TOWING QUESTIONS...

[Katmandu]

Hey ALL,

I'm contemplating towing a U-Haul trailer with my 98 EB, 4x2, SOHC, auto, 4.10 gears and 44k miles.

I NEED a bunch of advice on the Do's and Don'ts of Towing a Trailer please!

I plan on towing a trailer about 650 miles from Montgomery, AL to the Dayton, OH area in a few months.

#1. What is the weight limit for towing with the above optioned Explorer ??

#2. What is the Tongue limit ?

#3. What else do I need to know about towing ??


Also, I do have another SUV that I could tow this trailer with, but I'm not certain it's up to the task. It's a 89 S-10 Blazer 4x4, 4.3L V-6, auto, ??? gears. Does have a trailer hitch already.

The Blazer has upwards of 190k miles but is still running decent. I does need new shocks/brakes all around though...

Anyone know of some links related to Towing trailers ??

Any suggestions will be appreciated !!


Thank you,

-ERIC

 

[Alec]

Most Explorers have a 3500 gross weight tow limit and a 350 tongue weight limit. I've towed 5000+ lbs off the ball in my bumper though, with no problems other than a little leaf spring sag. You should have no problems with a 6-12 foot UHual, unless you're towing lead.

4.10 gears are good for towing. You may find that you want to turn O/D off on hills so the truck doesn't shift too much, but this might raise your rpms a bit much. Drive slowly and carefully, if this is your first time towing, I wouldn't go above 70 mph. Experienced tow'ers may go faster, but only after much experience. If the trailer starts to wag back and forth, slowly speed up a bit then slowly slow back down. Always anticipate braking situations, and pass with care. Also, parking a trailer can be difficult so get help to guide you.

I wouldn't use the Blazer if it needs brake and suspension work, that's just asking for trouble. Good luck!

 

[Robert]

The specs. that Alec posted are correct for the bumper. I have seen a lot of bumpers get twisted up when the weights get anywhere close to the limits. A little too much weight on the tongue and hit a bump on the highway and you would be surprised what it can do to a bumper. Get a class III hitch if you don't have one to be safe. Your Explorer should be capable of towing at least 5,000 lbs. when equipped with a hitch and trailer brakes. My '97 4x4 SOHC with 4.10 axle is rated at 4,800 lbs. You have the added stability of the longer wheel base and the lighter vehicle of 2WD. Each of those will increase your capacity by a couple hundred lbs. over mine. You didn't say what size trailer you want to pull, but a 5x8 enclosed trailer weighs 900-1000 lbs. empty. The most important thing is to make sure the trailer is loaded properly. Your butt will pucker something fierce the first time you get passed by a Semi-when you are going 60 MPH and your back starts wagging. Do as Alec said, speed up slightly to stop the wagging and then slowly coast down to a slower speed. Most of all do not hit your brakes! It put you so out of control before you know what happened. Having the trailer loaded properly will prevent this from happening. You are better off with a little too much weight towards the front than the rear. Just don't exceed your rated tongue weight or you open a new can of worms.

Another option than U-Haul that you might want to consider is buying a trailer and selling it when you are done. You aren't going as far as I did when I went from Ohio to Arizona (2000 miles) but U-Haul wanted $800 to rent me a trailer for 10 days and to pick it up in Ohio and drop it off in Arizona. I ended up buying a new 5x8 enclosed Haulmark in Ohio for $1500 and sold it for $1500 when I got to Arizona. It didn't cost me anything to use it and it was a lot nicer than the trailers that U-Haul had on the lots.

 

[MrShorty]

another towing question

Something in what Robert said reminded me of this question I've had. I have a small tent trailer (tare ~1100 lbs, GVWR ~2000 lbs). When I load up my camping gear, I've often wondered: Is it better to put the heavy stuff in the trailer or in the tow vehicle?

 

[Robert]

It would be better in the trailer as long as it is balanced properly and you don't exceed it's GVWR or the Explorer's rated tongue rating. If you pile all of your gear in your Explorer and then leave the trailer light, your back end will be sagging big time when it isn't necessary. As far as load and fuel mileage go though it won't make any difference. It still takes the same amount of horsepower to get moving regardless of where the load is placed.