The 2004 Ford Expeditions are a large suv, in fact one of the largest models available in '04 besides the excursion and most people think of these SUVs as great family wagons but they also have a quite impressive towing capacity attached to the as well.
Some models had the ability to pull nearly 9,000 pounds if they had all of the proper equipment installed! Now on the flip side of that though is that some models were only able to achieve a mere 5,000 pound capacity, which is a 4,000 pound difference! Let's go through the details of what options are needed for these SUVs in order to get the most out of them...
Your owner's manual is filled with all types of valuable related information about your Expedition and I strongly advise that you carefully look through it and ensure that you follow all of Ford's requirements and recommendations.
2004 Expedition Overview
Overall Capacity: The towing capacity for the 2004 Ford Expeditions ranged from 5,000-8,950 lbs. and really just came down to three main variables. These three variables were the engine that was equipped in your SUV, the GCWR and whether you had a 2WD or 4WD model.
Capacity By Trim Levels: I also listed the five different trim levels that were available for the '04 expeditions and their respective capacity ratings, according to the engine options that were available for each trim level.
I listed a chart below the capacity ranges that I found in the brochure and the legend that was also supplied that breaks down what trim levels had the option of having one or both of the two engine options available.
- XLS: 5,000 lbs.
- XLT: 5,000-8,950 lbs.
- XLT Sport: 5,000-8,950 lbs.
- NBX: 6,000-8,950 lbs.
- Eddie Bauer: 5,000-8,950 lbs.
By Engine Options: Breaking down the data even further for these SUVs, the final capacity ranges that will matter is what each engine is capable of and there were only two to choose from, so it was an easy task to carry out.
- 4.6L: 5,000 lbs.
- 5.4L: 6,000-8,950 lbs.
The Chart:
The chart for the 2004 Expeditions was pretty simple because there were only two engine options available for these vehicles and the only other variables that would change the capacity ratings were the GCWR, your drivetrain configuration (2WD or 4WD) and if you had the heavy-duty trailer package installed on your vehicle.
Other Important Information...
I was also able to find other helpful information that pertains to these model year SUVs and I think some of you out there will find it useful. The first two images I have posted below show us what the trailer packages were and what they contained, along with the two different hitch capacities.
The first image breaks down all of the trailer equipment that is included with these SUVs, both standard options and the optional heavy-duty trailer package (536). The second image shows us the two different capacity ratings that were specified for a standard hitch and a weight distributing hitch. Note how the maximum capacity of 8,950 pounds was listed under the weight distributing hitch and was significantly less for a standard hitch, which was set at a limit of 6,000 pounds.
The last image talks about trailer brakes, or touches on the subject, at least and states that you can install them on these vehicles and they must comply with Federal and local laws. These did not come with a brake controller, so you will have to get an aftermarket model and install it yourself or have a shop do it for you, if you plan on using your trailer with trailer brakes for those heavier loads.
The Certification Label...
GVWR & GAWRs: The GVWR and GAWR specs were actually not in any of the literature online or in any of the resources that I have listed at the bottom of this article. These figures are listed on your SUV and can be found on the certification label. This label looks like the label that is shown in the image above.
The certification label is located on your driver side door or door pillar, which will be visible if your door is open. Both specifications can be located on the label, if you look towards the top of the tag and will have both pounds and kilogram weight ratings listed.
GCWR: The GCWRs were listed in the chart on the left-hand side by the axle ratios and were provided for all of the 04 Expedition models. If we look at the data, we can see that the GCWRs ranged from 10,500-14,500 pounds.
Axle Code: The axle code for your SUV is actually also displayed on the certification label, but is found towards the bottom-center of the tag. It will tell you what axle ratio you have equipped on your rear axle when it is deciphered. You will have to use an outside website in order to decipher the code though because Ford did not provide the legend for the 2004 vehicles in their guide.
You can also verify your axle ratio by looking on the rear axle housing itself and trying to find the small metal tag that has the ratio stamped into it.
Helpful Links For This Article:
I used three main resources for the research in this article and these three resources can be found below. Feel free to look through them yourself, as they are packed full of all kinds of information about the 2004 Expeditions.
The owner's manual is the most thorough resource listed and probably has the most amount of information out of all of the resources, but the tow guide was also full of great facts and is where I grabbed most of the images on this page. The brochure was most helpful when comparing the five different trim levels and what options they came equipped with or had the option of having equipped.
Last updated on April 27th, 2022 at 07:15 pm