Tow Rig Forum

What is the tow rateing on an 05 Sport Trac, has anyone towed anything substantial with one?

Hi all. I have a 2014.Explorer Sport. Bought it brand new with the factory installed tow package. Doing my research to see how.big a.boat I can pull... Can you guys give me some advice/info on these questions? 1. What is my max tow capacity? I believe it is 5000. 2. When you calculate the weight you are pulling....is it everything behind the hitch? Or do you have to add in everything in the Explorer to? 3. Is it safe to pull ALL the way up to the max tow capacity? Can the Explorer handle it? 4. Is it better to get a lighter single axle trailer or a heavier tandem axle if you are AT the max tow capacity? 5. Generic thoughts on max length boat you would tow with my Explorer if you were me? Thanks everyone!!

My husband has a 2004 Ford Explorer (XLS, I think), 4WD, 4.0 v6. We just purchased a 2013 Travel Lite Idea i15 (this isn't our trailer, but this lists some of the specs: http://www.beckleysrvs.com/marylandrvsales/Travel-Lite-/idea/Travel-Trailers.aspx) We were told by the dealer that my husband's vehicle would be able to tow it. They also suggested we add an equalizing hitch, with anti-sway bar, and break package. However, I've read some things in the last couple of days that have me concerned, and I'm hoping someone can help clear things up for me. We think the Explorer has a Class II hitch. Although, we're not really sure. DH did check and it has a 2"x2" receiver on it. It has a 7 pin connector. Someone told me earlier...

I bought mine with towing in mind, not necessarily to the extent that I use it now, but I use mine regularly. I use a hitch basket to haul some things, pull 18ft tandem axle trailers, and my 23' travel trailer. I have a brake controller installed and did a custom mount of the plug in the back bumper.

I have a '06 Ltd V8 with heavy tow package. I have the 7 pin and want to install the Electric Brakes. Does anyone know if this year already comes wired and if not how can I tell? Also, what controller would you recommend? The camper weighs about 3500 lbs before gear.....

Howdy Folks, Thinking of buying a 96-99 Ranger 3.0/manual shift 4x4, and was wondering the tow capacity? I need to pull my boat about 30 miles to my favorite lake about once a week. The 4.0 engine would be better no doubt....but I am looking for decent fuel economy when the truck is not towing. My boat weighs 2500 lbs. Thanks for any info.

I have a 2005 Ford Explorer with the 4.0L V6. I would like to know if I would be able to pull this trailer a couple hours away from my home. MANUFACTURER Autumn Ridge MODEL YEAR 2009 MODEL 181CK WEIGHTS GROSS VEHICLE WT RATING (GVWR) 5,800 lbs. UNLOADED VEHICLE WT (UVW) TBD CARGO CARRYING CAPACITY (CCC) TBD HITCH WEIGHT TBD MEASUREMENTS LENGTH FEET 23 OVERALL LENGTH 23 ft. 1 in. EXTERIOR HEIGHT 9 ft. 8 in. EXTERIOR WIDTH 8 ft. INTERIOR HEIGHT 6 ft. 8 in. WHEELS/TIRES ST205/75R 14C BODY SLEEPING CAPACITY 7 OPERATIONAL FRESH WATER CAPACITY 50 gal. including water heater GRAY WATER CAPACITY 26 gal. BLACK WATER CAPACITY 26 gal. AIR CONDITIONER BTU RATING 13,500 FURNACE BTU RATING...

I'm thinking about buying an SUV for towing and people/stuff hauling. It won't be a daily driver (I hope) and I estimate I'll put 7000 miles/year or less on it. The main towing usage will be for a two-axle open car trailer with up to a 4000 lb car on it or an enclosed trailer that's around 12 feet long and carries our Boy Scout troop's gear on camping trips. I assume the car trailer is by far the heavier load of the two. One other factor is my 14 year-old, 6 foot tall and growing, son. He's going to have to ride in a back seat of whatever I get so I'd like something with some decent rear leg room. I don't own a pickup truck, so it would be nice if what I get can also carry some cargo now and then. I was initially thinking about...

Okay this is going to sound really stupid but i need help, i need to move a HUGE (california king) mattress,two box springs and the frame,im planning on putting my seats down and putting the taken down frame in there,but the mattress's will clearly not fit,so my question is what kind of straps do i need to buy?any recomendations will do,i just dont want to have to tie it with rope (boy scouts didnt teach me a thing) pictures of people towing beds on top of there explorers might help too, I am so helpless when it comes to this and i need help!! please!

The weather resistant trailer light plug included in the factory towing package is a good idea but it has several sortcommings. Neither my boat or my pop-up camper plug fit very well without either trimming rubber off the plug or just being a pain in the butt to plug in. And the location under the bumper makes hook up in the dark difficult since you pretty much have to be down on the ground with a flashlight to get the trailer plugged in. I decided that I needed to install a 6 pin round connector to make life easier. I purchesed the new 6pin round socket with the correct mounting bracket and my original intent was to mount it in the same location as the factory connector. Even though I find this location less than optimal, I...

Considering vehicles for towing a travel trailer roughly 21 ft long / dry weight <3,500 lbs, will be used for long distance trips through mountainous areas, etc. Fuel efficiency is important to me, so I prefer this midsize model over larger. But I also want to be sure it can more than just "do" the job, it can do it well enough without struggling up inclines and putting too much stress on the engine. Anyone handled a situation like this and have some insight or advice?

I have an '06 Explorer, without the towing pkg. I can add a larger hitch, an additional tranny cooler. The biggest difference seems to be the rear axle ratio - mine is a 3.55; the trailer pkg has a 3.73. How big a deal is it to upgrade the axle ratio, and is it adviseable? I only am considering it because I love the vehicle. I need to tow a trailer that weighs about 3200 lbs with a 400 lb hitch weight, with a weight distributing hitch.

The time has come to put my Ranger out of her misery. She's seen 190K since 1990, when my uncle bought her. I beat the tar out of it for the past 120K and she took it like a champ. So I decided to give her a new life as a trailer. How it looked as of friday: (Ignore the ugly red cap, thats off our company s-10. We just needed a place to put it for a few days.) Lets get right into this. Pulled the bed: (The van in the background is mine, so is the Cobra behind it.) I found a little rust on the frame, nothing too bad. (Oh look, a 1" BII sway bar.) Forklifts make this kind of work so much easier, everyone should have one. I cleaned up the surface rust on the underside of the bed and painted it with POR15: (I...

I have looked for some frame mounted receivers and I have seen some that are way ugly. The tube of the hitch sticks way down. I have seen a few that look great but they have all been on the freeway and I can't tell what brand, they have where only the 2" receiver part is about all that hangs below the bumper the rest is tucked in. Have looked on here but haven't found what I am looking for. Any help or ideas on what brands have called a bunch and they have sent picks but all I have called have hung down.

Hi all - First Day, Second post: How do I determine the rear axle ratio on my new-to-me 1999 EB 4x2 4 door 4.0 SOHC Explorer? I actually have the original sticker, and it doesn't mention anything about it. Also doesn't mention "Towing Package" or "Towing Option" which worries me a little. The step bumper has a placard that states it can carry a 3500# (350# tongue weight) trailer, but this model Explorer is supposed to be able to pull either a 4500#trailer (if it has a 3.55 rear end) or a 5900# trailer (with the 3.73 or 4.10 rear end), according to the owner's manual. I assume that I'll need to get a weight-distributing hitch to pull more than 3500#, regardless of which rear end it's got? Suggestions? Also, How do I find the hookup for...