Am I just lucky?

[2stroke]

I have been reading through this forum, and I have to say I'm a little confused. I read a post that says they tow a lot of weight; further down I see that they won't tow what I consider normal weights unless it has x HP and x gearing, and super great breaks, and huge tranny cooler, etc. My 1994 Ford Explorer 4x4 has been towing its whole life; its the reason I have it. I have the stock motor, stock auto tranny, stock gears, basically no mods for towing. All I ever did was bolt a class III tow hitch on it. I regularly tow 2000 pounds, and multiple times a year tow over 5000 pounds. Heck I towed my 2002 mercury cougar home on a car trailer, total was sure over the "tow rating" with car, trailer, chains, and other gear. The heaviest it has ever towed was just over 4 tons (with trailer breaks), and it handled it just fine for the 20 minutes home. As far as power; who really needs to get up to 70 in 15 seconds? The 4.0 OHV is 100% a torque motor- you don't even notice the power it has until you have 2 tons hooked behind it. The things are 6' tall tanks. I understand you want people to be safe, but it seems people go a little overboard on towing mods on here. Maybe I have just been lucky with my trucks reliability though. :navajo:

 

[Jumpjets]

I use my 2002 exploder to tow my 4700lb trailer and boat. I've weighed the truck and trailer together, and they are below the GCWR by a couple hundred lbs.

I put a new transmission in the truck this summer, but that was due to the servos failing, and I don't think towing really affects that.

I look at it from a safety perspective: the 2002 V8 tow package is rated to tow over 7000lbs. The difference between that truck and mine is basically the engine, 3.73 gears, and a tow hitch. The chassis and brakes are rated to tow that much weight. I'm OK with accelerating a little slower when towing since I have a smaller engine.

My trailer has high quality disc surge brakes, and my truck has aftermarket EBC brake pads and rotors for better stopping power. I drive very very conservatively when I tow, so I don't feel like I need an F-350 to tow a 4700lb boat and trailer.

If I lived in Colorado or something though, it would be a different story.

 

[thebrakeman]

2stroke,
Overboard on towing mods? Are you referring to sway controllers and WDH kits? These are not "mods". They are required equipment in many cases, as stated in the owners manual.

If you regularly tow 2000 lbs, then you are fine with your V6 with highway gearing and now additional towing gear. Your tow rating is probably 3500 lbs. You actually didn't even say what your rating is. Do you even know?

Towing 5000 lbs when you don't have the cooling for it is likely doing damage to your transmission. You just don't know it becuase it's only occasional. Does that make you lucky? No. Smarter than the rest of us? No.

Towing 8000 lbs ("4 tons") is just plain careless. Sorry to be blunt, but if you really towed that much trailer, without a WDH kit installed, then you really have no regard for your passengers, nor the people around you. On such a small, short wheelbase vehicle, that is an accident waiting to happen.

Just because your vehicle hasn't had problems does not mean your towing habits are wise. Tow ratings are not just to protect the vehicle from damage. Vehicle dynamics require certain adjustments when you put significant weight back there. 8000 lbs is probably at least 1000 lbs on the ball, which take too much weight off the front wheels. In an emergency lane change situation, you would lose control. And if you had the 8000 lbs balanced such that the TW was only 500 lbs, then you would have an unstable rig prone to swaying...again, a danger to those around you.

Did I answer your question?

 

[2stroke]

I have to disagree. I probably had 500 pounds on the tongue, and it had no sway at all. It was a full size dodge ram pickup, on a big car trailer, with trailer brakes. I'm not sure what my tow rating is, I go by what I feel safe with. The fact that I'm at about 225,000 with the original transmission tells me that I am not doing damage. I see lots of people going through the A4LD every 100,000 miles, sometimes less. I have never used a weight distributing hitch, however, I don't consider them a mod. I'm talking about putting 4.10 gearing in, gigantic transmission coolers, airbag shocks, etc.

 

[gear_grinder]

good fluid maintenance may be more key then you realize, especially transmission and drive axles. keeping good condition fluid in the components will help absorb and disperse heat when under a heavy load, poor fluids will do a lesser job and drive more heat/energy into parts making them wear faster or unusually

 

[2stroke]

It is the key without a doubt. I've always run Penzoil platinum full synthetic in the motor - changed every 5000 miles, and always with a new filter; and Amsoil full synthetic ATX in the tranny - but was only changed twice before, the last time with a new filter. I just put in anything in the differentials, I changed the front once just because I was doing the back, and I changed the back because I was having a howling problem (turned out to be wheel bearings again). The rear is a LS with 3.73 gears. I would never recommend someone tow a full size pickup like I did - if your not sure, you shouldn't be towing it. However, I strongly believe ANY -2 or 4 door, V6, V8, etc. - Ford explorer is capable of towing up to 2 tons completely stock. The tow ratings are far too conservative.

 

[thebrakeman]

...However, I strongly believe ANY -2 or 4 door, V6, V8, etc. - Ford explorer is capable of towing up to 2 tons completely stock. The tow ratings are far too conservative.

2 tons is only 4000 lbs. "Completely stock" gets 3500 lbs rating. That's not "far too conservative. That's only 500 lbs under what you believe is doable. Occasionally? Sure go ahead and tow a few hundred pounds over the limit. But if going long-distance, or needing to do this regularly? No. Get the right tool for the job.