Brand New - TT Weight question

SoundGuy wrote:

horton333 wrote:
That Explorer in most ways is a better tow vehicle than the old ones, that were rated at 7,200# - for reference.
The Explorer is likely fine for that trailer ...

SoundGuy wrote:
Oh boy, here we go again. :S "Likely fine" is not a technical term that in any way defines the towing capability of the OP's Explorer ... numbers do, and that Explorer does not have the numbers for towing a 26' long trailer that will almost assuredly weigh awfully close to 6000 lbs fully loaded and ready to camp. NO way. :E

boosTT wrote:
Can you name a technical reason why the new Explorer is so much less capable than the old one was? Not an opinion or marketing numbers, a technical reason.

Sure - how 'bout the fact the OP's new Explorer carries a factory tow rating of just 5000 lbs and that trailer he first mentioned will surely weigh close to 6000 lbs loaded & ready to camp, not even taking into consideration how many people and how much cargo may also be in the Explorer at the time. Good grief, how much more of a "technical reason" does one need to know this Explorer is totally inadequate for towing a trailer of this size? :S

Keep in mind also that most manufacturers, Ford included, are now quoting trailer tow ratings that adhere to the J2807 standard which was designed by the Society of Automotive Engineers to accurately reflect the ability of their vehicles to tow a load. This isn't just "opinion or marketing" but a concerted effort by those designing and manufacturing the vehicles we buy to provide us with information we need to accurately determine just how any particular vehicle may safely tow ... and by that definition the OP's Explorer isn't anywhere near capable of towing a trailer of that size. No way. :E

As I said a technical reason, tow ratings are marketing for SUV class vehicles, and the challenge remains open for anyone wanting to defend the new ones capability is so much less when almost all the technical specs are so much better (there is one and it's easily visable to anyone who knows what to look for, but it's not enough to justify the rating decrease).
The SAE spec is a testing specification that confirms the vehicle meets the number advertised based on some standardized assumptions. Would a higher load would have passed if it had been used in the test, you don't know. In practice for trucks this will establish a maximum rating as they will (and do per stories in the media) crank the load till they fail. For SUVs not so much due to the difference in how they are marketed. If you look at the Pathfinder, a significantly less capable vehicle, they pass this standard at 6,000#.