Towing Help

[jp]

I just purchased a used 21 ft Nitro 929 CDX boat. I'm trying to determine if my 2005 Ford Explorer will pull this boat. I have the tow package with it, but also don't want to drive this car to the ground. The engine is a 4.6L - 8 cylinder. I'm almost sure it has a transmission cooler and a class III/IV hitch. The boat is probably about 3500 lbs with gear.

I've tried to ask the local Ford dealership, but I’m not buying a car. Therefore, I'm not getting a lot of help.

Does anybody have any experience with Explorer's or towing expertise?

Thanks!

[flyfish]

If you have a tranny cooler I'd say you would be fine. Also double check the rating on your hitch. I've seen some of those explorers with the small bar, which is probably too small.

[kydog]

I work at Louisville assembly plant where the Explorer's are made, we own a 2002 with 4.6 and have the towing package. The truck will pull the boat power wise, but the transmission and rear end are the weak link's, with the independent rear suspension you lose alot of the towing capacity and with a boat that size you feel every little bump and hole you hit. My wife has pulled her 2 horse trailer with it a couple of time's, but prefer's to do it with my 1/2 truck, she say's it feel's more stable around curves and under braking even with the electric brake's on the horse trailer.
hope this help's, I don't want to trash the explorer's, but there just not much for pulling a heavy load.
Kydog

[lroberts]

+1 on the checking the hitch and the tranny cooler....you have plenty of motor though. I'm guessing the trailer has brakes.....that will be very helpful!

[Embrey]

i pulled an 18 ft ranger with our explorer (v6). powerwise was decent. a little unstable if youre going very far. not like jumping in my 3/4 ton truck and never knowing its back there.

[HURRICANEBOB]

http://www.new-cars.com/2005/ford/fo...rer-specs.html
Provides the following info:
Weights (pounds) 2005 Ford Explorer
Base curb weight (lbs) 4x2 4309
4x4 4301
Max towing capacity, properly equipped
V-6 4x2 5760
V-6 4x4 5380
V-8 4x2 7140
V-8 4x4 7000

Follow the link to the Ford Explorer 2005 towing guide
https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/...r_Packages.pdf

[GeoFisher]

http://www.new-cars.com/2005/ford/fo...rer-specs.html
Provides the following info:
Weights (pounds) 2005 Ford Explorer
Base curb weight (lbs) 4x2 4309
4x4 4301
Max towing capacity, properly equipped
V-6 4x2 5760
V-6 4x4 5380
V-8 4x2 7140
V-8 4x4 7000

Follow the link to the Ford Explorer 2005 towing guide
https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/...r_Packages.pdf

Just because the vehicle has a tow capacity..........it doesn't mean it can tow......

I had an excort wagon, and it was supposed to be able to tow 2000 lbs.......I pulled a 15ft tracker......MAX 1000lbs loaded.......Well, towed it but not very good. 45mph FLOORED in southern indiana going to the hoosier nat.....and 70 going downhill . 6 months later, and a few thousand dollars later...........I traded for a ford ranger.

Later,

Geo

[BassBandit35]

Don't mean to hijack. I've ponder so long if my '00 ford explorer V6 4x2 is capable to pull my 18' sprint bass boat? It even has hole for me to add a hitch ball. Instead of making my lady getting tired of me using her '98 4x4 V8 dodge durango to haul it.

[HURRICANEBOB]

Just because the vehicle has a tow capacity..........it doesn't mean it can tow......

Geo

I completely agree that capacity is different than:
a. Capability, determined a lot by the health of the vehicle. (Fast computer with a real lousy registry file for example)
b. Desire, determined alot by the driver's willingness to endure the vehicle performance levels when towing.

Towed my 3200 lb pontoon with a Dodge mini van V-6 with a transcooler added and swapped out the single core radiator for a double core. Fast? Nope. Like ya said down hill maybe. Stopping power? 3700 lb van could stop the rig within a football field from any speed. Van towed it in 90 degrees temps at 55 -60 mph (with a real hefty tail wind) and never overheated. Started towing with about 95k miles on it and towed with it till it hit the 170k mark. At that point the body rust and "involuntary all year round ventilation caused me to dump it, not a blow engine, or transaxle.

Just wanted the guy to have Fords view of what the vehicle was rated for. It atleast will keep the insurance cops off his "6". They can get real reluctant about a towing accident claim when the weight pulled exceeds a spec. Cops pay some attention to it too (Safe conditions?) Some do some don't.

[BigBlueJake]

I own almost the same rig and let me tell you that your explorer will do it...but your tranny will not last. I am on my third rebuilt trans and if you do not work on them yourself I would not recommend using an explorer to pull that boat...or any boat for that matter. Save yourself the grief and get an F150 or something comparable, the explorer is nothing more than a giant stationwagon with 4 wheel drive.

[Col Forbin]

I pulled a Triton tr-20 with that same truck for 2 years. My explorer was a 2000. Granted the triton quite a bit lighter than that nitro, but I had no problems with it. However, I rarely towed it more than 20 miles, and most trips were only about 10 miles, I did pull it on a few, several hour trips. I did notice it was back there, but it was not a big issue. I played with several hitch configurations until I got the height right. As long as the trailer has breaks, and don't mind slowing down a bit (not that it won't go as fast as you want - but just not to over stress the engine) you should be fine. If I lived any farther away from the lake, say maybe an hour or so each way, I would look into something that is made more for towing/hauling.

[creeker]

I asked essentially the same question to several different guys at work who tow trailers nearly every weekend for their race teams. What they all told me is that tow rating of a vehicle has nothing to do with moving the load forward. Its all based on getting it to stop. They also said that it has nothing to do with how fast you'll be able to go when pulling the load--that yes, you could tow the max rated load, but just don't expect to go as fast as you would with a lesser load.