Towing on the bumper question | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Towing on the bumper question

i have a 96 explorer v6 4x4 with the towing package(tranny cooler, 3.73 gear ratio, and trailer lights), but not a frame hitch.

i need to tow a 6"x12" uhaul trailer for 800 miles.

the uhaul trailer is going to be pretty much light because i need it to move some heavy furniture when i arrive in my place with an f-150.


if i take it easy can i tow it on the bumper or is too dangerous?
 



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I personally wouldn't tow anything from a bumper.

Good luck ...
 






anybody who use the bumper for towing?

i don't want to get a hitch to use it only 1 time, but if is dangerous i will not take any risk.
 






anybody who use the bumper for towing?

i don't want to get a hitch to use it only 1 time, but if is dangerous i will not take any risk.

I agree with aldive about not towing with the bumper. However, if this is an empty 6 x 12 then you should be fine. Just make sure that the mounting bolts for your bumpers are in good condition since these are the only ones keeping them from coming off.

Make sure uhaul will rent you the trailer though. I believe they still do not rent-out/allow explorers to pick up trailers
 






i will have a friend with a toyota tudra picking up the uhaul for me ;)
 






well i decided to install a class 3 hitch. driving for about 16 hours i want to worry only for the transmission.

is not require any drilling so it should be an easy installation.

thanks all of you for your advice.

PS. my friend is going to give me his 07 Toyota Tudra 5.7 380hp 0-60 in 6 seconds :eek: so i can pick up the uhaul.
i can't wait to drive it.
 












It aso serves as rear bumper protection during those treacherous off-road situations.:salute:
 






anybody who use the bumper for towing?

i don't want to get a hitch to use it only 1 time, but if is dangerous i will not take any risk.

I just installed my 2" ball and wire harness for my "96 explorer, and I will be towing from the step bumper. The tow bumper is rated for a max tow load of 3,500 lbs (including passenger and cargo weight). I will be towing a 4'x8' motorcycle trailer that has a 600-700lb empty weight. The gross tow load will be approximately 1,100 lbs. with my bike on it.

I'll be doing a 4 hr. tow in early July to a local track, and an 8 hr. tow in August to Miller Motorsports Park in Utah.

I am not worried. ;)
 












inspecting the construction of the bumper hitch i will not consider tow anything from the bumper. very poor construction and it can come appart pretty easy.

the problem is the tongue weight which is only 350lb. during braking and over bumps it can easily pass that weight.
 






i install a class 3 hitch yesterday.it suppost to take me 20 minutes but it took me around 2 hours:eek:

after i remove the spare tire i tryied to install the hitch. then i figure out that is no way to line up the holes because the iron plate connecting both side frame and attached to the bumper was bent on the passenger side due to the x owner trying to pull something from this plate.

because it was no way to bent this plate back i decided to cut it by applying heat. then everything line up for the hitch, but the frame has a small bent at the place which the hitch is resting to the frame.

i tied everything, but on the passenger side the hitch is not perfectly resting into the frame and is causing the upper bolt not to screw all the way.

do you think that is safe to drive the 800 miles with the uhaul and try to strait the frame and reinstall the hitch when i'm back home?
 






inspecting the construction of the bumper hitch i will not consider tow anything from the bumper. very poor construction and it can come appart pretty easy.

It can come apart very easily? How so? My bumper is comprised of steel plates bolted to the frame with 4 bolts about 4" from the after-market hitch holes. The after-market hitch uses 4 bolts as well. Are the OEM bolts shotty? :dunno:

The visible plastic bumper is merely snapped onto the steel cross pieces. I'm not towing from plastic.

the problem is the tongue weight which is only 350lb. during braking and over bumps it can easily pass that weight.

And the tongue weight of the Class III hitches I've seen is 500 lbs. I'm not really getting your argument, since I'm towing a motorcycle, and not a boat, a housefull of furniture, etc. After-market Class II hitches have 300 lb. tongue weights, and 3,500 tow capacities. The Ford OEM bumper actually has a higher tongue rating.

If you just don't trust the Ford OEM product, you should just say so. Why make silly arguments regarding ratings that are identical to those found on after-market Class II products? I don't understand why Ford would publish tongue and tow ratings on their OEM tow step if it wasn't capable of providing it safely. Smells worse than a Firestone lawsuit to me. But hey, I'm new here, what do I know?

Maybe I'll learn that I shouldn't trust Ford if I hang around here long enough.

:dunno:
 












first don't double posting

second search before you arque with something. if you search you can see that a lot of bumpers have bent by towing on the bumper due to high tongue weight.

even with a 500 tongue weight on the class 3 hitch it attached into the frame so by adding more weight is going to sag the rear of you car, but not turn appart the whole bumper.

with the weight that you mention you should be ok this time, but as aldive mention in previous post good luck.

if you have an accident or overweight the bumper then you will understand that $100.00 class 3 hitch is much cheaper that replacing the whole bumper.
 






first don't double posting

Ok - after you work on your grammar.

second search before you arque with something. if you search you can see that a lot of bumpers have bent by towing on the bumper due to high tongue weight.

I did search - and it appears that plenty of people have towed motorcycles (even 2), without a problem. Perhaps you're the one who needs to do the searching. Thanks for lookin' out for me though. It is appreciated.

;)

EDIT: Chrisis, here is a good thread I found in my searches - http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49972
 






The hitch, bent frame, remove the bumper and then straighten the frame. Mount the hitch and then the bumper. Those frame rails can be tweaked with some good tools, sledge hammer, large visegrips etc. I'd think a baby sledge would be all that it will take. Remember to level the truck/load, that is almost more important than anything else. You can have a trailer mounted with the wrong hitch bar and have 500-1000 lbs. of tongue weight. Good luck,
 






thanks CDW6212R for your advice, but because i'm leaving tomorrow for the 800 miles trip is it ok to drive it as it is for now?
 






U Haul issue

I agree with aldive about not towing with the bumper. However, if this is an empty 6 x 12 then you should be fine. Just make sure that the mounting bolts for your bumpers are in good condition since these are the only ones keeping them from coming off.

Make sure u haul will rent you the trailer though. I believe they still do not rent-out/allow explorers to pick up trailers

up here Canada they wont rent you if you go in with your [explorer] they claim that it creates tranny [auto] problems...the girl told me that there were too many "law suits" with Ford bout this...Ford said you have to have the factory "tow package" or your warranty is void????
 



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TOWING with 94EX

It can come apart very easily? How so? My bumper is comprised of steel plates bolted to the frame with 4 bolts about 4" from the after-market hitch holes. The after-market hitch uses 4 bolts as well. Are the OEM bolts shotty? :dunno:

The visible plastic bumper is merely snapped onto the steel cross pieces. I'm not towing from plastic.



And the tongue weight of the Class III hitches I've seen is 500 lbs. I'm not really getting your argument, since I'm towing a motorcycle, and not a boat, a housefull of furniture, etc. After-market Class II hitches have 300 lb. tongue weights, and 3,500 tow capacities. The Ford OEM bumper actually has a higher tongue rating.

If you just don't trust the Ford OEM product, you should just say so. Why make silly arguments regarding ratings that are identical to those found on after-market Class II products? I don't understand why Ford would publish tongue and tow ratings on their OEM tow step if it wasn't capable of providing it safely. Smells worse than a Firestone lawsuit to me. But hey, I'm new here, what do I know?

Maybe I'll learn that I shouldn't trust Ford if I hang around here long enough.

:dunno:
I tow my bike trailer, bout the same weight all way round as yours, to Florida for bike week, 1,500 miles one way...total weight 1,500 lbs, my tongue weight is bout 100 / 125 lbs, pretty well balanced out & you don't even know it`s there....thou it is enclosed like a 2 wheeled miniature horse trailer. When I built it I wanted as little draft as possible & no ramps so the deck is 6" off the ground [highway & pavement only, please] & my bike climbs right in. I checked the bumper bolts all ways & they are quite sound "BUT" my SAFTEY CHAINS go to the frame, just in case. That was with my "other" 94EX 5 speed. Now I have a 94EX AUTO TRANNY. My Tranny guy says that if I change the oil & filter, put on a good oil cooler, use "overdrive" only on the flat, [the wear damage is done when your tranny keeps shifting up & down & up & down & it heats up, heat KILLS AUTOS] I should have NO PROBLEM....We`ll see in bout 2 weeks when I leave...PS. MAKE SURE YOU CROSS YOUR SAFETY CHAINS UNDER THE TONGUE so if it does jump off, the chains will hold the tongue off the ground & it wont "dig in" & flip or create more problems...wish us both luck...lol
 






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