Pulling 45' Sonic with Excusion ,NJ to FL. Any thoughts ?
 

I have plenty of experience pulling large things .Just NOT with a Ford Excursion diesel. Anyone tow large heavy boats any distance with one ? Give me some input on your experiences .

Have to go from NJ to Sonic in Florida for repairs .

Also any input on getting repairs done at Sonic and by who ? Thanks , Joe

Good luck!

Take your time and slow up if it gets windy. I would REALLY prefer a dually for something that size for more than a 1000 miles. I have no doubt that the truck has the power to pull it, but it'll be a handful.

That's a BIG boat! I'm thinking a ton-er would be the way to go.

Practice a panic stop to see what you've got. Take it easy.

Not enough truck for me!

FWIW, I pull a rather heavy travel trailer(15000lbs.) with my Excursion and while it is not as competent a puller as the Super Duties, it does do the job. It is equipped with air bags which are a must, and the trailer has brakes on it. The Excursion, as Troutly stated is shorter which gives it a somewhat "loose" feel. If you HAVE to use the Excursion, just take your time and it will work, although you will have to "drive" it.

It belongs to a freind .He wants me to drop the rig there and fly home . Then if it gets fixed , he can use it down there for a few weeks . then I geuss I'll fly down again and bring it home.

I am going to bring it back to my shop first ( about an hour ride) to service the trailer .I geuss that will give me a better idea of how it handles . I wish my Kenworth project was done ............ :rolleyes:

Like everyone said, that's a lot of boat for that truck.

If you must do it, take your time allow lots of room to stop and watch the weather for high winds.

What route are you taking? Jersey TP to I-95?
Tolls are going to eat you alive.
Watch the tunnels in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Beltway around DC takes a few twists and turns watch yourself. Virginia will have a few hills but beyond that it's pretty much flat. Watch your speed too.
Should be good till you hit Jacksonville, Fl. Tends to get busy during rush hour. Past that and it's clear sailing again.
Again, watch the weather for rain once you're in Florida. The roads get slick as ice when wet. Be cautious, don't let catch you off guard, especially with all that weight pushing you.

Good luck.

What kind of trailer? Does it have electrical or surge brakes?

Make sure the tongue weight / height is set properly. That'll make ALL the difference. If it's not right, it doesn't matter what you're pulling it with. It'll give problems.

If it's a good trailer and good brakes, I certainly wouldn't imagine going over 60 MPH on the highway -- which is the easy part.

The in-city driving is where you're going to have problems. You know... the whole stopping thing!!!!

P.S. that was a great idea to practice a Panic Stop!

These guys dont have a clue what the Excursion can do, I have pulled a 43 Black Thunder around and pulled my 37 AT back from the factory to VA in 14 hours constant speed 75-80 NO PROBLEMS!!!! Yes, dont tailgate but anyone with a big boat should know this. I would not hesitate to jump in and go anytime. My .02