Towing Capacity of Ford Explorer

[legerh]

We are upgrading from a tent trailer to either a Hybrid or Travel Trailer. We have a 2013 Ford Explorer with the towing package - 5000 lb towing max.
I am not sure how to determine the towing capacity as I have had different answers from different sales people. Should I be using Unloaded Vehicle Weight and then try to estimate how much we will carrying in the trailer? Does the UVW include the Dry Hitch weight or does that get added on too?
Finally, I am not sure how to determine the appropriate length to tow safely. We looked at a Salem Cruise Lite 261BHXL with UVW 4537 lb and a cargo carrying capacity of 2897 lb - GVWR is 7434 lb We would not be filling it with water, however, before we arrived at the campsite.
The length is 29'1". I am not sure how to determine the appropriate/maximum length to tow safely either. The salesperson assured us that we could tow this trailer but my gut instinct is that it is too big.
Help!! This is all new and I am not sure how to determine the maximum unloaded vehicle weight or the length that we could safely tow.

[JAC1982]

I saw you already said you'd stick with the pop up, but just had to add, I have an Explorer Sport (2016) and I wouldn't dream of towing an actual camper with it, other than a pop up. We bought it for my daily driver and to tow an enclosed utility trailer with a RZR in it. I wouldn't do any more than that.

[rexlion]

So the salesman told you the Explorer could handle it, eh? You know how to tell when that salesman is lying, don't you? When his lips move. And your gut was right.

In the past year I sold my '08 Highlander AWD with V6, tow package, 5000 lb tow rating. I towed about 140,000 miles with it. Mostly a 6x12 cargo trailer and sometimes a 7x16 KZ Escape E14RB (2700 lbs). It did well with these trailers, although in a strong headwind at higher altitudes it struggled some.

Realistically you should stay under 20' overall trailer length, less than 7.5' wide and not much over 100" high, and under 3500 lbs total weight (which will enable you to keep the hitch weight under your 500 lb limit without a struggle). A relatively lightweight anti-sway hitch like the Andersen No-Sway would be a good safety item. If you don't see any floor plans in that size range that work for you, then it's best to stay with the popup.

I will never tow with surge brakes on a trailer again; they're usually set wrong. A properly adjusted trailer brake system should not push the TV around in a panic stop.

[bikendan]

legerh wrote:
Thanks everyone for your helpful advice. We will stick with the pop-up and know that we are safe on the highway. Just so tired of having to pack it like a puzzle .

you have lots of choices within your Explorer's capabilities, just not a 29' TT that weighs that much.

lots of smaller bunkhouse models that you could get.

you also need to see what the payload capacity of your car is. it's on a yellow sticker, on the driver's door. that where SUVs fall short, normally.

so, here's a short list of what to get before shopping:

1. car's payload capacity
2. estimated total of passengers and cargo in the car
3. trailer's yellow sticker weight
4. estimated typical weight of trailer cargo for camping

then come back with these numbers and we can help you determine what to look for.

we already know the 5000lbs. towing capacity, which usually means a hitch max of 500lbs.
the 500lbs. hitch max will be more limiting than the 5000lbs. towing capacity.

[kknowlton]

We towed a 22' HTT with a 2002 Explorer with the V6 and towing package, and we did not want to even try taking it into the mountains (this is when we lived in the Midwest.) Towing it into a headwind while heading to the Badlands one year, mpg dropped to 6 mpg and it was all we could do to keep up to 50 mph on the interstate. (The headwind was stiff but not terrible, about 35 mph.) Traded the Explorer for a pickup before the next camping season. 🙂

Agreed that short wheelbase is a problem, even if a bigger engine would provide more power. I've never been enamored of the brakes on Explorers either; we had 2 of them, and were always getting the brakes worked on.

[rekoj71]

I have an Explorer with the V8 and tow package and as much as I love that car I was white knuckled towing a 4000lb utility trailer during a PCS move. I had to slam the brakes on once and even though the trailer had surge brakes it tried to jack knife my car into another lane. The wheel base is just too short for much close to it's rating.

[ChooChooMan74]

I would look smaller. Much smaller. I was towing a Roo 183 with my Jeep Liberty Diesel. Similar in size to your explorer. It towed OK for short trips. Last year, we put 3500 miles in during the summer chasing roller coasters. I upgraded to a truck after that.

[legerh]

Thanks everyone for your helpful advice. We will stick with the pop-up and know that we are safe on the highway. Just so tired of having to pack it like a puzzle .

[Golden_HVAC]

I tend to agree that the vehicle is to skinny to tow a 8' wide trailer. Short wheelbase does not help.

When they rate the maximum allowable tow rating, it is a base vehicle with no options, so lighter than the typical Exployer. Also it only has a driver in it, 154 pounds. If you will have 400 - 500 pounds of people in the car, along with some camping gear, then that weight must be added to the curb weight, along with the trailer's "Wet" hitch weight.

Wet hitch weight will include the battery on the front, and full propane tanks, the water heater once filled, probably will always hold it's 6 gallons of water (56 pounds). You will also have 100 pounds of food, 50+ pounds of kitchen utencils (pots, dishes, silverware, cooking spoons and spatula).

Say you have a optional A/C unit, that will add about 95 pounds to the base model curb weight.

On the Exployer, if you have options such as roof rack, hitch, spare tire, they all add weight beyond the base model truck. Even leather seats, chrome package, and such add weight.

The weight distribution hitch comes in a 120 pound box!

So if you do happen to tow this large of a trailer with the Exployer, you might do this once or twice before giving up on camping, or trading up to a 3/4 ton truck, or at least a 1/2 ton truck.

And if you have kids, you will need to add their weight to the vehicle, and subtract that weight from what you can tow before reaching the max GCVWR.

Good luck,

Fred.

[bikendan]

legerh wrote:
We are upgrading from a tent trailer to either a Hybrid or Travel Trailer. We have a 2013 Ford Explorer with the towing package - 5000 lb towing max.
I am not sure how to determine the towing capacity as I have had different answers from different sales people. Should I be using Unloaded Vehicle Weight and then try to estimate how much we will carrying in the trailer? Does the UVW include the Dry Hitch weight or does that get added on too?
Finally, I am not sure how to determine the appropriate length to tow safely. We looked at a Salem Cruise Lite 261BHXL with UVW 4537 lb and a cargo carrying capacity of 2897 lb - GVWR is 7434 lb We would not be filling it with water, however, before we arrived at the campsite.
The length is 29'1". I am not sure how to determine the appropriate/maximum length to tow safely either. The salesperson assured us that we could tow this trailer but my gut instinct is that it is too big.
Help!! This is all new and I am not sure how to determine the maximum unloaded vehicle weight or the length that we could safely tow.

forget website/brochure numbers, they are not real world numbers, except GVWR.

the easiest way is to see what the trailer's yellow sticker weight is. that's what it weighed when it left the factory.

NEVER believe the salesman, #1 newbie mistake.

that Salem is WAAYYY TOO HEAVY for your Exploder and way too much trailer for it.

[LarryJM]

legerh wrote:
We are upgrading from a tent trailer to either a Hybrid or Travel Trailer. We have a 2013 Ford Explorer with the towing package - 5000 lb towing max.
I am not sure how to determine the towing capacity as I have had different answers from different sales people. Should I be using Unloaded Vehicle Weight and then try to estimate how much we will carrying in the trailer? Does the UVW include the Dry Hitch weight or does that get added on too?
Finally, I am not sure how to determine the appropriate length to tow safely. We looked at a Salem Cruise Lite 261BHXL with UVW 4537 lb and a cargo carrying capacity of 2897 lb - GVWR is 7434 lb We would not be filling it with water, however, before we arrived at the campsite.
The length is 29'1". I am not sure how to determine the appropriate/maximum length to tow safely either. The salesperson assured us that we could tow this trailer but my gut instinct is that it is too big.
Help!! This is all new and I am not sure how to determine the maximum unloaded vehicle weight or the length that we could safely tow.

Unfortunately you have what I would consider one of the least capable towing vehicles made. Short WB, lightweight, and narrow track width all work against you. The trailer you are looking at IMO is WAY OUTSIDE your TV capabilites and what you have now or something in the 20' range with a UVW under 3500lbs is going to be about your max and then if a full profile trailer could be questionable because of aerodynamic handling issues.

My recommendation is to stick with what you have and first look at upgrading your TV to something more capable first and then look to upgrade your trailer.

Larry

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Always plan to have to tow the maximum possible legal weight in the trailer - GVWR.

Not the UVW weight. That is almost always too light if from the brochure. The actual sticker on the individual trailer is a real weight as it left the factory floor - usually that weight does not include full propane tanks, battery, spare tire or any water in any tank.

You always need to travel with some water in the black and grey tanks - a couple gallons. The biggest reason for buildup problems in the tanks is too little or no water. You will also almost always want a few gallons in the fresh water tank - for a stop on the road enroute to the CG or if the wife/ kids need to hit the bathroom before you get all the connections done.

Yes, that trailer is too heavy, and too big for a Ford Explorer.

Now the UVW weight should be the weight of the trailer not hooked up to a tow vehicle. The weight on the axle(s) and the weight on the tongue jack.

The actual hitch weight can be best figured by weighing the rig and the TV. Weigh the first time with the TV on the two axle pads on the truck scale and the trailer on the trailer pad. The second time, the trailer splits the two cab pads and the TV is not on the scale. The third time - drop the trailer and weigh the TV only.

Subtracting the TV only weight from the weight of the two TV axles in weight # 1 gives you the actual toungue weight. And it also tells you how much weight shift there is between the two axles. Most TV will have less weight on the front wheels while hooked to the trailer. That means less braking power from the TV, and less steering control as the front end of the TV is lifted a bit.

Another concern is the carrying capacity of the TV. It is on the door sticker. That trailer list a tongue weight of 434 lbs. I bet it is really closer to 550 lbs.

The Explorer may not have that much carrying capacity.

EDIT - some companies list that number as Payload capacity. The Ford Explorer has a Payload Capacity of near 1,500 lbs. That includes the weight of fuel, any options added to the Explorer, any tools in the vehicle, and the weight of all the people in the vehicle. Two adults and two kids is usually close to 500-600 lbs.

550 lbs for tongue weight, 500 lbs of people, 50 lbs of tools, 100 lbs of options on the Explorer, 150 lbs of fuel = 1,350 lbs - which means you can only add 150 lbs of camping stuff, clothes, toys, charcoal, ice chest, drinks to the Explorer.

That trailer is almost identical in specs to the 2012 Grey Wolf 26BH which I had. Identical floor plan. It is one of the most popular floor plans/ sizes for first time RVers.

My tongue weight on that trailer was 597 lbs - part of that because I added a second battery. The UVW weight when I drove it off the dealer lot was about 5,400 lbs, and reduced the carrying capacity to less than 2,000 lbs.

However, I had a 2008 F-150 Crew Cab with at 'towing capacity' of 8,800 lbs, and I had a very good weight distribution/ anti-sway hitch.

Weight wise I was within the capacity of the truck to tow. However if I started getting wind gusts of 10 mph over the base winds - the trailer would shove the truck around. The truck was simply too light weight to stand up to the pressures of wind on over 300 square feet of trailer sail area.