Boat towing question

Greetings All;

I just purchased a used 2010 Sport Trac with 12,000 miles. It has a Class II hitch and I want to tow a boat/trailer with a combined weight of 3400 lbs. The towing that I will be doing most is about an hour over level roads. The cargo in the cab (including passengers) will weigh in at about 600 lbs. Is there anything I should know beforehand? Also, would it make sense to invest in a Class III...if so, how expensive is this and can it be done? BTW, the engine is a 4.0 V6 automatic.

 

[thebrakeman]

You have 3500 lbs MAX tow rating. With these trucks (like most), you must essentially subtract passenger and cargo weight (in the truck) from that MAX tow rating:
3500 - 600 = 2900

Your loaded boat/trailer combination should weight no more than 2900 lbs.

You're not limited by the structure, but by the powertrain. You only have the V6, the 5-speed, and 3.55 gearing. The hitch is welded in place, so you would have to install an aftermarket Class 3 under the integrated class 2. But upgrading the hitch would do nothing to help you protect the powertrain from damage.

The added ratings come from:
V6: Hitch, cooling, gearing change to 3.73:1
V8: Hitch, cooling, trans change from 5-speed to 6-speed (extra low 1st gear)

If you tow this boat with that much people and cargo, you will be over Ford's recommendation. Will the truck blow up? No. Will the powertrain be over-taxed? Yes. Will the transmission suffer prematurely? Perhaps.

 

[counselorphil]

....thanks for the information....please note that this vehicle does have the gearing ratio of 3.73:1.....does that make a difference in my favor?

 

[97xxxploder]

IN MY OPINION, i think u would be alright to tow that boat. that is just my opinion. do not take it to heart. i used to have a 1991 ford ranger with the 4.0 automatic with 3.55 gears 6 inches of lift and 33x12.50x15 inch tires and that thing would pull anything u would give it. it only had the one inch hitch but i still towed my 24 foot camper, a heavy duty car trailer with a 89 s10 extended cab mud truck on the trailer, that same tralier with my 04 dodge stratus on it. i was always towing well over the recomended weight limit. i kept things nice and easy and things were fine. i never rode peoples ***** and i always started slowing down long before my stops. i live in the country with mostly flat roads too so that helps. i was never scared to tow anything with that truck. it was a beast and a half! thats just my past experiences though so please dont tow what i have towed or it could be fatal.

 

[counselorphil]

Thanks 97....
Like I said, our driving (towing) needs for the most part are 1 hour per day/3 days a week during the boating season (Chicago area). The only hill to navigate is the entrance road leading to the launch site (a fairly steep road) but that is only 150 feet of our trip. So I am feeling a bit better after what you said.
-phil

 

[thebrakeman]

If you have the 3.73 gearing, then you must have the Class III/IV towing package (not the Class II hitch as you stated in the original post).

Check that size of the receiver opening. Is it the 1¼" (Class II) or the 2" (Class III/IV)?

 

[thebrakeman]

IN MY OPINION, i think u would be alright to tow that boat. that is just my opinion. do not take it to heart. i used to have a 1991 ford ranger with the 4.0 automatic with 3.55 gears 6 inches of lift and 33x12.50x15 inch tires and that thing would pull anything u would give it. it only had the one inch hitch but i still towed my 24 foot camper, a heavy duty car trailer with a 89 s10 extended cab mud truck on the trailer, that same tralier with my 04 dodge stratus on it. i was always towing well over the recomended weight limit. i kept things nice and easy and things were fine. i never rode peoples ***** and i always started slowing down long before my stops. i live in the country with mostly flat roads too so that helps. i was never scared to tow anything with that truck. it was a beast and a half! thats just my past experiences though so please dont tow what i have towed or it could be fatal.

What exactly is the point of this post?
You tell them that you think it's OK to tow this boat, knowing it's over the weight limit (unless the OP finds that they have the HD tow package, that is).
Then you tell them that you have knowingly towed "well over the recommended weight limit".
Then you tell them "please don't tow what I have towed or it could be fatal".

Do you recommend they tow over the weight limit or not?!?!
I certainly do not.

 

[counselorphil]

boat towing continued discussion

Thanks Brakeman;

I will check the receiver opening again....if my memory serves me, I recall measuring it last week though and thought it was 1 7/8 (inside frame). I have a 2" ball rated for 3500#. After reading a bunch of these posts, I am for sure going to follow-up on the tranny cooler, temp gauge and extra filter. Also, I will ask more questions about using synthetic oil in the trans as well.

Thanks again for your follow up. Because we are first time boat haulers, we need all the advice we can find before next season.

Phil and Bonnie.

 

[htrdlncn]

Im suprised the newer sport tracs have such a low tow rating , the older ones are rated at 5300lbs

 

[counselorphil]

towing capacity on 2010 sport trac

The towing capacity with a Class III increases to just over 5000#. That is why I am trying to figure out what I can do to put a Class III on. I am talking to a few businesses to see if they can do it and for what price.

 

[thebrakeman]

Good news! According to the 2010 Ford Towing Guide (see link below, page 24), all 2010 Sport Tracs (and possibly earlier models?) got the HD Class III/IV towing package. This means you certainly have the 2" receiver, and all the cooling and 3.73 gearing that you need for 5250 (4x2) or 5080 (4x4/AWD) MAX tow rating.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/rv_trailer_towing/2010/10RVTrailer.pdf

The 3500 lbs rating that I told you was under the assumption that the towing packages were the same as the standards Explorer. See the Explorer chart on that same page, and you'll see more columns for Class II situations. That's not the case for the Sport Trac.

Sorry about that. You should be fine, as long as you don't load your vehicle or boat more than expected.

 

[counselorphil]

Thanks for the link....unfortunately, the receiver is not a 2" one. I am looking into having it removed and a 2" welding in its place.

 

[thebrakeman]

Very strange. Is the inside square only 1¼ inch?
I would take it to a Ford dealer, and have them check the VIN to see if you have the Class III/IV cooling and axle equipment. Something does not make sense here.

 

[counselorphil]

Brakeman;

A couple of weeks ago I brought it to the Ford dealer and had them look up the VIN and they did....thats when I found it had a 3.73:1 did not find out about the cooling....I will go back.

 

[Triton8273]

If you have the class II hitch, then you will have the 4pin connector.

If you have the class III/IV, then you will have the 7pin round connector.

Or just take a picture and post it.

 

[thebrakeman]

Yes, please post a pic. The 3.73 and V6 would give you around 5500 lbs MAX towing capacity. But the class 2 hitch would limit you to 3500 lbs.
Ford would not make that combination. It makes no sense.
Do you have the 4-flat wiring connector, or the 7-pin round connector?
If you can post a picture, please do.

 

[counselorphil]

Boat towing situation

Greetings;

I have the flat 4 pin connector.

Thanks
Phil

 

[Triton8273]

Then as brakeman stated...you are limited to 3500lbs including your cargo in the truck.

Are we taking about a single or dual axle trailer with or w/o brakes? I just want to double check that your weight on the rig is correct, unless you already have had it weighed. Considering what you state the weight is it sounds like a reasonably small boat on a single axle.

 

[counselorphil]

Greetings Kyle and Brakeman;

The boat and trailer (single axel with surge brake) together weigh in at about 3400 lbs. I bought the Sport Trac from the Ford dealer with the intention of switching out the hitch to a Class III to cover the weight of the boat....did not want to be right at the max. level for tow capacity. Now I am finding that the switch out is not as easy as I was lead to believe. Had I know all this beforehand, even though I really like the Sport Trac, I probably would have looked for a used 150 crew cab.

Thanks again for your continued interest/help with this situation...just glad I have some time before the boating season begins.

-phil

 

[counselorphil]

I will attempt to post pics soon
-phil