Research by weight?

Forget the idea of pulling any sort of hard sided travel trailer with your Ford Explorer. You are not going to pull anything big enough for 4 people. You need to replace the Explorer or look at pop up tent campers.

Most manufacturers will have their own versions but the Coachmen Apex 185BH is an example of a single axle travel trailer with bunk beds you could pull with your Explorer. Certainly these trailers are not as fully featured as heavier dual axle models but considering your Explorer's limitations this is about as much as you can expect.

D2Forever wrote:
I’m trying to narrow a list to weight, then 3 beds. Not sleeps 4, because I don’t want to make up dinettes and sofas nightly. We know we will be on the light side and are ok with that. Anyone know of a place to do as I mentioned?

As I already said no weight calculator will factor in the number of beds. You can get what you want - i.e. 3 beds - in a triple bed hybrid like the Coachmen Freedom Express 21TQX but it's just too heavy for your Explorer. Your challenge would be to find something similar but much lighter, a problem to be sure if you insist on 3 separate beds. FWIW, you might want to clarify what you mean by "3 beds" - does that mean one double or queen for mom & dad and 2 other separate beds for kids because of their gender? Does the main bed have to be a queen walk around or can it be an east-west double? If so, there are plenty of light weight single axle trailers out there with double bunk beds for 2 kids, if that's all that you require, that weigh in well under 3000 lbs dry.

Thank you all. We are aware of our limitations with the Explorer, and are satisfied with the choices we have. I just want to be sure I’m aware of all options. Even the brand sites make it difficult. Say you go to Forest River, you have to click on each make, then model, all floor plans. I’m trying to narrow a list to weight, then 3 beds. Not sleeps 4, because I don’t want to make up dinettes and sofas nightly. We know we will be on the light side and are ok with that. Anyone know of a place to do as I mentioned?

Ralph Cramden wrote:
Even a hybrid? Most hybrids will weigh more than a comparably sized travel trailer, such as a front bedroom. Most think hybrids are lighter because of the tents, when in actuality they are heavier because the bunk doors themselves weigh more than standard wall construction.

Sure, even a hybrid. Our C21RBH TrailCruiser hybrid was rated @ 2933 lbs dry, significantly lighter by 500 lbs than our 19' Coachmen travel trailer. No doubt construction and design play a part and if the OP actually pays attention to the cautions offered will first forget about any trailer with a slide that will unquestionably make any trailer much heavier. The advantage to hybrids as we all know is that the OP could get much more sleeping capacity in a hybrid than he will in a similarly sized travel trailer which by definition, in order to offer as much sleeping capacity as a hybrid, will have to be much longer and much heavier. So yeah - even hybrids. ;)

SoundGuy wrote:
There are all sorts of weight based trailer towing calculators available online but the number of beds has nothing to do with what you can tow. The limiting factor for anyone towing with a 1/2 ton or less will be, regardless of any other factors, the payload capacity of the vehicle. In your case, with a vehicle with a so-called trailer tow rating of just 5000 lbs, that won't be much. Without even punching numbers into a calculator I can say with confidence you'll be limited to a pretty small trailer, ~ 3000 lbs max dry weight being the most you should be considering. That's pretty small and will almost certainly limit you to smaller 17' and under single axle trailers, whether a TT or even a hybrid. Sorry, but the reality is you just can't tow much with such a limited vehicle as yours. :(

Even a hybrid? Most hybrids will weigh more than a comparably sized travel trailer, such as a front bedroom. Most think hybrids are lighter because of the tents, when in actuality they are heavier because the bunk doors themselves weigh more than standard wall construction.

Our Rockwood Roo 23WS hybrid comes in at about 4841 dry. Its Rockwood Mini lite cousin the 2503, which is a front bedroom TT on the same frame with same box size, and is almost a direct apples to apples comparison to materials and construction methods, comes in @ 4514 dry.

first, payload capacity is more important than towing capacity because almost all tow vehicles will run out of payload before getting near the towing capacity.

second, payload capacity(it's on the yellow/white door sticker. usually says Tires and Loading-Occupants and Cargo should not exceed xxxxlbs)is what that particular vehicle is rated to haul weight-wise. loaded tongue weight and the WDH weight have fit in that number.
the driver is considered an occupant. it also is figured a full fuel tank.

third, towing capacity is what the max amount the vehicle can pull. that number includes a full tank of fuel and a 150lb driver. anything other than that in the vehicle, lowers the towing capacity by its weight.

i've never heard of any such type of database. you have to estimate the weight of passengers and cargo in your Explorer and how much weight you'll put in the trailer and find trailers that will handle that.
you will be limited to trailers under 21'. NEVER use fictional "dry" weights. generally, using the trailer's GVWR will work, since 21' and under trailers will weigh close to their GVWR when loaded for camping.

There are all sorts of weight based trailer towing calculators available online but the number of beds has nothing to do with what you can tow. The limiting factor for anyone towing with a 1/2 ton or less will be, regardless of any other factors, the payload capacity of the vehicle. In your case, with a vehicle with a so-called trailer tow rating of just 5000 lbs, that won't be much. Without even punching numbers into a calculator I can say with confidence you'll be limited to a pretty small trailer, ~ 3000 lbs max dry weight being the most you should be considering. That's pretty small and will almost certainly limit you to smaller 17' and under single axle trailers, whether a TT or even a hybrid. Sorry, but the reality is you just can't tow much with such a limited vehicle as yours. :(