Proper way to tow a car with an X

[alohamonte]

What's the best way for an X to tow another car? Trailer? Tow Bar? I need to go a few hundred miles. The other car is a full size sedan, probably weighs 3500-3800 lbs.

Thanks! Monte

 

[ZBlackBeast]

Rent or buy a trailer, hook up to back of explorer, drive.... Do you have a hitch, or the factory bumper hitch. Either way youll be fine. Just be sure to have all the electrical set up an working.

 

[Charlie]

Hmm, I wouldn't use the factory bumper hitch. I hear they can fall off/break easily. I wouldn't trust it with a car.

 

[btexpress]

Hmm, I wouldn't use the factory bumper hitch. I hear they can fall off/break easily. I wouldn't trust it with a car.

I have to agree, the bumper hitches are rated pretty low as far as load and towing capacity.

 

[JMan689]

the factory bumper hitch. Either way youll be fine.

If your talking about the ball on the bumper, without a hitch underneath then on first gens is only rated to something like 800 lbs... i'd assume 2nd gens are the same.

 

[Maniak]

I'm pretty sure the first gen bumper is rated to 3000 or so lbs (i'd have to go out and look to get the exact #). Thats not tongue weight, that pulling weight.

I've had much more than that on it (no i don't like doing it, I just haven't finished making the new bumper with integraded(sp?) receiver).

I wouldn't go on the freeway like that (3000+ lbs) but it did not buckle like paper.

~Mark

 

[JMan689]

I've had much more than that on it (no i don't like doing it, I just haven't finished making the new bumper with integraded(sp?) receiver)

I wouldn't trust anything bumper mounted for what its rated for. Just doesnt sound smart, i'd only do it with an actual hitch.

 

[Joe Dirt]

I'd go tow dolly on a Reese type hitch. I wouldn't trust a bumper hitch simply because I've seen threads about how they sag on the bolts and how easy it is to straighten them back up. To me, that means that they are easy to slide down...

 

[JDraper]

I'd trailer it. Put a class III frame mounted hitch on your Explorer for around $100 or so and rent a trailer. I've flat towed (would need to modify the vehicle being towed to do it correctly), used a tow dolly (NEVER AGAIN. Can be very unstable), and trailered....I will stick with a trailer.

 

[briwayjones]

I'm pretty sure the first gen bumper is rated to 3000 or so lbs (i'd have to go out and look to get the exact #). Thats not tongue weight, that pulling weight.
~Mark

The tongue weight is only rated at 500lbs. They are very easy to bend. I wouldn't tow with the bumper.

 

[JDraper]

Technically the bumper is rated as a Class II towing device. However, having said that, I wouldn't tow anything heavier than a lawn & garden trailer with it......

 

[Bigman]

Ive used a ball on the bumper of a 94 F-150 to tow a full size 79 bronco about 100 miles on a tow dolly...never had a problem...but i dunno how that compare to your guys ex's...

 

[JMan689]

Ive used a ball on the bumper of a 94 F-150 to tow a full size 79 bronco about 100 miles on a tow dolly...never had a problem...but i dunno how that compare to your guys ex's...

I'm sure the F150 bumper is bolted on alot better than the X

 

[Bigman]

I'm sure the F150 bumper is bolted on alot better than the X

That may be, But i was also pulling about 3000lbs MORE than he will be...

 

[JMan689]

That may be, But i was also pulling about 3000lbs MORE than he will be...

True, are you sure on the F-150 that it was a bumper only hitch? or was it just a hidden hitch? I don't see how you guys did that and nothing broke..

 

[Bigman]

True, are you sure on the F-150 that it was a bumper only hitch? or was it just a hidden hitch? I don't see how you guys did that and nothing broke..

I'm sure. It was with my dads truck. If you don't believe me you can come see it...Its only a bumper with a ball. Most people don't give bumpers much credit when it comes to towing. There stronger than a lot of people think they are. I wouldn't want to use it all the time for towing but from time to time they do get the job done. I didn't have a prob with towing it at all...(If you don't believe it ask Ziggy...he was with me) I might even have a pic of that floating around here somewhere...ill look...

 

[Maniak]

The tongue weight is only rated at 500lbs. They are very easy to bend. I wouldn't tow with the bumper.

Exactly... 500lbs and with a Tow Dolly you won't hit 500lbs tongue weight.

Idealy(sp?) a trailer is the best bet.. Tow dolly is ok in a pinch BUT it is hard to find a Dolly to fit larger vehicles (width) and you really can't tow them backwards (wierd things happen when you do that because of the Caster/toe/camber of the front wheels)..

Trailer is the best option and a class III hitch (receiver) is the way to go but if its the only time the vehicle is going to pull something and money is very tight that isn't always an option.. But towing a full size vehicle on a trailer will put you over the max pulling weight on the bumper, let alone the tongue weight. Soo.. If you are pulling with a trailer, you need the class III and trailer brakes would help too..

If you use a Dolly the bumper would carry it, but dolly's aren't the best way to move the vehicle..

Flat towing I haven't done, but the people I talked to that have say it makes for an interesting drive (plus not all vehicles can be flat towed).

~Mark

 

[ZBlackBeast]

I was under the assumption they were able to tow more. I would recomend the class III.. But if he donest have one, and $ is always an issue. Like i said, i thought they could tow atleast 3k, safely.

 

[Bigman]

I was under the assumption they were able to tow more. I would recomend the class III.. But if he donest have one, and $ is always an issue. Like i said, i thought they could tow atleast 3k, safely.

It can pull the weight. The 3k cant be on the tongue though. I'm sure that with a dolly he would be fine with just the bumper. The dolly's kinda suck and the bronco didn't really fit on it...but if your just gonna do it once i wouldn't hesitate to use a dolly again...Where are you going to get the trailer / dolly or whatever you get? U-Haul doesn't rent trailers to explorers do they? They didnt even want to give me the dolly with the F-150 (and i was "only pulling a ford escort" the guy at the U-Haul place had to put mine into the computer as a F-250 with a class III hitch)...

 

[Jack Flash]

I may be wrong, but I don't think UHaul will rent a tow dolley or a trailer to be towed behind an Explorer. I know they won't rent one to a ranger owner (me).

hope you have your own towing equipment or somewhere that you can borrow it. the previous owners of both my Explorers scorched their trannys by towing other vehicles; one with a towbar, the other on a trailer. the back bumpers both looked like an elephant sat on them. neither had a Class III hitch.

however, I have towed an explorer from SC to MS with my Ranger. just don't expect to use OD unless you want to replace you tranny if you actually make it home.

I have towed my F-150 4X4 behind my Ranger, but only 60 to 100 miles one way.

it's a dangerous situation, towing something heavier than your vehicle. if you go the towbar route, always make sure the towbar is lower at your back bumper/hitch. if the tow bar goes upward toward your tow vehicle, a sudden, hard or panic stop will jack-knife you and possibly cause a rollover.

slow and easy works for me, just don't get overconfident and waste two vehicles.....

....jjf