Towing capacity for older SUV?

I tow a 4000 lb 19ft prowler 19E with my Jepp WJ with the 4.7 V8. I have more than enough towing capacity at 6500lb the kicker is im limited on payload (1000 lbs) so when I take 520 lbs on the tongue and subtract me and my family and my gear and my hitch there is almost nothing left. I do ok but I am at my limit. I would think you are not even in the ball park. do as you will but I would not.

Owned a Sport years ago. It was a nice vehicle, but had a hard time getting itself out of its own way. There is no way in heck I would consider towing anything with it. Now, if you were to install a 3000 VR4 motor and tranny in it, then yea.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
First, you need to double and TRIPLE check that tow rating ! Sometimes high tow ratings are only achieve when extra, factory installed items are installed (larger radiator, transmission cooler, etc).

At a minimum, you will need a weight distribution hitch and electric brake controller and have the dealer change the ATF.

Like SoundGuy said, you may find that your top speed is <60MPH and going up hills it will be even less.

Doalk that and start looking at popups only

Going by the numbers, yes you can. You don't have to add 2400lbs of stuff to the trailer. So as you say 3600lbs dry will be about 4600lbs +\-. That would give you a loaded tongue weight of approx. 575lbs (12.5%). Now towing it with a 3.0L V-6 is another story. I towed a 5000lb loaded Award TT with a 95 4.0L Explorer. It did did fine here in the Midwest however cross country trips would've been out of the question! Unless it had the V-8! Also the Award was very aerodynamic, unlike a traditional box type TT.

First, you need to double and TRIPLE check that tow rating ! Sometimes high tow ratings are only achieve when extra, factory installed items are installed (larger radiator, transmission cooler, etc).

At a minimum, you will need a weight distribution hitch and electric brake controller and have the dealer change the ATF.

Like SoundGuy said, you may find that your top speed is <60MPH and going up hills it will be even less.

raydf wrote:
My question is: can the noted SUV safely tow this trailer, loaded as indicated?

Based on my own experience I'd say no.

In 2006 we purchased a 2007 RVision TrailCruiser C21RBH that loaded and ready to camp averaged ~ 4200 lbs. My intention was to tow it with our 1998 Explorer, 4.0L V6 SOHC engine, 3.55 axle ratio. On our first trip to a local campground I was astonished to find I couldn't get over 80 kph (50 mph) so the following weekend just one of my sons and I took the trailer out again, this time as lightly loaded as I could get it. Pretty well the same disappointing result - up to 80 kph was fairly easy but getting from there up to a highway speed of 100 kph (~ 62 mph) took an awfully long time. It soon became apparent this just wasn't going to work at all for a trip we had planned that summer to Myrtle Beach, which from here in Ontario would have us negotiating some significant grades in places like Pennsylvania, West Virginia, etc. A week later we replaced the Explorer with a 5.3L V8 Silverado, 3.42 axle, and went on our trip, no issues at all. We later towed a 5500 lb KZ Spree with that same Silverado for several years. No way, no how would that Explorer have handled that 4200 lb TrailCruiser. :(

What is the year and model name of your "Sport"? Is it an Outlander or an Endeavor?
FWIW, I had an AWD Outlander and I wouldn't tow anything with it. The rear suspension is lacking. Best car to run on ice and snow that I ever owned, though.

Lots of opinions on this topic. I can tell you the difference from our dry weight to our ready to camp weight is about six hundred pounds. Consider your combined vehicle weight numbers.

i wouldn't try it. i tow a 17' 3700lb max TT with my Jeep 3.7L V6, and I feel I'm pretty much at the limit. Personally I wouldn't want anything more than that for my setup (my Jeep is also 5k/500lb rated).

I highly doubt it. I would not tow more than a popup camper with that ute. Probably has frontal area limitations ect