock trailer with three horses okay and tack can go in the back of the excursion. I'd do a pick up and a goose neck, but I also need to have a regular vehicle for hauling the kids and their friends, groceries, etc. on regular days, and I'd have to have a tack room in the trailer that way. Besides, we already have an old F-150. We have seen a few diesel excursions, but they are a lot more $ and we can't decide if they are worth it, especially in rusty cold NY. We want to know if anyone thinks any of this is a good plan and has any recommendations, comments, advice, etc. If this is not a good plan or someone thinks there is a better, please chime in. I like the Expeditions to drive, but don't know if they are stout enough. am thinking a stock trailer is more versatile than a combo. Am still researching brands. again, would love to hear opinions. thanks!
Posted 2009-09-21 9:34 PM (#110951 - in reply to #110950) Subject: RE: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
Expert
Posts: 1871 Location: NY
the real question is can the excursion pull the weight? Add every thing up people tack, horses, trailer and that will help you with the question can it do it?
Posted 2009-09-21 10:08 PM (#110952 - in reply to #110950) Subject: RE: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
Expert
Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
Originally written by thystledown on 2009-09-21 9:08 PM
I need a new 4 wheel drive vehicle and trailer big enough for at least three horses so I can haul myself and 2 kids and our horses to local trail rides, etc. in upstate NY. However, we also need to haul between NY and TX one time, or one round trip. (long story). Also, I want to haul a little pony team and their 8 ft wagon (sans tongue) sometimes. We are in TX now and considering finding a Ford Excursion 04 or 05 and a BP stock trailer in the 6k or less range. I'm thinking the Excursion can haul a 16 foot stock trailer with three horses okay and tack can go in the back of the excursion. I'd do a pick up and a goose neck, but I also need to have a regular vehicle for hauling the kids and their friends, groceries, etc. on regular days, and I'd have to have a tack room in the trailer that way. Besides, we already have an old F-150. We have seen a few diesel excursions, but they are a lot more $ and we can't decide if they are worth it, especially in rusty cold NY. We want to know if anyone thinks any of this is a good plan and has any recommendations, comments, advice, etc. If this is not a good plan or someone thinks there is a better, please chime in. I like the Expeditions to drive, but don't know if they are stout enough. am thinking a stock trailer is more versatile than a combo. Am still researching brands. again, would love to hear opinions. thanks!
Your plan sound good to me. The Excursion is more than enough vehicle for what you talked about. My opinion if you can not find a diesel I would buy one with the V10 gas engine. The 5.4 gas is good for driving but will be lacking in the tow department while loaded, you will not see much difference in th fuel mileage between the 2. The diesels will get a little better but might not be worth the cost up front. Make sure you get a quaility brake control and reciever hitch with a 2 5/16 ball if possible. The Excursion will have more cooling and better performance the the Expedition, the Excursion is built on the same type frame as the F-250 Super Duty is and the Expedtion is built on the F-150 type frame.
Posted 2009-09-21 10:08 PM (#110953 - in reply to #110950) Subject: RE: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
For a couple of years we pulled a 3H 18' stock/combo, steel Corn Pro trailer (aprox ~3300 #) with our Expedition. The trailer was easy to balance and handled very well on the road. The Expo was built on a 150 chassis, the Excursion uses a 3/4 ton chassis, and if I'm not mistaken, has a longer wheelbase than the standard length Expedition.
The Excursion has enough wheelbase, suspension and mechanics to safely pull a 16' stock trailer with three horses. It will afford a comfortable ride and be a good dual purpose vehicle.
BEWARE of the original installed tires!!!! Some Excursions were equipped with Firestone Steelex tires that were later recalled. There are still many being used today, that were not replaced. Do not take the Excursion off the lot if it is equipped with those tires. Change them immediately.
Posted 2009-09-22 7:57 AM (#110959 - in reply to #110950) Subject: RE: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
Veteran
Posts: 188 Location: Ingalls, Ks
We started out with a 2000 diesel Excursion and a 4 horse FRP bumper pull that weighed 6000# empty. It was an excellent combination. I would recommend the 7.3 diesel if you were to buy one. I still have the excursion with 110,000 miles it has never been in the shop for anything. No it's not for sale, I have friends with the 6.0 diesel and they seem to get along fine with them in the excursion also. Fuel mileage is around 17 empty (4WD) and about 12 pulling a decent size trailer. It takes me snowmobiling every winter. I truly don't think you'd regret an excursion ours has been excellent.
Posted 2009-09-22 8:16 PM (#111006 - in reply to #110950) Subject: RE: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
New User
Posts: 4
Location: NY & TX
Problem. I drove two '05 Excursions today. One diesel and one gas v-10, both 4x4's. I really liked how big, powerful and sturdy they were until I went to park them. I used a semi-empty church parking lot to practice in. I stink. I can't tell where the front corners are, I don't know where my front bumper is. The back up sensor is helpful. Would the shorter wheel base Expedition do just as well? That handles so beautifully! Other than the trip from Texas which will not have three horses, I'm really only going to haul horses 8 or 9 times over the course of the summer on trips of less than 2 hours and maybe once a year to the vet for annual shots, etc (if ill/injured, I can use the two horse trailer). The Expediton is rated for the weight, but I was afraid it wasn't heavy enough.But even on hills with a good brake controller won't I be okay? I sure hate to have to wrestle the behemoth around the other 355 days of the year that I'm not hauling the trailer.
Posted 2009-09-22 10:06 PM (#111011 - in reply to #110950) Subject: RE: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
Member
Posts: 22
I had a Guy buy one of our trailers that drive an excursion and he seems to be just fine but his isnt the diesel..we build a 3 horse with a swing wall that either open completley where the whole trailer is open and then the wall closes to make a tack area in the front. let me know if thre is anything i can do for you.
Posted 2009-09-22 10:35 PM (#111012 - in reply to #111006) Subject: RE: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Originally written by thystledown on 2009-09-22 9:16 PM
Problem. I drove two '05 Excursions today. I can't tell where the front corners are, I don't know where my front bumper is.
There are vertical lucite rods that can be affixed to the outside edges of the bumper and which protrude higher than the engine hood. They will visually delineate the corners of the vehicle for the driver and make parking much easier.
Would the shorter wheel base Expedition do just as well? The Expedition is rated for the weight, but I was afraid it wasn't heavy enough.
When the Excursion was dropped from Ford's product line, the Expedition was then offered with an extended wheel base model. The standard wheelbase model tows very well.
But even on hills with a good brake controller won't I be okay?
With a properly adjusted controller, the trailer brakes will stop the weight of the trailer. The 4 wheel disc brakes on the Expo are very capable of stopping itself.
Posted 2009-12-04 12:03 AM (#113921 - in reply to #110950) Subject: RE: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
New User
Posts: 4
Location: NY & TX
Just for the record, we bought an '04 diesel Excursion limited with quad seats and a 17 ft CM combo. We just got back to TX from NY with two medium ponies and 2 KMSH mares. We even had room to bring their tack, etc and 8 bales of hay (4 stacked on end in the manger in the nose and 4 stacked on a little pallet we set by the rear gate). The ponies tied sideways, the mares were straight loaded. We could have straight loaded the ponies, but I didn't want them poking their noses onto the mares' behinds. When we haul the ponies and their wagon, there is room for the wagon in the 8ft behind the cut gate. Also, being so open and bright, we had no problem loading, and one mare was a 2 y.o. that had only loaded once before. I'm really pleased with the combination. Our 10 y.o. twins were just recovering from a bout of H1N1 and could recline in their captain chairs and watch videos and all our luggage stowed well in the back. The whole thing drove well and I couldn't be happier. I hate that Ford doesn't make the Excursion anymore, but glad we could find a nice used one. It's an outstanding vehicle. We are extremely pleased with this combination. The trip was over 2000 miles each way. We just couldn't have done it so comfortably with a family in a pick up truck. Oh, and we think the fuel milage on the diesel Excursion was very good--better than what some people tell us they get with smaller gas SUV's, and often the diesel fuel was the same price as gas or only a little higher. I still need to get the rods to find where exactly my front bumper is for parking, but mostly I just don't park in tight spots. But I'd have the same problem with a F-250, and a much less comfortable vehicle. I even added a cargo liner so I can even throw a couple bales of hay and such in the back of the Excursion without ruining the carpet. Now that's a great truck!!!!!
Posted 2009-12-04 8:51 AM (#113930 - in reply to #110950) Subject: RE: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 681 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Good for you! I'm glad you're happy with your new set up... i have tossed around the idea of an excursion too, but The idea of that big of a vehicle scares me also.(Plus I don't want to have to pay a car note right now.. PLUS, my husband is not horsey and to spend so much money geared specifically around my horsi-ness is like diesel on a fire) . My landcruiser seems big when I'm driving it, but is tiny in comparison...It is practically a given that someday I'll replace it with a truck, but don't want to have a truck as my only vehicle... Where in TX did you move to?
Posted 2009-12-04 10:28 AM (#113940 - in reply to #113921) Subject: RE: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
Expert
Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
Originally written by thystledown on 2009-12-04 12:03 AM
Just for the record, we bought an '04 diesel Excursion limited with quad seats and a 17 ft CM combo. We just got back to TX from NY with two medium ponies and 2 KMSH mares. We even had room to bring their tack, etc and 8 bales of hay (4 stacked on end in the manger in the nose and 4 stacked on a little pallet we set by the rear gate). The ponies tied sideways, the mares were straight loaded. We could have straight loaded the ponies, but I didn't want them poking their noses onto the mares' behinds. When we haul the ponies and their wagon, there is room for the wagon in the 8ft behind the cut gate. Also, being so open and bright, we had no problem loading, and one mare was a 2 y.o. that had only loaded once before. I'm really pleased with the combination. Our 10 y.o. twins were just recovering from a bout of H1N1 and could recline in their captain chairs and watch videos and all our luggage stowed well in the back. The whole thing drove well and I couldn't be happier. I hate that Ford doesn't make the Excursion anymore, but glad we could find a nice used one. It's an outstanding vehicle. We are extremely pleased with this combination. The trip was over 2000 miles each way. We just couldn't have done it so comfortably with a family in a pick up truck. Oh, and we think the fuel milage on the diesel Excursion was very good--better than what some people tell us they get with smaller gas SUV's, and often the diesel fuel was the same price as gas or only a little higher. I still need to get the rods to find where exactly my front bumper is for parking, but mostly I just don't park in tight spots. But I'd have the same problem with a F-250, and a much less comfortable vehicle. I even added a cargo liner so I can even throw a couple bales of hay and such in the back of the Excursion without ruining the carpet. Now that's a great truck!!!!!
Posted 2009-12-07 7:45 AM (#114034 - in reply to #113930) Subject: RE: 16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
New User
Posts: 4
Location: NY & TX
The best advice I got was to drive the Excursion more than once, and it helps to have a salesman who lets you have enough time and go off on your own, not sitting there telling you to drive a predetermined (by him) route. It is different from smaller SUV's and minivans. I hated the Excursion the first time I drove it and now I like it a lot! I have no idea what we will replace it with when the time comes. We are in the hill country north of San Antonio trying to sell our place here.
16 ft BP stock and Excursion?
