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Old 05-14-2021, 03:15 AM   #1
Bugford
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Expedition Tires

We use a Ford Expedition to tow our trailer and it does a great job. But if there could be an improvement, I think it would be in the tires. Right now it has Wranglers (P275/65R18 114T), and the ride feels somewhat 'soft'. I've heard that for towing, a stiffer sidewall helps, and maybe even a bias-ply. I have tried different tire pressure's with mixed results (never exceeding the maximum psi). Any thoughts?
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Old 05-14-2021, 03:59 AM   #2
flybouy
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We use a Ford Expedition to tow our trailer and it does a great job. But if there could be an improvement, I think it would be in the tires. Right now it has Wranglers (P275/65R18 114T), and the ride feels somewhat 'soft'. I've heard that for towing, a stiffer sidewall helps, and maybe even a bias-ply. I have tried different tire pressure's with mixed results (never exceeding the maximum psi). Any thoughts?
Sounds to me like you're trying to eliminate sway without saying it. It's OK, with P rated tires (Passanger) you are riding on tires designed for a cush ride and not for towing/hualing. Replace those tires with LT rated tires (Light TrucK). You will get a little harsher ride but your handling while towing should inprove.
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Old 05-14-2021, 05:54 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by Bugford View Post
We use a Ford Expedition to tow our trailer and it does a great job. But if there could be an improvement, I think it would be in the tires. Right now it has Wranglers (P275/65R18 114T), and the ride feels somewhat 'soft'. I've heard that for towing, a stiffer sidewall helps, and maybe even a bias-ply. I have tried different tire pressure's with mixed results (never exceeding the maximum psi). Any thoughts?
In my quest to beef up my F150 (since sold) to tow our trailer, I swapped out those same tires (model and size) for Cooper Discoverer AT3 LTs. It definitely firmed up the 'squishy' feel when towing. I was also pleasantly surprised at the ride of the Coopers....they were not nearly as harsh as I assumed they'd be.

Not sure exactly what you are trying to remedy, but I also threw on a set of Bilstein rear shocks, which were also an improvement over the OEMs.
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Old 05-14-2021, 06:41 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by Bugford View Post
We use a Ford Expedition to tow our trailer and it does a great job. But if there could be an improvement, I think it would be in the tires. Right now it has Wranglers (P275/65R18 114T), and the ride feels somewhat 'soft'. I've heard that for towing, a stiffer sidewall helps, and maybe even a bias-ply. I have tried different tire pressure's with mixed results (never exceeding the maximum psi). Any thoughts?
Some more information will get you better results from the reponses. What comes to mind first is the why. Are you experiencing sway? Abnormal tire wear? Suspension sag? Is the issue a "sudden onset" or has it been getting progressivly worse?

Are you using any type of sway control hitch? Have you weighed your trailer and SUV to get the tongue weight? Travel trailers typically run with a tongue weight of 10%-15%, so figure roughly 13% of the trailer total weight should be on the tongue. Too little tongue weight is a sure fire way to have sway issues.
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Old 05-14-2021, 07:31 AM   #5
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Thanks for the responses! I would not term the driving characteristics as sway. The ride is a little cushy even without the trailer on it. It just seems more so with the trailer hooked up, as opposed "firm". I have read elsewhere that tires can be a contributor to the "ride feel", and that is why I brought the question to you fine folks.
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Old 05-14-2021, 08:04 AM   #6
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While you "would not term the driving characteristics as sway" that may be exactly what it is. The first thing I'd recommend is a trip to a CAT scale to get some "real world weights" on the rig. Once you know the weights, you can do some calculations to determine (or assure) that you're Expedition is not overloaded, that the trailer "weight balance" is correct and that the trailer is within the towing capacity of your Expedition.

Right now, it could be the tires, it could be the hitch setting/adjustment, it could be the lack of adequate sway control, it could be trailer loading/tongue weight, it could be any number of things, possibly two or three together, causing the problem. Then, it could also be that your Expedition is going to "feel squishy" no matter what you do.

I'd just say that "tossing a $700 set of tires" on the SUV to see if it makes a difference, is not a good way to go about troubleshooting a perceived problem... To me, that's sort of like "buying more ice cream because what's in the freezer now is melted (without checking to see how cold the freezer really is)...
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Old 05-14-2021, 08:36 AM   #7
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Here's my take;

Your TV is an Expedition - basically a big SUV. Not an ideal TV but...

That trailer is only 21' long with a gvw of about 4400lbs. Your Expedition should be OK with that if everything is "up to snuff". A given to me is that you don't tow ANY travel trailer with P rated tires. That "squishy/soft/squirmy" feeling (which can also be, or induce, sway) is a direct result of the soft sidewall construction. Another given; on a 7 year old SUV (not the best TV platform) I would have new shocks; I always use Bilstein.

My first thing would be to scale it. I figure you will be OK. Make sure your hitch (yes, it's a small trailer but with an SUV tow vehicle you need a good wdh with sway - and no, not the little friction bars that attach to the sides IMO) is tuned in correctly. Two easy things to do up front before throwing money at it....but I would buy the above things right off after the scale says everything is good to go.
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Old 05-14-2021, 08:43 AM   #8
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While you "would not term the driving characteristics as sway" that may be exactly what it is. The first thing I'd recommend is a trip to a CAT scale to get some "real world weights" on the rig. Once you know the weights, you can do some calculations to determine (or assure) that you're Expedition is not overloaded, that the trailer "weight balance" is correct and that the trailer is within the towing capacity of your Expedition.

Right now, it could be the tires, it could be the hitch setting/adjustment, it could be the lack of adequate sway control, it could be trailer loading/tongue weight, it could be any number of things, possibly two or three together, causing the problem. Then, it could also be that your Expedition is going to "feel squishy" no matter what you do.

I'd just say that "tossing a $700 set of tires" on the SUV to see if it makes a difference, is not a good way to go about troubleshooting a perceived problem... To me, that's sort of like "buying more ice cream because what's in the freezer now is melted (without checking to see how cold the freezer really is)...
I understand, but I really have already done the work regarding weight, and I am using a Blue Ox Say Pro, which seems to work fine. I've been through the CAT scales, and I am well under the trailer GAWR and GVWR, tongue weight (15%), and the GAWR of both Expedition axles as well as Expedition GVWR. Also, the front square footage is well within the limits specified in the Expedition owners manual. I have taken 3 trips now, and have not had a problem with sway. I even did a panic maneuver when my wife thought a car was going to hit us, but the trailer quickly recovered without any sway. The Expedition handles the trailer like it's hardly there. The ride, however, feels a little squishy. lol
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Old 05-14-2021, 08:51 AM   #9
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Danny makes an excellent point on the possability of worn suspension componets causing sway. On 2 occasions I experiemced a little sway and it was not windy enough to warrent it. Both tim,es I took my F250 to my mechanic and he found worn steering components. The thing with driving a vehichle is that things like that tenmd to "sneak up on you", i.e. you get acustomed to how it drives . The first signs of an issue areeasily attributed to other causes as you think "it must be the road" or m,aybe the wind is stonger than it looks".Sometimew having a freind drive it will give you a "fresh perspective" that there's an issuie.
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Old 05-14-2021, 08:55 AM   #10
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In my quest to beef up my F150 (since sold) to tow our trailer, I swapped out those same tires (model and size) for Cooper Discoverer AT3 LTs. It definitely firmed up the 'squishy' feel when towing. I was also pleasantly surprised at the ride of the Coopers....they were not nearly as harsh as I assumed they'd be.

Not sure exactly what you are trying to remedy, but I also threw on a set of Bilstein rear shocks, which were also an improvement over the OEMs.
Thank you!
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Old 05-14-2021, 09:24 AM   #11
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Bugford, Welcome. I had an 2013 F150 base model with car tires just like yours. I put a truck camper that exceeded my payload and the tires behaved just like you described; squishy. You have far less payload but I would never tow with car passenger ties; go to LT tires in load range E. I have 18" commercial LRE tires on my truck and it rides like a truck so not able to give you any advice on ride but when I switched to LT tires on my F150 it lost the squishy feeling. Good luck.
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Old 05-15-2021, 03:45 AM   #12
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Because your TV is a large SUV I doubt anyone would install LT tires on it. The normal option would be Euro-Metric tires. Sometimes the Euro tires of the same size provide a little more load capacity and higher inflation pressures such as 44 or 51 PSI. The higher inflation pressures will not increase load capacity but will increase tire sidewall stiffness for a better towing experience.
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Old 05-15-2021, 05:48 AM   #13
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We still don't have any facts or specific data on which to make any "real world suggestion"...

Statements such as, "I really have already done the work regarding weight", "I would not term the driving characteristics as sway. The ride is a little cushy...", "I am using a Blue Ox Say Pro", and "I've been through the CAT scales, and I am well under the trailer GAWR and GVWR, tongue weight (15%), and the GAWR of both Expedition axles as well as Expedition GVWR." are subjective. The "hide the data" from readers and keep the ability to reach an informed conclusion.

You'd be much better served if the data, the facts about your rig were available to us so that we could do the calculations to confirm "what could be affecting your instability"...

There is no mention of what your Expedition is capable of carrying (payload), no mention of the actual trailer weight/tongue weight, no mention of how you load the trailer (again tongue weight), how you load the Expedition (again payload) no mention of how the hitch is adjusted, no mention of the weight shift from the hitch weight distribution, no mention of tire pressures on the trailer, and no mention of driving conditions, road conditions, speed, or a host of other facts that could affect towing stability.....

Give us something other than "a feeling I have" to go on.
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Old 05-15-2021, 07:32 AM   #14
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Because your TV is a large SUV I doubt anyone would install LT tires on it. .
From my experience with a vehicle similar to the Ford Expedition & the tire shops I been to I don't think they'd question putting LTs on for him as long as he has the $$ to pay for them. After all LT means light truck which, if not mistaken, that's where most of the larger SUVs are considered.
Is it legal? I don't know, I've never seen or met the tire police in any of the shops I've been to. I have overheard those guys telling folks with their little cars that certain tires weren't appropriate.
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Old 05-15-2021, 07:50 AM   #15
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Sort of reminds me of the kid in class when asked where his homework is. "My dog ate it but I got still got all the answers right!".
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Old 05-23-2021, 09:27 AM   #16
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I had Costco refuse to install any tire other than listed on the the door jamb sticker. So when I went to a tire shop I started to explain to them that I reprogrammed the truck for the new size and so forth. They said we will mount any tire you want as long as it fits on the rim and in the wheel well].
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Old 05-23-2021, 12:36 PM   #17
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I had Costco refuse to install any tire other than listed on the the door jamb sticker. So when I went to a tire shop I started to explain to them that I reprogrammed the truck for the new size and so forth. They said we will mount any tire you want as long as it fits on the rim and in the wheel well].
That's the difference between a "COSTCO Tire Center employee" who answers to a large number of "supervisors and managers" from the store, the division, the retail area and corporate offices and a "tire shop owner" who answers to his employees and his community.....
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