Can my vehicle tow this camper?

[Undercover_Poe]

Since I'm asking the question, I think I know the answer (it's probably no) but let's run thru the match and see how much over I am and how big of a deal is it to be over. Here is my stats on my trailer 3650lbs on the sticker

I'm trying to do this with a 2007 3500lbs tow capacity ford explorer, 2" aftermarket hitch is installed as well as 7 pin and brake controller.

[Undercover_Poe]

OP, here. I ordered up a curt WD hitch and I'm going to give it a try. We estimate using the camper four times a year approx 100 miles round trip, so at least lets give it a go one time to see how it does. Meanwhile I am shopping for F series trucks and Excursion just in case I don't like they way it feels

[rexlion]

You should be ok (not spectacular power-wise, but ok). Weigh your hitch when loaded for camping, to make sure it's not too heavy. I would lean toward the Andersen No-Sway, because it's the lightest weight of any WD/antisway hitches; but with the Andersen, consider spending $100-$150 to have a Bulldog coupler put on the trailer. My second choice would be the Equal-i-zer hitch.

I towed a TT almost as heavy with my V8 2000 Mountaineer (Explorer clone). That was the old 5L pushrod V8. I probably put about 8,000 miles on that combo, including a trip that took me through the CO Rockies. It wasn't great but it got me there and back. My biggest issue was, I wasn't mindful of my hitch weight and I bent a rear truck spring by filling the front-mounted 30 gallon fresh water tank. We still have the Mountaineer; my wife won't let go of it.

[dodge_guy]

SoundGuy wrote:

PUCampin wrote:
Ford fleet towing guide for 2007 shows GCWR for 2007 standard for BOTH V6 and V8 is 8500lbs. Adding the class 3/4 receiver and 7 pin magically ups the V6 to 10,000 GCWR and the V8 to 12,000. Again, the receiver and 7 pin is the only difference.

It's MAGIC alright. :S GCWR aside, the fact remains that that little 4.0L V6 is capable of only so much grunt and as I detailed earlier mine couldn't even get out of it's own way when towing our hybrid which weighed a mere 4000 lbs loaded and ready to camp ... and that was over relatively flat terrain we have here in S Ontario. :E

To the OP - lotsa luck, you're gonna need it! :W

Hmmm! Strange. My lower output 95 4.0 with 3.73's had no problem with a 5000lb loaded travel trailer. And that was rated to tow 5000lbs.

[Old-Biscuit]

Like you said.........simple math


NO!

[SoundGuy]

PUCampin wrote:
Ford fleet towing guide for 2007 shows GCWR for 2007 standard for BOTH V6 and V8 is 8500lbs. Adding the class 3/4 receiver and 7 pin magically ups the V6 to 10,000 GCWR and the V8 to 12,000. Again, the receiver and 7 pin is the only difference.

It's MAGIC alright. :S GCWR aside, the fact remains that that little 4.0L V6 is capable of only so much grunt and as I detailed earlier mine couldn't even get out of it's own way when towing our hybrid which weighed a mere 4000 lbs loaded and ready to camp ... and that was over relatively flat terrain we have here in S Ontario. :E

To the OP - lotsa luck, you're gonna need it! :W

[PUCampin]

Ford fleet towing guide for 2007 shows GCWR for 2007 standard for BOTH V6 and V8 is 8500lbs. Adding the class 3/4 receiver and 7 pin magically ups the V6 to 10,000 GCWR and the V8 to 12,000. Again, the receiver and 7 pin is the only difference.

[SoundGuy]

Undercover Poe wrote:
Op here. It's a v6. What kind of WD hitch should I lean towards. Should I be concerned with the 8000 GCVW rating.

Of course you shouldn't ignore the vehicle's GCVWR as that's the absolute maximum the vehicle and trailer together, fully loaded, are rated to ever weigh. Sorry, I can't help you any more with this as you're clearly determined to ignore the known facts of the situation - i.e. your V6 Explorer is inadequate for safely towing this trailer. 😞

[Undercover_Poe]

Op here. It's a v6. What kind of WD hitch should I lean towards. Should I be concerned with the 8000 GCVW rating. I like ibrjet and PU camping in the thought that since I upgraded the hitch the 3500 is irrelevant. It's prob closer to the explorer that boasts the 5000 lbs rating. Aside from the gear ratio, what is the difference?

[SoundGuy]

PUCampin wrote:
Did you have the OHV or SOHC 4.0? The OHV was the base engine through 2000 with the SOHC being an option, after 2000 the SOHC became the standard engine. There is a significant difference, the OHV was 160hp 225ftlb and the SOHC was 210hp 245ftlb. OP has yet to state if they have the V6 or V8.

Ours had the newer SOHC 4.0L V6 ... and yes, the OP is vague by not telling us which engine his particular vehicle has but if it's anything less than a V8 it's not suitable for towing this trailer.

[PUCampin]

SoundGuy wrote:
I towed our 2500 lb popup for several years with our BOF 4.0L V6 Explorer, 3.55 axle ratio, with no issues at all, including at 12,000' on our long trip west in 2005. We later "upgraded" to an RVision TrailCruiser C21RBH hybrid that loaded and ready to camp typically averaged ~ 4000 lbs and I can tell you that vehicle could barely get out of it's own way when towing that trailer. :M I did 2 disastrous back-to-back weekend trips with that setup when I had to acknowledge it just wasn't going to work and immediately replaced the Exploder with a 2006 5.3L V8 Silverado with which I subsequently towed through the eastern mountains for several years with no issues at all, even upgraded to a travel trailer that averaged ~ 5500 lbs loaded and ready to camp. The OP's Exploder won't be any different.

Did you have the OHV or SOHC 4.0? The OHV was the base engine through 2000 with the SOHC being an option, after 2000 the SOHC became the standard engine. There is a significant difference, the OHV was 160hp 225ftlb and the SOHC was 210hp 245ftlb. OP has yet to state if they have the V6 or V8.

[SoundGuy]

I towed our 2500 lb popup for several years with our BOF 4.0L V6 Explorer, 3.55 axle ratio, with no issues at all, including at 12,000' on our long trip west in 2005. We later "upgraded" to an RVision TrailCruiser C21RBH hybrid that loaded and ready to camp typically averaged ~ 4000 lbs and I can tell you that vehicle could barely get out of it's own way when towing that trailer. :M I did 2 disastrous back-to-back weekend trips with that setup when I had to acknowledge it just wasn't going to work and immediately replaced the Exploder with a 2006 5.3L V8 Silverado with which I subsequently towed through the eastern mountains for several years with no issues at all, even upgraded to a travel trailer that averaged ~ 5500 lbs loaded and ready to camp. The OP's Exploder won't be any different.

[dodge_guy]

PUCampin wrote:

Jebby14 wrote:
APRIL FOOLS!

If it is, then the OP picked the wrong vehicle to joke about, because the only reason the non-tow package Explorer was rated for 3500 was the class 2 hitch, which the OP shows was remedied by a aftermarket class 3/4. The only things added in the factory towing package was the class 3/4 hitch and 7 pin plug (and the v6 gets a slight axle change from 3.55 to 3.73) 🙂

X2! The explorer was only rated to 3500 due to the class II hitch. If you had the classIII/IV hitch then you would be OK. No reason that he Explorer the OP is talking about can't tow the trailer he has listed. I towed a 5000lb GVWR TT with a 95 Explorer with a Class III hitch and had no issues. As long as the OP is using a WD hitch he will do just fine!

[lbrjet]

I agree with PUCamping. That puny factory hitch gives you the puny tow rating. Read his post carefully and do your own research and come to your own conclusion. Your vintage Explorer is a good truck.

[PUCampin]

Jebby14 wrote:
APRIL FOOLS!

If it is, then the OP picked the wrong vehicle to joke about, because the only reason the non-tow package Explorer was rated for 3500 was the class 2 hitch, which the OP shows was remedied by a aftermarket class 3/4. The only things added in the factory towing package was the class 3/4 hitch and 7 pin plug (and the v6 gets a slight axle change from 3.55 to 3.73) 🙂 (see my post on page 1)

[Jebby14]

APRIL FOOLS!