'03 2-door Explorer - are we being safe?

ntex · August 25, 2015

Weight wise it looks to me like your plenty safe and your using the right kind of hitch.

GlamperGal · August 25, 2015

Thanks for the reply. I should also mention that I don't think we have the factory tow package (there was no pre-existing hitch receiver) but we do have a transmission cooler that we didn't know was there.

Svc department found it when we were getting new brakes and tires last week as well as catching up on maintenance of several other little things.

DieselDaddy · August 25, 2015

you are good. sounds like you are going to be cautious which is always a good idea when towing anything and having the leveling hitch on the truck makes things much better and safer also having the trailer brake controller you will be fine.

GlamperGal · August 25, 2015

Thanks for the continued responses. I'm feeling a lot better about taking it out for the first time this weekend. We got some more tips from our dealership (family owned place that my parents have been loyal to since I was a wee one, so we feel good about trusting their opinions) about fiddling with the tongue jack to get us that last inch of sag taken care of on the rear of the explorer. We just maxed out the air in the tires today and if we can get one more link in the chain on the weight bars we should be close!

thebrakeman · September 2, 2015

This is getting very close. Doable for short, slow trips, but not long-term.
I just checked out the 2003 Ford Towing Guide
It seems the factory tow package was standard on the Sport and Sport-Trac models, so that's good. Since you have the WDH, you should be good thru 5000 (4x2) or 4820 (4x4).

That said, your 3700 lb dry camper, will increase it's weight by much more than your own stuff. It's not just your stuff that adds to the dry weight. Factory options often include the furnace, A/C, fridge upgrades, oven/microwave, etc. Dealer options often include the LP tanks, battery, and other such items. Then you include your stuff.

Typical loaded estimate for a full length TT is 1000 lbs over dry. You being ready to pack light, call it 800. That puts you at around 4500 lbs. Anything beyond the driver that goes in the Explorer will also count against that max tow rating. So as you can see, you are just barely squeeking by, and may in fact go over.

Also, that sport model has a shorter wheelbase than the 4-door models. That makes for poor stability. That's a very long trailer for a short wheelbase vehicle. If your WDH does not have integrated sway control, I would consider it mandatory for you to install a friction sway controller as an add-on to the WDH.

GlamperGal · September 2, 2015

Thanks, thebrakeman, for the additional insight and information.

We do have a sway bar installed on the side of the WDH. We went camping this weekend... about 40 miles on the interstate and then 20-ish miles on a highway and side roads. This is the area where we will do 90% of our camping until we can afford a more suitable tow vehicle.

The trailer was wonderful on the highways and side roads. No "tail wagging" and we kept it slow and kept O/D off. On the interstate we experienced the suction from being passed by large vehicles. The trailer recovered immediately after each one and my husband was careful not to over-correct, but it scared THE HELL out of me every single time. Is that even considered "sway"? How much is too much? It bums me out that I just don't fully trust our TV to get us to our campsites safely. I have nightmares of it swaying out of control and rolling us over.

Of course my husband isn't too happy with my squealing and being so stressed after each passing truck!

GlamperGal · September 2, 2015

But on a less stressful note... the camper was crazy fun and we had a great weekend?

thebrakeman · September 10, 2015

Great campsite! And nice camper, too.

I do not consider the immediate effect a passing semi to be "sway". If the trailer were continue to oscillate after the initial pull from the semi, I would consider that "sway". A better WDH with integrated sway control would do better at limiting this initial pull you are feeling, most likely because the WDH setup itself automatically sets the amount of sway control.

For you (with standalone sway controller), you need to be sure it is set properly. Most people do not set it tight enough. The key is understanding that the threaded handle is the on/off switch, not the adjustment!

1. Attach both ends of sway controller, and tighten the on/off handle all the way. Yes, all the way, until the handle bottoms out on the main body. If you physically can't tighten it that much, loosen the adjuster bolt, which is about 2-3 inches from the handle, until you can tighten it all the way.

2. Test drive. Flick the steering wheel slightly but quickly, as if you were starting a lane change, but quickly changed your mind. If the trailer pulls to 1 side, then slightly to the other side, then back to center, you are good.

3. If you get any more than 1 oscillation (1 to each side), pull over, and tighten that adjuster BOLT 1/4-turn. Test drive again. Repeat until oscillation is minimized.

4. If it seems too tight, you can loosen in 1/4-turn increments, until you get too much oscillation. Then go back to #3 .

If you are still more scared than hubby, just ask him nicely to move to the right side of the lane when a truck passes. If, like most men, he doesn't like being told how to drive, remind him how much better your mood will be when you arrive to that secluded destination, and how appreciative you'll be. hehehe

'03 2-door Explorer - are we being safe?

ntex

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GlamperGal

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DieselDaddy

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GlamperGal

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thebrakeman

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GlamperGal

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GlamperGal

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thebrakeman

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