Anyone have one of these with the 7.3 motor? How do they tow? What is the mileage like compared to a 7.3 3/4 ton? I'm buying a used tow rig sometime soon hopefully and these seem like they would make a pretty cool tow rig and daily driver. I never seem to see anyone on here using one for that though. Any other good sites for information on these?

So far the only two things I don't like about them are the auto tranny and the how they sit so low to the ground compared to a 3/4 ton 4x4. I could easily fix the ride height issue, but will the auto tranny hold up to normal use and towing a 5k Jeep?

We bought an '01 last May and love it! They tow great, if you make a few adjustments:

1) Replace front springs - They ride on the bumpstops all the time if you don't. I put in v-code front springs from an F350. They add about 1.5" of lift to the front.

2) Rear sway bar - They didn't have them 'till 03, but they all need them. Hellwig makes a decent one.

3) Help for rear springs - Way too soft by default. I put in Air-Lift air springs, and use them to get a little more height to match the front. Other guys put in F350 rears and blocks.

4) Steering help - Add a real steering stabilizer and tighten up the steering box. This combination will eliminate a lot of the "sawing" you otherwise have to do with the wheel.

5) Engine/tranny help – Much to be done here, but I assume you know that. A chip or programmer that tightens the shifts up is a must, I think, if you tow in the hills. Of course, you'll need to free up the exhaust and intake, too. Some of that can be done cheaply.

There's lots you can do with the tranny, but the consensus seems to be to keep them cool. For that, and especially if you tune the motor some, you need gauges.

It seems ridiculous to have to spend all this money on a $40K+ vehicle, just to make it behave like is should have from the beginning, but that's the way it is. Having done all this, though, I can tell you I love driving it and towing with it.

Mark

Mark, got any tips on #4? What would be a good stabilizer to use. Dos or don'ts on the adjustment.

I just put a Rancho 5406 in this weekend and like it. I suspect that any one you buy would be better than the stocker, but the only ones I've used are Ranchos.

Tightening the steering box is really easy, and makes a noticable difference, at least on mine. I did it this weekend, as well, and the combination of the two really improved the driving experience.

All I did was loosen the nut on the top of the steering box, then used an Allen wrench to turn the adjustment screw about 3/8 of a turn, clockwise. Tighten the nut and you're done. It would have taken less than a minute if I hadn't had to clean the thing off and fumble for the right wrench sizes (which I promptly forgot - sorry).

Mark

BTT
Anyone have a 6.0 Excursion? If so, is it still better to get a 7.3? What kind of fuel economy does a 7.3 get while towing a decent size rig?
What axle ratio's are common?
I am considering an excursion, but I've never had a Ford. I presently have a '99 GMC Suburban K2500 454. It tows well, just sucks ass on fuel..
Thanks, Ricky...seeya...

when our 01 f-250 is paid for we will be getting a 4x4 excursion.we have 3 kids and always have extra kids with us,i think the room and 3rd row seat will be great on cross country trips.it will also be a oil burner...

Towing got 8mpg with this setup on the interstate at posted speed limits. 02 w/ 7.3l. The mid 02s got the sway bar. The hellwig one seems good, and we did Timbren SES load levellers on the rear. Upgraded shocks, brakes and steering stabilizer help out a lot. Budget for a built tranny.


http://www.trailseeker.com/4x4/mods/trailer/trailer1.jpg

{Towing got 8mpg with this setup on the interstate at posted speed limits. 02 w/ 7.3l. The mid 02s got the sway bar. The hellwig one seems good, and we did Timbren SES load levellers on the rear. Upgraded shocks, brakes and steering stabilizer help out a lot. Budget for a built tranny.} -ramv-


are you for real i know that is a ton of weight butt 8mpg holy shiat :eek: :eek: i use a 7.3psd auto extra cab long bed at work repo-truck and run around hauling all sorts of stuff from a metro to an excursion and never see anything less than 14.93 mpg and that is with the air on, window down driving like an ass. ie well over posted speeds hard on brakes and slamming on the throttle. also letting it idle for hours on end. i know that idling doesnt use much fuel butt i let it sit for sometimes a combined 14 hours on the same tank.


i was considering an excursion for my primary vehicle butt if that 8mpg is for real maybe ill pass. what are you guys getting mpg wise empty?

i was considering an excursion for my primary vehicle butt if that 8mpg is for real maybe ill pass. what are you guys getting mpg wise empty?

Remember, he's in Denver, and he's not towing his junk to Kansas. Multiple 11000 foot passes have a way of eating fuel when towing that much weight, even though you do get to go down the other side.

In 16K miles, our 01 7.3 has averaged a measured 14.6mpg. It'll get 16-17 on the highway if driven 65, but that drops rapidly when the speed exceeds 70. I usually get around 12mpg going over to Moab and back with a 6000lb trailer/4Runner behind it.

BTW, where did you get your mileage figures? Though ours has been dead on, the overhead computers are notoriously optimistic.

Lastly, though I love our PSD X, I can't imagine living long enough to recoup the cost of trading a perfectly good gasser to get the mileage advantage of a diesel. Get one because it tows better (particularly at altitude in the hills) but not because you're going to "save" money.

Mark

The truck has never gotton great milage. About what scalded dog said. It will get 16-17 if you drive to Kansas at or below posted speed limits empty. Towing just an 7-8k trailer, 12-13 good, 10-11 is common. Around town, 15 if you're lucky, other wise 13-14.

It weighs 8000 lb normally, so its about 1000 lb heavier then an F-250. Considering that under the same conditions,a 454/8.1L Suburban would be getting 6-7 towing and 12 max, its not bad. You won't find another SUV that will tow 12 000 lb.

Also considering the 2 trucks on the trailer don't get over 12, its still cheaper to tow them.

i use a 7.3psd auto extra cab long bed at work repo-truck and run around hauling all sorts of stuff from a metro to an excursion and never see anything less than 14.93 mpg and that is with the air on, window down driving like an ass. ie well over posted speeds hard on brakes and slamming on the throttle.


My father-in-law has a reg-cab F250 4wd with the 7.3 & auto. Best he's ever done empty is 18 & ~12 is the norm when towing ~8,000lbs. This at sea level & not driving insanely. I imagine it'd be worse with more of a load & serious altitude to contend with.


TEX

The truck has never gotton great milage. About what scalded dog said. It will get 16-17 if you drive to Kansas at or below posted speed limits empty. Towing just an 7-8k trailer, 12-13 good, 10-11 is common.
Keep in mind that this truck has been bombed a bit, and hardly ever gets driven at posted speed limits, in my experience. :p An easier foot on the throttle might give better numbers unladen, if you can consider a 4-ton SUV to ever BE 'unladen.'

The Ex is a reasonable to wagon for what it is -- you won't find anything that can carry as many people and tag as much weight without going custom, or looking into a RV or medium/heavy trucks.

You won't find another SUV that will tow 12 000 lb.
Not gonna open this can of worms. :flipoff2:

Randii

my mileage figures were from the miles driven/fuel consumed.

i didnt pay attention where he is located and that does explain alot.

by daily driver i really only drive my shiat on the weekends ussually long freeway drives. some hualing 7000 lbs max butt mostly empty.

was/am considering the excursion because the people moving qualities first then the hauling second. butt due to the cost on these things it is looking to be more so a 3/4 ton crewcab p/u

Around here you can get a better buy on a second hand PSD Excursion than a PSD Superduty. Typical SUV buyers get scared of Diesel and mileage. I picked up mine for less then $19k 2 years ago where an F350 with same amount of miles would have been $22k+. If youre going to bumper pull more then 10K lbs, I highly suggest you consider a rear bumper/hitch upgrade to a Ruenel as the factory hitch is kinda low and only rated for 7500lbs bumper pull and 10K lbs load distributing which isn't a benefit on some of the trail access roads I tow on here in the East. I have a beefed up tranny and TS chip, gets me 13-15mpg around town hot doggin it and 17-19 on the highway. I can get as much as 11mpg average out of towing 10k lbs through the hills of TN and GA. The steering is sloppy from stock and still sub par after a HO steering pump, but a rear sway bar, some steering stabilizers and adding some caster to the front end helps out the straight line highway driving alot.

...the steering is sloppy from stock and still sub par after a HO steering pump, but a rear sway bar, some steering stabilizers and adding some caster to the front end helps out the straight line highway driving alot...

I had the same problem and added a rear sway bar and a decent steering stabilizer. I also tightened up the steering box a little, and the combination of those three things helped a lot.

Mark