Towing a boat

[Chris M]

One of the main reasons I bought the Explorer is because I'll be towing the family boat, a 21.5' Reinell. Weight with trailer is probably around 4,700 lbs or so, dry...add gas, fishing gear, etc, and figure around 5,000 lb.

I towed it from Morgan Hill, CA to Fremont, CA (about 35 miles). It did OK considering the driving conditions - Some Freeway, narrow residential streets, potholes, dips in the road, etc. If I'm going to be towing this thing for any length of time, I'd like to have a little more comfortable ride. It rides great with no trailer, but the bumps were extremely exaggerated with the boat in tow. The Explorer probably has the original shocks.

I was thinking about getting helper springs and new shocks to ease the towing a bit...but I noticed that the rear springs are under the axle, and because of this, I can't seem to find any helper springs that will fit. What do you all recommend?

 

[hostile413]

the helper springs i use to have on my explorer came from advance auto parts and were like 15 bucks, they worked great when i pulled my camper, but i recently took em off because im selling my camper

 

[410Fortune]

I recommend alot of things for a boat that heavy, add a leafs/helper springs are not one of them, they make the ride tooooo stiff when you are not towing.

Exaggerated bumps = shocks are toast, start there. I prefer the Rancho 9000's because you can adjsut them, but if you dont need the adjustability the RSX are great too and will work well.

Your truck likely needs a bunch of preventive maintenence to bring it back into good shape before you start adding mods.
replacing all the sway bar bushings with urethane will REALLY help handling the trailer, its cheap and fairly easy to do.

Next focus on braking

If your rear end is sagging you likely have worn out stock leaf springs.

 

[exploded99]

You definitely need to do shocks if those are originals, and if you will be towing a fair amount, then I would look for a set of air shocks for the back to raise the rear of the vehicle to level when towing. When you are not towing, you let the air out of the shocks and you are back to your normal street ride

Helper springs make for a hard ride when you are not towing.

 

[410Fortune]

oh sorry also check to see what gear ratio you have, most likely 3.73, 4.10 would help towing ALOT

Air shocks = good advice Air bags with good shocks would be best, but air shocks will help with the ride height and are a cheap way to do it.....

 

[Chris M]

I'll probably end up replacing the shocks at all 4 corners in the upcoming month or 2. I found Rancho 9000's for $76 each at www.carolinaclassictrucks.com. Parts # RS99185 (rear) & RS99229 (front)
I'll have to get the measurements for the urethane bushings, as I can't seem to find a pre-assembled set.

Thanks for the help.

 

[410Fortune]

$76 ea is expensive! keep searching! Alot of times they will do buy 3 get 1 free, that is why I say its expensive, thats about the right price but you should only have to pay for 3.....

They put so many different sway bar configurations on the explorer, nobody can sell a "set" of replacement bushing, thats why you have to measure.

Also you might need new bushings in your traction bar links, the 5.0L explorer has factory link from the frame to the rear axle....thos bushings wear out as well.

Igf your truck has the "5th shock" attached to the rear diff, ignore it, it is worn out, worthless and not worth replacing....