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I need some help/advice about towing capabilities with my 2005 Explorer (Eddie Bauer) 4.6-V8.
I'm purchasing a 21" Nitro that weighs about 2800 lbs with trailer brakes. My tuck has a 4.6/V8 motor, but only a class II hitch.
Should I be concerned about the ability to tow it?
Really appreciate everyone's help.
[QUOTE=jp;392543]I need some help/advice about towing capabilities with my 2005 Explorer (Eddie Bauer) 4.6-V8.
I'm purchasing a 21" Nitro that weighs about 2800 lbs with trailer brakes. My tuck has a 4.6/V8 motor, but only a class II hitch.
Should I be concerned about the ability to tow it?
Really appreciate everyone's help.[/QUOTE]
the hitch you have will tow your boat. be careful towing, but enjoy that big casting deck. which i wish i had. here are some stats on your hitch. class II hitch will tow 3500 lbs and 350 lbs of tong weight. and the class III hitch will tow 5000 lbs and 500 lbs of tong weight. :)
hope this helps, and as always may the good lord bless you.
If the explorer does not have the towing package, which includes the class III hitch and transmission cooler, I'd pass on towing this much weight. The 2800lbs doesn't include gas and gear which can easily run you up to 3500lbs. You'd be well served to 1st find a 19 or 21ft boat to pull for a day. If you expect 70mph on the interstate up and down the hills then your expecting quite a lot. If you want a 20 footer and want to stay with the explorer then you really need an aluminum boat something like this Xpress which is rated for 200hp.
[IMG]http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r315/billmusa1/P1010131.jpg[/IMG]
You have plenty of power, I would upgrade the hitch the boat only weights about 1 and a half tons, Your tow capacity should be around 5500 pounds your owners manuel will tell you. The hitch is the most important part.
I have a 2006 F150 with a V8 4.6 and it tows my 19' 6" boat better than my dodge did with a bigger V8. I am not sure that I would tow a 21 footer with it though. Probably need more truck for that to be on the safe side esp on wet roads.
I had an 03 Explorer without the towing package. You have power with the 4.0 but the tranny may not take it for long. If it doesn't have a transmission cooler I would go a different route. Mine was also all wheel drive and that made it hard on the transfer case towing.
I had a 2003 Mountaineer that had a V-6 and I had no trouble pulling my 201 Stratos down the road at 75 miles per hour up and down hills. I would get a class 3 hitch though. I also pulled my 21 foot Mariah open bow with no trouble. Good luck.
Put a Class 3 hitch on it and a Tranny cooler if it doesn't have one.
i have an 02 explorer with v6 4.0 i pull a 17.5 foot champion with 150 everywhere and have for about 5 years. not one problem.