Solved Explorer Towing Capacities

[BRIAN95]

i was looking at getting one i found a company with trunnion style with all parts but ball for 200 bucks. just looking to make better towing brfore i spend money on F-250 for towing when my mounty can handle it.

 

[huntman58]

i was woundering if anyone has used an anti-sway kit. i used a uhaul car trailer( told them my truck was a 2002) with a weight around 2000lbs. car on trailer was around 3300lbs. car towed ok around town with low speeds alittle slow up hill but at around 45mph started to sway around road pretty bad. was looking to get my own trailer and was looking at a way to help towing the car. truck is and 2001 mounty v8 with class 3 hitch stock motor.

I would use one if you will be towing a lot if not then make sure you’re flat and level when loaded and that your load is weight distributed right not to nose heavy or tail heavy as either way will give tracking problems at speed. Tail heavy trailer will fish tail on you every time at speed and a nose heavy trailer will make your steering feel light and almost vague if really bad. also any thing over 2,000 lbs I would use a trailer brake if you can even if it is not the law just a bit safer and more control going down the road I feel.

 

[flamingX]

Does any body know if the 3rd gens have the intergated trailer Brake Actuator in the dash on the ones with the Factory tow package or do you have to buy an aftermarket one?
The reason I'm asking is becauase I've got a Friend of mine (who is a Corvette dealer, so he doesnt know much about trucks) looking for an EX for me at the auto actions, and I need to find a way to easily identify the tow package and not one that somebody has stuck a Class III bumper on a Class II one. Of if you can tell me what the Axle code is for the 3.73 rear on a 3rd Gen. (ford lists 5 different codes for the 3.73 rear and I dont want to tell him to look for a D4 and it be a C4)

 

[wctrainer]

Towing capacity with levelers

I thought I read somewhere that if I used a load leveler it would take the towing capacity of my 2001 Sport Trac 4x4 from 5,000 to 7,000.. did I get that confused? thanks

 

[RAF]

I have a 2000 Explorer V8 5.0 AWD with a class 3 hidden hitch. I want to tow my 04 Mustang which weighs about 3500 lbs on a tandem axle car trailer with brakes, Will this be an issue or unsafe at all?

 

[Mbrooks420]

I assume you have a brake controller? How far will you be towing? Any idea on the trailer weight? I'm guessing you will in the upper limits of the weight rating. Probably won't have any troubles towing it a short distance, but prob not the best vehicle for a long haul.

 

[wctrainer]

the enclosed trailer is 2600# and I will be towing a car that weighs 1900# and some tools and spares. I think the loaded weight will be around 5500#s.

 

[Mbrooks420]

What your differential ratio? 5500 is a whole lot with the v6 transmission. Does the trailer have surge brakes, or electric?

 

[wctrainer]

It is a pace american trailer with electric brakes on both axles. I also have a Reese stabilizing (load leveling) hitch rated to 10,000 lbs. Not sure what my tranny is - its an automatic in a 2001 Sport Trac.

 

[Mbrooks420]

You should have a 5r55e I think. Not much of a difference in the V6 trannies, they all pretty much suck. Check the drivers door for a white sticker. Look for the axle code, then post it here.

 

[RAF]

I assume you have a brake controller? How far will you be towing? Any idea on the trailer weight? I'm guessing you will in the upper limits of the weight rating. Probably won't have any troubles towing it a short distance, but prob not the best vehicle for a long haul.

I will install a brake controller before towing with it, the trailer weighs about 2200 lbs and I plan to tow it about 90 miles each way to the track

 

[wctrainer]

The axle code on my sport trac is "42"

 

[Mbrooks420]

A 42 is a 4.10 ratio, open rear. Are you 4x4? Automatic?

 

[wctrainer]

It is a 4x4 automatic with the 4.0 liter.

 

[Mbrooks420]

According to the charts it seems like your rated for 4,940 pounds. But that includes all the people and cargo in the truck, the trailer, and all the stuff on it.

 

[01 limited]

I have an 01 limited with a 5.0 awd. Would towing a 3500 pound car and tandem axle trailed be pushing it. I have only on HUGE hill to cllimb then it's all flat land after that.

It's the altamont hill in livermore ca. if anyone knows what i'm talking about.

 

[Spuzzly]

All -

Just bought an 09 Explorer and need a opinion on towing a boat. The axle is 3:55, 4.0 Liter engine with 5R55S auto tranny. I am replacing the class II hitch with a class III hitch this week. The boat, trailer and gear will weigh between 3500 - 4000 lbs. I will be only towing up to 12 times a year with average towing time about 1 hr each way. The longest I would tow would be 2 hrs one way. What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance.

 

[donstevens]

I have lots of questions.

Why do 4wd vehicles have better towing capacity than 2wd? Is it just because of better traction? Wider wheels?

Intuition would say that if all else (brakes, trans, suspension) were the same that a 4wd would have less capacity due to it's increased weight.

Also - does anyone have those nifty charts like mountaingreen posted for Gen 3 vehicles?

Don

 

[Mbrooks420]

The 2wd vehicles do have a larger capacity due to less vehicle weight as you stated.

 

[deewu]

New from New Zealand

Hi, Being searching the web for answers to see if I'm expecting too much from my '03 XLT 4.0 4WD. Have a Bayliner 2355 + trailer with a combined weighth of approximately 2500kg without fuel and water. Looking at towing it some 200km from the coast to our bach in the Central North Island of NZ.
The The tow ball has got 3500kg engraved on it.
The hitch receiver is 2' with the sticker on it specifying max tow capacity of 2500kg with load leveler and cab operated braking installed.
The Axle code on the inside of the driver's door do not have the 45 or 46 as the Forum specified but "D4", ?different coding for export models.
Can anyone enlighten me?