I have a 2010 Expedition EL, I purchased it 2 weeks ago. It has 29,000 miles on it. It is the Eddie Bower Package. I traded my 2006 Yukon 4x4 for it. My Yukon had coil springs on the back so I installed a ride leveling system which had a aircompressor mounted to the truck frame and Goodyear airbags that were installed inside the coil springs with a wireless remote up front to inflate or deflate the system. Cost was $2800.00. The Yukon when pulling a boat or a trailer with my Polaris Ranger would whip before the airbags were installed. After words it was fantastic. NOW, with the Expodition EL pulling my Ranger for the first time last week end with the ranger 3/4 towards the front of the trailer at 55mph going down I-49. The back of the Expedition was swaying right and left and was extremely dangerous, It was whipping the trailer in the other lane. We pulled over and backed the Ranger up 2ft so it was over both axels. The sway was less and was able to go 65mph but at 70 the sway was back. Does anyone have ANY SUGGESTIONS, BEFORE I SELL THIS VEHICLE!!!!!!! This vehicle is equipped with a strut style suspention, so Goodyear airbags are not an option.

 

First, make sure the heaviest part of the load sits over the trailer axles. If the distance between the rear truck wheels and the trailer wheels is greater than the distance between the front and rear wheels of the truck it will sway. This was the case when we pulled a horse trailer with a Bronco. We fixed this problem by installing an anti-sway bar between the truck and the trailer. It was a long time ago but I don't think it was very costly. Maybe a couple of hundred dollars. Good luck!

 

Ditto on the anti sway bars.

 

well the anti-sway bar will work on this trailer. But what about my 18' enclosed 4 motorcycle trailer. You need 24'' of frame infront of the nose of the trailer and I only have 19'' of exposed frame on the enclosed trailer.

 

This sounds more like a trailer problem than a truck problem.

Here's what I would do:

1. Check the trailer's tires, make sure they are properly inflated, matched in size, and properly balanced.

2. Make sure your trailer's brakes are functioning properly and aren't seized in any way, especially if you have a surge brake.

3. Check to make sure your trailers suspension is functioning properly and not broken in any way.

4. Check to make sure the axles are aligned properly, are straight, and wheel bearings are in good condition.

5. If all that checks out ok, then you might have to move your axles. Often times, if they aren't in the right place for the load you are carrying, you can get a lot of sway. (Make sure though, not to exceed your maximum tongue weight.)

6. If none of that works, you likely need a weight distributing hitch. For the Expedition EL, Ford recommends a weight distributing hitch for any trailer over 6,000lbs. Also keep in mind that, if your Expedition doesn't have the factory tow package (with the 15,000lb GCWR) it's only rated to tow 6,000lbs maximum.

 

I agree with all 6 points. Problem is I had the same problem hauling trailers on my Yukon XL 4x4. I installed Firestone airbags in the springs and ran them with an Airlift system. Problem solved. Now with the Expedition it has rear Struts and no one has a air suspention kit to stiffen the ride when you need it. What I am thinking about is purchasing 2 rear air ride struts. ( the kind on the level ride system) and power them with a Airlift system. I called the Ford dealer in Bossier City La about just installing a level ride system and they said it could not be done. Why not? It is the same vehicle as my brothers Expodition El King Ranch edition and he has it. I understand it might cost $2000-$3000 to do this. I paid $2300 for the Airride system with the firestone boots. But the trailers haul fine. I know in August I am heading to Sturgis pulling my 20' enclosed trailer with 4 bikes in it. The axles are 65% back and the bikes are 2 abreast so the tongue weight should be about 900-1100 pounds. I am installing a anti-sway bar today but I really want to put some kind of rear suspention help.
Weight distribution bars are not an option. They require 36'' of open frame on the trailer to mount them. Enclosed V nose trailers only have 18'' of exposed frame.

 

Shouldn't the tongue weight be 10% of the total loaded trailer weight? An enclosed 20' steel trailer with 4 big bikes is probaby 6000 lbs, sounds like yo have more like 20% tongue weight...

 

Have you look at a weight distribution hitch with built in sway control such as the Equal-i-zer. Below is a link to the web site. There are some videos to show how it works. We use it with our Expedition and a 24' camper and it works great. This will be much cheaper than an air bag setup.

Equal-i-zer® Hitch - The “American Original” with 4-Point Sway Control™ and Weight Distribution

 

Yea 10-15% is what's typically recommended.

However, for the Expedition EL, the maximum tongue weight for a weight carrying (standard) hitch is 600lbs. Maximum tongue weight for a weight distributing hitch is 890lbs.

At 900-11000lbs, he's at least 300-500lbs over the recommended tongue weight for his truck/trailer/hitch combination.

Essentially, he's overloading the Expedition's rear suspension. Obviously, a set of stiffer spring or airbags would help, but the proper way to fix it is with the correct hitch type.

 

sounds more like you need to weight bias better. you are putting a band-aide solution to improper trailering

get your hitch weight correct, and get your trailer loads properly biased.

 

It's the trailer! It's improperly loaded.

Conventional trailers need 10% - 15% of the total weight of the trailer on the ball. Total weight includes the load. If you don't have enough weight on the ball the trailer will fishtail. The kinder word is "sway." If you have too much weight your rear suspension will be overloaded.

The only way to determine the tongue weight is to weigh the tongue! The only way to determine the loaded weight of the trailer is to weigh it. Pilot scales are common.

See the Sherline website for a tongue weight scale well as read the "horror" stories (one of which could easily be your story) and other parts of the site for a detailed explanation.

Note the maximum permissible weight on the Expedition ball is about 600 pounds and the maximum trailer weight is 6000 pounds unless you have the HD Tow package when it's about 9000 pounds.

I have one of the Sherline scales and highly recommend it.

-- Chuck

 

Also, don't drive 70.

 

How high is you hitch-ball off the ground? Should be around 19"'s.

 

Please read up on proper trailer loading. I was almost one of the horror stories.

My prior TV was a GMC Safari (Chevy Astro Clone) and at the time I had a 21' dual axle travel trailer. I knew I was close to the limit of the TV capacity, so I loaded as much weight as possible at the rear of the trailer to take some weight off the back of the van and BIG MISTAKE!!. We're loaded for a long camping trip with everything we could fit in the trailer, when we were passed by a pickup truck while going uphill. Trailer started to sway severely and shake the van, to the point that I almost went off the side of the road. The trailer sway was so sever that ALL FOUR TRAILER HUBCAPS flew off. I knew enough to not slam the van brakes and to apply the trailer brakes independently to gain control. Other than almost filling my shorts, losing the hubcaps, and opening all the cupboards in the trailer nothing happened.
After the trip, I researched and researched to what I did wrong. I was using a Reese Dual Cam sway control with load equalizing hitch, but that could not make up for my mistake of overloading the trailer and placing too much weight in the rear and causing the tongue weight to be too low.

I learned to:
Load lighter
Weigh the trailer
Have proper tongue weight (12-15%) (I purchased a Sherline tongue scale)
Drive slower
Get a better tow vehicle (Like an Expedition EL

I have other posts about my travel trailer experience and setup, but you shouldn’t have a problem if you’re loaded and adjusted correctly. I highly recommend the Reese Dual cam Sway control with Load Equalizing hitch, and the Tekonsha Prodigy electric brake controller.

03 SVT VERT had some great comments about making sure your trailer is OK first a competent trailer shop may help identify some underlying issues.