98 Explorer as an anchor

[tjandrews]

Bought a 98 Explorer XLT last September, in pristine condition for its age, at least for Central NY. No rust to speak of, anywhere.

I've volunteered to crew at the local hot air balloon festival each June for nearly 20 years. It's possible that I will be asked if my Explorer could be used as one of the anchors for tethered balloon rides. (Each balloon is required to be tethered at three points for tethered rides.) It's happened before - three years ago we used my Dodge Stratus's Class 1 trailer hitch as one of the tie-downs for not one but TWO balloons, with no ill effects. (The other anchors were a conveniently-positioned 10-inch tree trunk, each of the balloonists' chase vehicles, and a half-ton pickup.)

My Explorer doesn't have a receiver hitch - it just has the step bumper. But the bumper is factory-rated as a Class 2 hitch. I've been underneath, and to my 63-year-old farmer eyes it looks plenty strong enough for at least one balloon, if not two, as long as I use a decent clevis to tie off to, and as long as the balloon pilot has sense enough to shut down if the wind comes up. (I won't do it for a pilot I don't trust.)

What do you guys think?

 

[colintrax]

If you used a class 1 hitch on a dodge statrus, it should be fine. However, I'd suggest you invest in a hitch. They aren't that expensive or hard to put on, and it'll make your explorer a truck. Bumper isn't good for much

 

[IZwack]

Another idea is the tow loop that some Explorer Sports came with - which basically bolts to (i think) the driver's side frame rail. I once ran across one of these in a junk yard, but here's one on E-bay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Tow-Lo...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a7ed8388b&vxp=mtr

Here's a thread with better pics of the setup:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=345054

 

[tjandrews]

If you used a class 1 hitch on a dodge statrus, it should be fine. However, I'd suggest you invest in a hitch. They aren't that expensive or hard to put on, and it'll make your explorer a truck. Bumper isn't good for much

Rats. I was going to post a photo of the Explorer and another of the Stratus being an anchor just so you'd know I wasn't kidding, but I see I'm not allowed to.

 

[tjandrews]

Another idea is the tow loop that some Explorer Sports came with - which basically bolts to (i think) the driver's side frame rail. I once ran across one of these in a junk yard, but here's one on E-bay:

I'm a decent hand with a welder, and I have some "retired" farm machinery around here for materials. I'll bet I can make one of those...

 

[ponkotsu]

Maybe you can tie it to ssobel80's bumper. Kill two birds with one stone. It's worth a shot.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=370792

 

[koda2000]

just pop out the plastic cover where the bumper hitch ball would go and tie the line through there. your bumper is plenty strong and your truck weighs almost 5,000 lbs. it shouldn't have any trouble holding down a balloon (or several balloons).