How much can my Explorer tow?

[BezersSLPSS]

I have a 1995 Explorer XLT 4dr 4X4 with the 4.0 V6. The problem is that my dad and I have a 1996 Grand Sport Corvette that is dead in the water. We need to have it towed to the dealership to get a new PCM flashed. A towing company is out of the question since the car sits so low it will drag while they get it up on the big flatbed. We have access to a friends trailor. Its a double axle single car trailor. The Corvette weighs in at about 3100lbs. The other problem is that I don't have the tow hitch package, all I have is the ball thats on the bumper. Would I be asking for trouble if I attempted this or is it back to the drawing board? Thanks, please ignore my ignorance this is my first time ever having to tow something.

 

[TheJMan]

I'm not much of a towing expert by any means, but 3100 pounds from the bumper seems like too much weight. The rear end will sag miserably unless you have a set of helper springs or something like that. Also, with that much weight on the rear, your braking ability will be greatly reduced as the front tires will be making much less contact with the road.

It can be done, but I would strongly recommend a weight-distributing towing hitch for your safety and those on the road with you.

 

[ExplorerSportNu]

I'm not much of a towing expert by any means, but 3100 pounds from the bumper seems like too much weight. The rear end will sag miserably unless you have a set of helper springs or something like that. Also, with that much weight on the rear, your braking ability will be greatly reduced as the front tires will be making much less contact with the road.

It can be done, but I would strongly recommend a weight-distributing towing hitch for your safety and those on the road with you.

Yeah listen to him, that is way too much weight for the set up you have with what you will be towing, you are gonna need a hitch like he said, and hes right on with the sagging issue.

 

[Glacier991]

towing weight and tongue weight are two separate issues. Do you have any idea what the tongue weight will be? If the trailer is like ones I have seen, it shouldn'd be too much.

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

If its not too far, you should be ok if the tongue weight isn't too horrible. Make sure as much of the Vette's weight as possible is on the axles of the trailer. The bumper should hold up. CarFreak146 managed to tow a Dodge Ram over 200 miles using only the bumper a few weeks ago. That's over 6000 pounds including the trailer.

That being said, you might consider investing in a hitch anyway. They're not that expensive, I got mine (Hidden Hitch Class III) for just over $120 shipped from etrailer.com. Easy install too.