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'03 Explorer - first time towing!

Hello everyone, just looking for some general advice?

We are moving from Boise back to W. Washington and rather than having our fishing boat hauled (to save money), I am hoping to tow it, but have never done this before.

We have a '03 Ford Explorer, Eddie Bauer, 4ltr, AWD. The manual says it has a class III/IV hitch on it.

The boat is a 14' AlumaCraft fishing boat and trailer with an old 35 hp outboard. I think I will also put a couple of bicycles in the boat and strap them down.

The truck just went to the mechanic and everything is sound, it does have 149,000 miles on it. The boat/trailer are at the shop making sure the bearings are packed, tires are good and everything is road worthy. The boat hasn't seen the road or water in 25 years. The boat guys says that boat and trailer are likely 800 to 1,000 lbs. There are no brakes on the trailer.


I have two options, either go over 2 mountain passes, 4,300 ft. and 3,200 ft. or just one (over the Cascades and into Seattle, (highway and local mountain road) or along the Columbia River and up to Seattle (all highway)).

Last year we sold our '98 Expedition with the 5.4 engine, which I wouldn't have had a worry about, but the Explorer is much smaller and we will be travelling around 550 miles.

I know this was a lot of rambling, but should I worry about the Explorer? From what I have read towing capacity seems to be ok? Is there anything special I should do? In another forum someone suggested a transmission cooler, but I am only hauling it this far once in an attempt to save money.

Any thoughts, suggestions would be greatly appreciated, and thanks for reading the ramblings.

Elliot
 






You probably have 6400 lbs GVWR, and let's say you use every bit of it loaded for a move. That means the extra 1000 lbs of the trailer will be beyond the intended capacity of the boat. If you can limit the amount of stuff you put in the truck (people or stuff), and keep the total combined weight to more like 6700 (?), I'd feel better about going without trailer brakes. Will you have more than 1 vehicle?

You said that the manual says you have a Class III/IV receiver. The manual can't tell you that, since there were 2 packages available:

Class II: 1.25" square receiver. 3.55 axle ratio and no additional trans cooling. This has 3500 lbs tow rating and 8500 lbs GCVWR. No real issue on those ratings, but the lack of aux trans cooler might be a concern going thru the mountains. If this is you, I'd take that advise, and have an aux cooler installed. With the lower axle ratio, you might want to lock out overdrive when scaling a hill, if it's hunting back and forth.

Class III: V6 with 2" square receiver. 3.73 axle ratio and it has additional trans cooling. 5500 lbs tow rating and 10000 lbs GCVWR. The cooling is good. The 3.73 gearing means you get crappy fuel economy when not towing, but you might be able to leave in 5th when towing this light load. Again, if hunting, lock out OD.

Class IV: V8 with 2" square receiver. You don't have the V8, so it doesn't matter. But that's 7000+ towing, and 12,000 lbs GCVWR.
 






Thanks Brakeman

Thanks for the reply. The only thing that will be in the truck will be my 11 year old daughter, my wife's plants and two old cats, and myself. Everything else, is being shipped via moving company. The wife will be in the sport sedan. Yea, she gets to have fun driving!

Guess I misspoke, it wasn't the manual, but the sticker on the window that said what the special features of the vehicle were and it does say class III/IV. I checked it again to make sure.

I think what I am hearing you say, if it is a class III, the towing capacity should be fine as long as we don't try to fill up the vehicle or put a bunch of weight on the trailer?

Also, it does have the 2" receiver, so transmission cooling should be ok (mountain passes)?

I am still confused about the GVWR vs. GCVWR?

Thanks again,

Elliot
 






Yes. The 2" receiver confirms that you do, in fact, have the HD Towing Package (like your sticker says). If you did not have that package, you would have the smaller receiver. You should be fine, especially with lightly loading the Explorer like that. Probably only 5500 + 1000 = 6500 combined.

GVWR = Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. This is the maximum amount that you are allowed to load the Explorer itself, based primarily on the vehicle's structure. My 2006 Mountaineer (Explorer clone) has 6400 lbs GVWR. Yours is probably the same, or perhaps slightly less. Open the driver door. Should be on a sticker with recommended tire pressures, etc.

GCVWR = Gross Combined Vehclie Weight Rating. This is the maximum weight allowed for the combined Explorer plus loaded trailer, and is primarily based on the drivetrain. For your V6 with HD towing package, it's 10,000 lbs MAX.
 






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