Towing Problems without hitch??

[sjones]

I was thinking of just using a 5X8 trailer from U-Haul
for a local move I am doing in town. Nothing major, just some boxes. I already picked up a ball for the bumper.
My co-worker says its a bad idea to do this. He said he has heard of people damaging their rear bumper on explorer's by doing this. Even by pulling less than the
limited 3500lbs. Anyone ever hear or run into any problems. I didnt want to add a full hitch.

 

[XplorerKid]

ive pulled two things with my back bumper. our Deckboat, and a trailor with my four wheeler on it..... i had no problems with towing it besides my transmission(not towing the stuffs fault it was already screwed).

I cant tow anything with my bumper now tho..... so i need to make a custom hitch

PEACE

 

[Positive Vibes]

Pulled my 16ft boat and trailer, no problems. You will be fine.

 

[bentley]

your bumper is fine for the 5X8 trailer. i towed the 6X12 uhaul trailer on my bumper a few times and never had any problems. In fact Uhaul's manual says its adequate

 

[Alec]

You're fine with a 5x8 from the bumper.

 

[socky3850]

I've towed a U-Haul 5X8 trailer a number of times into the White Mountains of Arizona. Other than slowing me down going up mountains, I've never had a problem. Just don't exceed the weight limits outlined in your owner's manual.

 

[Robb]

I used to tow my 18' boat with the bumper ball all the time. No damage to bumper at all. Screw up the lisence plate pretty good tho.

 

[sjones]

okay, cool... thanks for the replies

 

[IAmTodd]

I think it was JamesT that towed his Bronco on the bumper. Only thing I've hauled on mine was a log splitter, and it had no trouble

 

[TheRookie]

Just make sure to keep the trailer tongue weight down. You should be OK however I have seen a first gen damaged badly from this. Quirky things can happen. Keep the tongue weight down

 

[zip96]

I pulled a 6x12 Uhaul last summer with the bumper hitch with no problems at all.

 

[sirgeorge]

I have a '66 camper trailer that I pulled on my bumper for a while. I went on mountain roads with out ever having problems. Like said earlier, keep the tongue weight down. I think I read somewhere that it needs to be under 300 lbs on tongue weight. (Maybe it was 500 lbs).

 

[KAiRO]

When I bought my explorer somebody had obviously towed something way to heavy and the bumper was bent all out of whack......A week later some guy in a chevy truck pushed an oldsmobile cutlas under my bumper at 40 miles an hour. Best thing to ever happen to my truck. Got a shiny new bumper for free courtesy of firemans fund insurance

 

[james t]

Originally posted by IAmTodd
I think it was JamesT that towed his Bronco on the bumper. Only thing I've hauled on mine was a log splitter, and it had no trouble

yes, i did once. i wouldnt recommend it, hell, im even actually kind of ashamed to admit it. either way, you are more than fine with that little trailer.

200 miles round trip, no bumper damage whatsoever.

 

[Bruce Rock]

I've towed our 16' tri hull with an 80 hp outboard no problem on a ball on the bumper.

But a girl just tapped me at a stop light. The bumper is now bent down like I overloaded it with a trailer ($1,400.00 damage, her insurance already paid-Looks like $200.00 should have fix it) The bumper doesn't move straight ahead when hit from behind. The back bends down at an angle.

I have seen other explorers with the bumper bent down like mine. I always thought they overloaded the hitch. Now I know better.

 

[johnri60626]

Originally posted by james t
yes, i did once. i wouldnt recommend it, hell, im even actually kind of ashamed to admit it. either way, you are more than fine with that little trailer.

200 miles round trip, no bumper damage whatsoever.

Well, I was towing my 85 Bronco II to Nebraska from Maryland and it ( '92 EB / Automatic ) left me high and dry at midnight Christmas Eve...... $2400 later, a rebuilt tranny, a new torque converter, flushed the cooler, and bummed because it blew my Christmas plans to Hell.
What did I do wrong? I am using the bumper hitch setup that came on my '92 Eddie and a tow bar to pull the Bronco II. Aside from creating a bit more drag than it was accustomed to, there shouldn't have been any problems I could think of and the tranny was in damned good shape when I started, garbage in 150 miles.
?What happened.?

 

[zip96]

The bumper hitch is rated as a class II is it not? I had to put on a class III to pull my trailer a 17'.

 

[zip96]

I have the tow package on a 91 and pulled a 6x12 uhaul with no issues.

 

[johnri60626]

While the bumper hitch is not highly rated for this, the Bronco II has been towed across country on numerous occasions on nothing but a bumper hitch, although I would prefer a Class III hitch. Will the one from my Bronco II fit, or will I need to get a new one? ( Getting tired of buying these things. )

 

[james t]

i hate to say it, but what went wrong was just the nature of the A4LD transmission that is behind the 91-94 V6. its not really known for longevity or handling the abuse of heavy towing. the V8 has a 4R70W which is a much stronger tranny.