Ford Explorer Towing Capacity

[duffyb]

I have a 2002 Ford Explorer XLT with the v8 and trailer package. I was thinking about moving up in size from my current 20' Key West DC. Towing capacity is a little over 7,000 (GWCR). I have 2 questions:

1. I was looking in my manual and it says that for a trailer over 3500 lbs I need a weight distributing hitch. I am over that weight now, don't have one, and don't believe it is causing me problems. I looked on the web to see what it is. Is this really necessary? I am looking to be safe as I trailer the boat quite a bit (9k per season).

2. The SUV pulls my current rig quite well, but I have heard that you shouldn't get too close to the limit. Bottom line, I am wondering how much weight I can comfortably trail with this?

Thanks in advance for any help.

DuffyB

[thataway]

Most boaters don't use the WD hitch--but that is what the Ford Manuals say....I would check the weight of the CC, loaded with gear and fuel as you tow it. Also weigh the car as loaded, to get the total weight carrying capacity.

[scottaboat]

Duffy with almost all the new SUV's it's not about the pulling power as much as it is about the stopping power. I had a Titan pulling my 24' boat up until a month ago rated at 9400 pounds. It stopped and controlled the vehicle beautifully along. Pulling it was a joke, the truck barely knew it was there. My new Durango could be rated up to 9000 pounds with the Hemi...seems like an equivalent deal right? No way, although the Durango can pull the boat no problem (and it does), I would not want to stop in a hurry or turn in a hurry as even at 7500 pounds I'm at the limit of what I'd want to tow with this SUV. I'm not in the crowd that thinks you need a 1 ton truck to tow your 18' boat, but there is a line in the sand in terms of safety when it comes to stopping.

My advice to you is keep the towing weight under 6000 pounds. That JMHO means you can go all the way up to about a 24' boat with twins JUST make sure you go with an aluminum trailer to save yourself about 700 pounds. Based on the distance you tow, I probably wouldn't exceed much more than 5k pounds with the rig, which again would allow you to get into a 23 or so sized boat with a single, decent fuel tank etc.

Spend the money on a nice trailer from Loadmaster or the like. Get the torsion bars, disc brakes, tandem axle etc.

[jpsuominen]

I've been wondering about this as well, as I am in the progress of getting a bigger boat. So, what makes good stopping power? So far, the only things I've been able to figure out is the size of the brake rotors and the calipers. The weight of the towing vehicle is also something that I think would play into this equation. So, my question is, since I cannot get a truck, due to issues with driver's licences here in Finland, I'll have to do with an SUV.

The thing is, when looking at the technical specs of different trucks and SUVs, it would seem that the brakes and weights of the trucks and the SUVs are pretty much the same. For instance a 2500 Silverado weighs in at 5883 lbs and has 12.8/13.0 inch brake rotors. The VW Touareg V10 (which I'm considering) weighs in at 6140 lbs and has 13.0/13.0 inch brake rotors. The biggest difference is in the wheelbase: Chevy (Crew Cab, regular box) 153", VW 112.4", but this has more to do with stablility, right? And the VW comes with auto leveling air suspension, so that should help some?

So, in your opinion, which is the lesser evil:

- Breaking the law by towing with a truck without a necessaty license,

or

- Towing legally with the VW, although I'd be quite close to its 7700 lbs towing limit?

Oh, and sorry for hijacking your thread, DuffyB, but I thought this would be enough "on topic" not to merit its own thread...

[Dry Rot]

I have a 00 Explorer that I pulled a 20' Robalo (about 5,000) and a stacker trailer (about 3,500) it did very well with a class III hitch and trailer brakes of course. I installed air bags (paid $250) on the back Explorer axles) and it easily handled 500+ tongue weight. All I did was add air to 100 lbs whenever I towed.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y12...achTrailer.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y126/DryRot/Robalo.jpg
Dry

[KevinM]

A WD hitch only relieves tongue weight. Auto manufacturers use the RV 10% rule, assuming that 10% of the total tow weight is at the tongue. Boat tows in reality usually fall in the 5 to 7% tongue weight range. So unless you exceed 350lbs at the tongue you really do not need a WD hitch, but it is also hitch dependant ( ClassII vs. Class III/IV). The vehicle regardless of the tongue weight still see the total tow weight. So based on the 7klbs tow max as long as you keep your tongue weight at 350lbs no WD hitch is required. But you still need a Class III/IV hitch. Keep in mind the tongue weight must be adjusted for a safe no sway tow. Once you reach this, just weigh the tongue at the trailer and see where you fall.

It also sounds to me you do not have the factory tow package option. You have a Class II hitch which is standard on these vehicles, the tow package option utilizes a class III/IV hitch. This would allow up to 500 lb tongue weight option.
Since you have a Class II hitch you max tow weight is 3,500lbs based on hitch. You need to step up to the Class III/IV hitch in order to take advantage of the 7,000lb vehicle tow weight capability.

If I am not mistaken the Ford factory tow option consists of a ClassIII/IV hitch. 7 pin wiring harness, and a transmission oil cooler. To get the full 7,000lb tow capability you need the factory tow option, V8 and 3:73 rear end gearing, the 3:55 rear end gearing( standard) will only allow you 3260lbs max tow weight. ( Ford Tow and RV trailer towing guide)
So some upgrading on your behalf is required to get a higher tow capacity.

So from my perspective you need to understand what you really have on the Explorer to actually determine what you can actually tow.