Towing with Ford Explorer Sport

truesdac · 08-07-2004, 10:19 PM

I have never towed a TT but my wife has some experience from a previous marriage. I am interested in getting a TM 2720SL or 3124KS, which tow at 20' and 24'. The only potential tow vehicle we presently have is a Ford Explorer Sport 2 Door. My wife has doubts about using this since it has a short wheelbase and all of the TMs are over 20'. We have a book that states we need 110' wheelbase to safely tow a 20' trailer. The specs for the Explorer (from the owners manual and sales info):
2001 Ford Explorer Sport
4.0L V-6 OHC, 210 hp, 238 ft-lbs torque
3.73 limited slip differential
101.8" Wheelbase
Maximum Towing Capacity 5180 lbs (With Class III hitch addition)
Max Frontal Area of trailer 50 sq ft

Questions:

Is this vehicle unsafe due to the short wheelbase (Should we get another tow vehicle or forget it)?

Should I limit my search to the shortest TMs?

Will the Explorer be underpowered for a fully loaded 4000 - 4300 lb TM?

What will I need in addition to the Class III hitch, 7-pin connector and wiring?

Thanks for any responses.

Charlie

**Denny_A** · 08-07-2004, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truesdac

I have never towed a TT but my wife has some experience from a previous marriage. I am interested in getting a TM 2720SL or 3124KS, which tow at 20' and 24'. The only potential tow vehicle we presently have is a Ford Explorer Sport 2 Door. My wife has doubts about using this since it has a short wheelbase and all of the TMs are over 20'. We have a book that states we need 110' wheelbase to safely tow a 20' trailer. The specs for the Explorer (from the owners manual and sales info):
2001 Ford Explorer Sport
4.0L V-6 OHC, 210 hp, 238 ft-lbs torque
3.73 limited slip differential
101.8" Wheelbase
Maximum Towing Capacity 5180 lbs (With Class III hitch addition)
Max Frontal Area of trailer 50 sq ft

Questions:

Is this vehicle unsafe due to the short wheelbase (Should we get another tow vehicle or forget it)?

Should I limit my search to the shortest TMs?

Will the Explorer be underpowered for a fully loaded 4000 - 4300 lb TM?

What will I need in addition to the Class III hitch, 7-pin connector and wiring?

Thanks for any responses.

Charlie

1. The TrailManor is a very stable, easy to tow vehicle. With a weight distribution hitch it's hardly noticeable back there. With an anti-sway unit it will be better.

2. The equivalent frontal area of the TM behind my 2000 Toyota 4Runner is about 15 ft^2. The trailer is 7.6' wide by 3.75' high (frame to roof) = 28.5 ft^2. The 4Runner is 4.5 x 3.75 = 16.9 ft^2. Difference is 11.6 ft^2. Account for the air conditioner, awning and turbulence behind the tow vehicle and one could guess about 15 ft^2 of "equivalent" frontal area. Makes for easy towing!

3. My vehicle is rated at 5000 lb towing capacity, 183 HPand 219 lb-ft Q. I have absolutely no problem towing. I also do not load the trailer to max capacity (2720SL), so can't spaek to that. Also, I'm towing in flatland areas 90% of the time. If I were in mountainous terrain I'd want more HP and torque. Others in here will add some words on hi-alt towing.

4. A WDH (weight distribution hitch) is essential. You will also want a good set of mirrors. Many folks here-bouts use McKesh mirrors. I wouldn't leave home w/out mine.

Denny_A

RockyMtnRay · 08-08-2004, 07:41 AM

I towed a 2720SL for two seaons with a Jeep Cherokee (4.0L I-6 with 190 hp) and a 100 in WB. I now tow this trailer with a Toyota Tundra (118 in WB, 240 HP/319 ft-lbs of torque, 3.91 gears).

All of my towing was in Colorado at high to very high altitude (5000 to 11,500 feet) and a lot of it was on twisting mountain roads.

The Jeep had marginally enough torque at moderate altitudes (below 7000 feet) but I had to run it at WOT (wide open throttle) almost all the time at high altitude and it was sorely pressed to do over 35 mph on the big, long grades (7%). Just not enough power.

Steep descents on tightly curving mountain roads were not confidence building...I was always very concerned that I just didn't have enough wheelbase for complete control of the trailer. Never lost control...just didn't feel that I had much margin of control.

As long as you stay out of the Rockies and the Sierras, the Explorer Sport is probably OK for a 2720SL but I wouldn't want to try to control a 3124KS on anything but straight, flat midwestern type roads.

08-10-2004, 08:54 AM

The US Government just said that the Ford Exploror is <B>the</b> suv most prone to rollover. If you can I would sell before word gets around. Trade it for a full size durning their model year clearance.

truesdac · 08-10-2004, 07:06 PM

Thanks for the feedback. I think I will try the Explorer for the short term but I am also looking to replace my P/u truck. I have my eye on a 2000 F-150 XLT extended cab with 5.4 L V-8. It should have plenty of wheelbase and power for the TM.

Thanks/Charlie

**Bill** · 08-10-2004, 09:41 PM

Careful! That one's not even tested for rollover, and a lot of the pickup trucks are as bad (or worse) than the SUVs!

Fox News, just like CNN, MSNBC, and the rest of them, will say a lot of strange things to get headlines. You can see the actual results of crash tests and rollover tests, for cars, trucks (including pickups), SUVs, and vans at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap/. If you look back just a few years, you'll see that they have all gotten a lot better.

Bill

08-10-2004, 11:09 PM

On the chart I think it is there, but it got 2 stars like a lot of others. I used the 2002 chart.

I did not mean to upset him. It's just that I knew a guy with a pinto and when the news broke on that one it lost value to cents on the dollar within a week.

The report I saw on CBS showed the explorer 4dr and said that was the worse on the market. They never called it by name but said "this one" as the film rolled.

**Bill** · 08-11-2004, 08:41 AM

Actually, the 2002 Explorer 4-door is one of the best on the chart - check it out.

(Big sigh) I despair of ever getting "news" out of any of the big "news organizations".

Bill

02-28-2005, 07:50 AM

I can see that these postrings are a bit old, so I thought I would update it a bit. THe 2004 and 2005 Mercury Mountaineer (and I would assume their sisiter car, the Ford Explorer) have a lower center of gravity than older models. We had a terrible accident in one last summer towing a 30 ft TT (lightweight) and survived thanks, in part, to the integrity of this TV. The outside was totaled, but the "cabin" was only slightly askew. Queen aka Judi