Hitch Question
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Hitch Question
My mom has a 2005 Ford Explorer with a 2" hitch and 7-wire trailing harness. She is going to have a brake controller and tranny cooler installed this week. She does have a weight-distributing hitch, but it hasn't been set up for the explorer and this trailer.
Do you think it would be ok for her to tow the trailer 20 miles (all paved, relatively flat) to the RV dealer to have them set up the weigh-distribution hitch? She has towed a 2700 lb boat with her explorer and she would be using the same hitch for the 20 mile trip.
The trailer weighs 2700 lbs loaded and the explorer has a towing capacity of 3200 lbs (but I'm not sure if that 3200 lbs is dictated by the 1.5"/2" hitch or the 3.55 gears, she has a 2" hitch and 3.55 gears).
I live about 500 miles away and was not able to setup the WD Hitch, as I didn't have a wrench/socket to loosen the ball on her hitch.
I towed the trailer about 500 miles with my F150 without a WD hitch.
Thanks,
Matt
Do you think it would be ok for her to tow the trailer 20 miles (all paved, relatively flat) to the RV dealer to have them set up the weigh-distribution hitch? She has towed a 2700 lb boat with her explorer and she would be using the same hitch for the 20 mile trip.
The trailer weighs 2700 lbs loaded and the explorer has a towing capacity of 3200 lbs (but I'm not sure if that 3200 lbs is dictated by the 1.5"/2" hitch or the 3.55 gears, she has a 2" hitch and 3.55 gears).
I live about 500 miles away and was not able to setup the WD Hitch, as I didn't have a wrench/socket to loosen the ball on her hitch.
I towed the trailer about 500 miles with my F150 without a WD hitch.
Thanks,
Matt
Last edited by mattyk6_bdr; Jun 11, 2007 at 01:41 PM.
CO River Rat
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From: Lake Havasu City AZ
The '05 Explorers must be a lot different from the '04s; mine (with V8/tow package/2" receiver) is rated at 5900#. I think the LS rear end was dropped in '05 because of stability control, but the gears should still be 3.73. That trailer weight seems awfully low to require a WD set-up.
Steve
Steve
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It is a dual-axle travel trailer. I didn't measure the tongue weight, but it barely weighed down my truck. I'm thinking that it has about the same tongue weight as the boat (the boat was a single axle).
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The sticker on the side of the TT was about 2500 lbs and the fresh water tank has some water and it has a 20 lb propane tank. So it is close to 2700 lbs.
It was the only tandem that we could find in that weight range.
http://www.sunvalleyinc.com/floorplans/roadrunner/rr180.htm
It was the only tandem that we could find in that weight range.
http://www.sunvalleyinc.com/floorplans/roadrunner/rr180.htm
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From: Lake Havasu City AZ
By the time you get food, clothing, cooking gear and everything else in that TT, I'm thinking you're gonna be way more than that. Any options.....like A/C, gen set, awnings?
Did you confirm that '05 Explorer has the tow package? V6 or V8? "1.5"/2" hitch"......it's either 1.25" or 2".
Steve
Did you confirm that '05 Explorer has the tow package? V6 or V8? "1.5"/2" hitch"......it's either 1.25" or 2".
Steve
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I'd take it for a short test drive. If it barely weighed down the back of your F-150, I don't see why it would need a weight distributing hitch either. You might even have to add a little tongue weight for decent handling.
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At this point, the trailer is empty. I'm just trying to figure out if she can tow the trailer to the RV place (20 miles) to have the WD hitch setup. The current weight is about 2700 lbs. We know that it's going to be heavier when loaded, but by then the WD Hitch will be in use.
The 05 Explorer has the V6, 2" hitch, and 3.55 gears. The 05 Explorer will have a tranny cooler and a brake controller before this 20 mile tow is done.
There are no options on this trailer, no ac, no microwave.
It towed great w/ my F150. With no WD hitch, the back end of the F150 came down about the same as it did with the boat. It pulled straight, she shouldn't even need a sway control.
The 05 Explorer has pulled the boat with no trouble. So, since they (the boat and the TT) way about the same weight, there shouldn't be an issue, especially with the TT having the tandem axle.
The 05 Explorer has the V6, 2" hitch, and 3.55 gears. The 05 Explorer will have a tranny cooler and a brake controller before this 20 mile tow is done.
There are no options on this trailer, no ac, no microwave.
It towed great w/ my F150. With no WD hitch, the back end of the F150 came down about the same as it did with the boat. It pulled straight, she shouldn't even need a sway control.
The 05 Explorer has pulled the boat with no trouble. So, since they (the boat and the TT) way about the same weight, there shouldn't be an issue, especially with the TT having the tandem axle.
Last edited by mattyk6_bdr; Jun 11, 2007 at 03:47 PM.
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From: Lake Havasu City AZ
This is a quote from a website on '05 Explorer specs:
"Class III/IV Trailer Towing Prep Pkg.
Eddie Bauer/Limited, XLT, XLT Sport $150 $128
Special axle ratio, Class III hitch, 7-wire harness, 7- to 4-pin adapter. NA XLS, XLS Sport."
Not sure how your mom ended up with a Class III/IV receiver, 7-pin connector, and 3.55 rear gears.
Steve
"Class III/IV Trailer Towing Prep Pkg.
Eddie Bauer/Limited, XLT, XLT Sport $150 $128
Special axle ratio, Class III hitch, 7-wire harness, 7- to 4-pin adapter. NA XLS, XLS Sport."
Not sure how your mom ended up with a Class III/IV receiver, 7-pin connector, and 3.55 rear gears.
Steve
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Gotcha; just keep in mind the V6 tow package included an engine oil cooler, but you probably won't need it towing that weight in WA. You might not need the WD hitch set-up either; wouldn't hurt to spend $10 to get that TT weighed when loaded up for a trip, so you know exactly what you're dealing with. Good luck!
Steve
Steve
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
Remember the old saying "I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it"?
I'd get a Reese WDH, and ESPECIALLY a sway control... Lighter trailers sway the most.
You're looking at about $250 and up for the WDH, $59 and up for a sway control, plus whatever the installation is or doing it yourself.
Trust me - the Explorer needs it. In some states you'd be ticketed or worse without them.
I'd get a Reese WDH, and ESPECIALLY a sway control... Lighter trailers sway the most.
You're looking at about $250 and up for the WDH, $59 and up for a sway control, plus whatever the installation is or doing it yourself.
Trust me - the Explorer needs it. In some states you'd be ticketed or worse without them.
Last edited by Greywolf; Jun 11, 2007 at 08:19 PM.
