Is it possible?...

Ok, i need to tow an '87 mustang gt that weighs around 3100#s 900 miles from Missouri to Pennsylvania (moving).

So my question is will my Explorer be able to handle something like this if i take it easy? I will be using a tow dolly from u-haul (yeah i know about the u-haul fiasco lol)

My Ex is a '97, 2 door, 4wd, sport, 4.0 ohv, 5 speed manual trans, 3.73LS gears... the truck has 132k on the odometer and runs great, im just worried about whether the Explorer will be able to handle towing something like that for that long.

So any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I think you should be able to handle it, barring any big mountain climbs and provided the tow dolly has surge brakes.

Look far down the road, try to anticipate lane changes and stops, handling and braking will be limited.

 

[JDraper]

Yes, you should be able to tow your car. However..I would HIGHLY recommend you put it on a trailer instead of on a dolly. Much more stable way to tow, and if you rent a trailer, you should be able to get one with momentum/surge brakes to make the trip a little safer.

Make sure you install a Class III hitch on the truck if it doesn't already have one, make sure your shocks and brakes are in good shape, do a complete fluid change (preferrably to synthetics), and make sure your tires are at full pressure.

 

[Blee1099]

Good luck getting uhaul to okay the vehicle for towing.

 

[boominXplorer]

Good luck getting uhaul to okay the vehicle for towing.

I 2nd that. All they would give me is a tow dolly for my mountaineer.

 

[Expl0ring]

It is a "mountaineer" lol

 

[Expl0ring]

Yes, you should be able to tow your car. However..I would HIGHLY recommend you put it on a trailer instead of on a dolly. Much more stable way to tow, and if you rent a trailer, you should be able to get one with momentum/surge brakes to make the trip a little safer.

Make sure you install a Class III hitch on the truck if it doesn't already have one, make sure your shocks and brakes are in good shape, do a complete fluid change (preferrably to synthetics), and make sure your tires are at full pressure.

Yeah but with the trailer vs tow dolly, the trailer is going to be much heavier.. thus being harder on the Ex, right?

 

[JDraper]

Trailer is heavier but more stable and protects the vehicle being towed much better. Tow dollies can be unstable, don't secure the vehicle nearly as well, and don't have braking systems to help in emergency stops. I've towed on a dolly and a trailer many times. I will NEVER use a dolly again. Too much risk for my liking.

 

[Expl0ring]

I realize the trailer is the better of the two options, but im worried about it being to much for the ex to handle for 900 miles..

 

[Blee1099]

A tow dolly for 900 miles is scary ride. Honestly I'd look into other options cause you don't wanna total 2 vehicles plus the tow dolly. There was a member on here who used a tow dolly to tow his explorer with his ranger and totalled both. or was it vice versa can't remember but none the less still ill-advised.

 

[thebrakeman]

Is it possible? Yes. You can tow a 10,000 lbs 5th wheel camper if you somehow mount a gooseneck hitch in the cargo area. You won't get very very far before something breaks, but it is possible.

Should you do it? No. The numbers don't support it any way you go.

3100 lbs of Mustang
300 lbs (?) of dolly
That's at least 3400 lbs of unbraked vehicle.
Manual transmission Explorer/Rangers have never had more than 3500 lbs tow ratings. With the 3.73 rear end, that's probably what you have (3500 lbs MAX).
So from a drivetrain perspective, you can only do this job if you have only the driver in the vehicle. No passengers, and no other cargo. Since you are moving, I'm guessing that's not your intent.

From a braking perspective, it gets worse. Your Explorer's brakes are only designed to stop the truck up to it's GVWR. So the towed vehicle can only weigh as much as your payload capacity. Edmunds says your payload capacity is only 750 lbs, which I don't doubt due to the manual transmission. My '06 V8 auto payload isn't much more at 1300 lbs.

So you will be overloading your brakes by 2650 lbs (3400-750)! Using a dolly to tow this Mustang (or any vehicle) is simply not doable if you care at all about the numbers.

This is why JDraper is recommending you use a trailer. But as you say, going to a trailer (even with brakes) is going to increase the total weight beyond the GCVWR of your Explorer, which is likely the same 7000 lbs as that guy's 5-speed Ranger on the other thread. 3700 lbs of Explorer Sport, plus 3100 lbs of Mustang, plus 200 lbs of driver (you) equals 7000 lbs. That doesn't include the trailer, or anything else in the truck.

I recommend you use the Explorer to haul 750 lbs of people and light stuff. Then rent a Uhaul box truck for the move (furniture, etc), with enough capacity to tow a Uhaul car trailer with surge brakes.

 

[Expl0ring]

I have no other options other than to tow with the explorer, the only things in the explorer will be me and a suitcase.. im moving in with family that i have in pennsylvania.

 

[thebrakeman]

It seems like you just want folks here to tell you stories about how far overloaded they have been without issues, just to make you feel better about a decision you've already made.

Sorry, I can't do that. I've designed and tested brakes for 19 years, and it would be unethical (and just plan mean) for me to not warn you. I know how brakes and vehicles are designed and tested. Believe me, there is not as much cushion built into these parts as you are about to introduce.

Stop reading now if you really don't care......

There is a mountain range between Missouri and Pennsylvania IIRC. Unless you are going thru Florida then following the Atlantic coast, you're going to hit some serious hills somewhere.

If this were all on flat ground, it's not a good idea. Thru the mountains, it's crazy. You are putting countless people in harms way. When you overheat your brakes on a steep downgrade, you become a projectile that could hit oncoming traffic just as easy as the side of a mountain (or the bottom of a cliff).

Today's brakes have larger rotors to shed heat quicker. Back in the 90s, you didn't see 17-18" wheels as standard. We had to package brakes to the smallest wheels (14" IIRC), so we in the braking industry had to package little rotors and do the best we could in the environment Ford and everyone else provided.

I wish you well. I really do. But I wish you would change your mind.

 

[JDraper]

Just FYI, the maximum towing capacity for a 1997 sport is 5k for the 2WD version and 4800 for the 4WD version.