Hey guys and gals! Newbie here and I have a question. I have an 04 Explorer EB w/4.0 V6 with 3.55 gears. I am changing the Hitch to a weight dist. class III as I have a 24 ft TT to tow. I am also installing an electric brake system as well. The TT will weigh close to 5000lbs when loaded. I have checked all the numbers on the door of the explorer and understand them but if I'm not going to pull up any long big hills and keep my towing local would this be allright to do? As well is it a legality issue also? Please help.
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Need honest opinion!!! Please help!
- Thread starter TYGUY73
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Gadget X
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As long as you are just pulling it local, with no hills, you will probably be ok. Just don't make a habit of it! Just remember to take it easy so you don't over-stress anything.
Verno
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You will be legal if you get tags on trailer. As for your truck, the 4.0 is a strong motor - much stronger than the A4ld transmission. Get a transmission cooler installed ASAP. Rememver, you're pulling this with a V-6 so don't expect a lot of speed. I've pulled a lot with my 94, so it is possible.
jrford
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reminder its a 3rd gen, trans cooler is standard. with the 4.0L and 3.55 technically the max is 3500lbs due to the gearing, no matter which hitch. Even if you had 3.73 it only goes up to 5200lbs for the 4.0L. You should have the 5r55w, not the greatest in the world. You should be able to get away with it, but i wouldn't want to do it on a daily basis with those gears. If you keep the O/D off it should help.
gijoecam
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You asked for an honest opinion: Sell the Explorer you've got and get something more capable. You're not going to be happy with the way it pulls that trailer, and it's not going to be happy doing it. The first issue is the weight... Your truck is rated to tow 3235lbs since it was not equipped with the factory Class III/IV tow package, and even if it had been, it would still only be rated to tow 4645 lbs, and that's with NO PASSENGERS OR GEAR in the truck itself. (note that's for 2wd, for a 4x4, it's 3375 and 5355 respectively) 5000lbs is likely an optimistic weight for the trailer to start with, plus add the weight of the wife, kids, dogs, cooler, etc. in the truck, and you're now either at or WELL beyond the maximum rated limits of the truck.
Can it? Probably. Should it? IMHO, no. It's not going to be a pleasant experience for you or the truck. Some people are of the mindset that if you can hook to it, you can pull it. I tend to side with the engineers that designed, tested, and built the truck though.
Can it? Probably. Should it? IMHO, no. It's not going to be a pleasant experience for you or the truck. Some people are of the mindset that if you can hook to it, you can pull it. I tend to side with the engineers that designed, tested, and built the truck though.
Hitchhikingmike
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You could, but it's pushing it. I've towed a bit less than 5k lbs. with my V6 and 3.55 gears w/ class II hitch, but that was just for a dozen miles from lowes, I didn't take it on the highway, never wen't above 40 mph. I took it slow and didn't have any problems, even up and down some 8-10 % long grades in the city and it didn't feel awkward driving it and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Ford did beef up the brakes for the 3rd gens. I didn't have any trouble coming up to the intersection either w/ no trailer breaks. I did use engine breaking through.
The SOHCs are stout, and the 5R55Ws are rated (theoretically) to handle 550 bl.-ft. of torque.
Would I want to take the same load on the highway for a few hundred mile trip? no, wouldn't trust my ex with that much weight over the long haul. I don't even know if I would want to be doing that 24/7 with a F-150 either, anything 5k lbs. and more and more for the long haul on the highway and I'm tending to only feel comfortable with that in an F-250.
yup, that's an entire full pallet from Lowes + about ten more bags
It did pull that 20+' sail boat in the background on the highway for quite a bit. Towing the boat was effortless, easy to forget it was even behind the ex.
The SOHCs are stout, and the 5R55Ws are rated (theoretically) to handle 550 bl.-ft. of torque.
Would I want to take the same load on the highway for a few hundred mile trip? no, wouldn't trust my ex with that much weight over the long haul. I don't even know if I would want to be doing that 24/7 with a F-150 either, anything 5k lbs. and more and more for the long haul on the highway and I'm tending to only feel comfortable with that in an F-250.
yup, that's an entire full pallet from Lowes + about ten more bags
It did pull that 20+' sail boat in the background on the highway for quite a bit. Towing the boat was effortless, easy to forget it was even behind the ex.
FordLover
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I would tend to agree with the nay sayers. I pull a ~4,500 lb 21' travel trailer with my V8/tow package equipped explorer and I wouldn't want to go much heavier. Also note there is a big difference between pulling a 5,000 lb. boat than a 5,000 lb. Travel Trailer. The Frontal Area creates a huge drag on the tow vehicle, and it becomes more and more noticable as you speed up-unless it's a pop up of some type.
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