towing V20 w/explorer

L

labii

Junior Member
I have a 1999 Ford Explorer . The hitch on the bumper says that it has a towing capacity of 3500 lbs . That should be very close to what the boat , motor , and trailer weighs . I have towed the boat short distances but have never pulled it out of the water . I am planning a trip in July to pull it about 5 hours away. My question is does anyone know if I should have a larger hitch installed or should I be ok ?
 
While I think it would probably tow okay, and I would probably only do it a couple of times, for the long run, I would consider a frame mounted hitch that would be rated for a little more weight. I'm sure the truck can handle more than 3500 lbs, but only with the right hitch. Plus, you would really be putting a lot of undue stress on your bumper. A frame mounted hitch would also pull a little more smoothly since some of the load is transferred further up under the truck. Plus the better hitch really doesn't cost all that much. Good luck with it.
 
Yeah . . . Your explorer can handle much more than 3500, but you're right at the limit with the 3500lb hitch. Also the tongue weight on those class II hitches is usually only rated for 300 lbs which could easily be exceeded by a person standing on the tongue of the trailer.

1920 lbs Boat
320 lbs Fuel (60 x 6 lbs)
450 lbs Engine
50 lbs battery
200 lbs misc. junk
700 lbs trailer
------------------------------
3640 lbs total
 
I keep my boat in a dry stack marina so it is rare that I pull it behind my truck . I knew that I was pushing it . Another problem is that I do not have brakes on my trailer. I am going to look into larger hitch and brakes . No more than I pull my boat I my be cheaper to rent a surburban to tow it down there . Thanks
 
Labii,
    I just moved my boat 35 miles yesterday with my "new to me" 1999 Isuzu Rodeo.  The Rodeo came with a uhaul class 2 hitch (rated at 3500lbs) .  I was going to take it off, but I thought I'd talk to the local uhaul dealer first.  He told me that the hitches actual limits are above the rating that they print of the sticker and as long as your within a few hundred pounds of the limit then you "should be fine".  So . . . last night I tested it out.  I hooked up the boat . . . jumped on the tongue of the trailer a few times before leaving the lot (probably not that smart, but the hitch seemed rock solid.  So I circled the block 4 or 5 times and then headed to cambridge towing the boat.  I hit some great pot holes along the way too and arrived in cambridge without a "hitch" nuk nuk nuk.  

 
 
Brakes on a boat suck!! Thay are always messing up. Unless you have a huge boat that you are moving around you don't need them. I have been towing my 1974 V20 for 10 years with none. And I tow every where. I don't leave in the water so a trailer is a must.
 
Labii . . . I don't have brakes on my trailer either.  The rodeo stops the v20 surprisingly well without trailer brakes.  Downshifting is fantastic when you're trailering a boat, but I do worry about not having brakes when towing in traffic on the highway.
 
I just towed my V-20 I/O from Daytona Beach to Charlotte, NC. What a haul! Usually a 7 to 8 hour trip. Took me over 12 as I stopped regularly to shoot grease into the hubs. Tow vehicle was a Dodge truck with a class 3 hitch. I am surprised at how heavy this boat is!
Does anyone have an idea of the appx. weight of the V-20 with the 5.7 liter Mercruiser?

Thanks

Rick
 
mine is 4600 lbs...boat, motor, trailer, full fuel

no brakes first year then added to keep from warping rotors on tow truck...tandem axel...put Tie-Down stainless disc units on all 4 wheels and used their 6000 actuator tounge system works real good...no more warped rotors

if your axels have 4-bolt flange on ends, these units will bolt on faster than you can say panic stop from 75 mph!
 
Hope you guys are still following this thread! ???

Rap...I sent a query to Wellcraft re: the weight of my boat and they came back with a dry weight of 3120 lbs! I have a duel axle Load Rite that seems very heavy to me...I figure I gotta be pushing at or past 5k with boat, trailer and gear.
The trailer HAD brakes but they are now hunks of rust that serve as nothing more than ballast!
 
I weight my boat last summer with a full load. Boat motor trailer full 40 gal gas and it came in at 4073 #
The truck is fine but get a frame hitch!! About $120 but you will be safe!!
The truck will be fine. I have a full size 1990 Chevy Blazer 6000# and a 5.7 Fuel injected. The trailer is a single axle no brakes. I go just fine! But when wet I can slide a little got to be careful. But my truck is 2000# more then the Boat so thats a great help.
 
This is right at the top of my boat to do list.

I tow with a 2001 Explorer, and I need to get a real hitch like I have on my old van.

I haven't weighed my rig, but with the trailer it is probably around 4800 on a 5400 GVWR trailer.

I got the last hitch installed at u-haul down in florida, but that was almost 20 years ago.

Any suggestions?
 
U-Haul still does it. About $150 I am sure. I f you have the no how and tools and time you could buy one and install on your own.
I did mine about 5 years ago and it was about $100. Mine is kind of small for what I do. It is a Class 3 so the boat is fine. But i tow a 9000# camper to. But I have tow bars for evening out the weight.
 
Re: above post of mine...look real hard at Kodiak brakes if you do need to add 'em...at one time I was happy with Tie-Downs, but I gotta tell ya I'm re thinkin'...good luck either way...
 
Yeah, UHAUL is probably still a good way to go.

I was talkin to jaysea about this, and he says I should get a hitch that will bolt on without drilling. I would rather avoid having my frame drilled if the result is just as good, if not better.

Any opinions:

TO DRILL OR NOT TO DRILL??
THAT IS THE QUESTION.
 
No need to drill! They have hitches to fit just about anything on the road! weather you buy and install or they do there is no holes to drill.
Some trucks might have to unbolt the bumper and then reinstall them. some hitches bolt in part to the bummper part of the frame.
 
Since the Explorer is supposed to be the most sold SUV on the planet ( the V20 of SUV's :D), there should be a hitch that fits exactly.

Is a bolt on as good and safe and secure as a drilled installation?
 
Yeah, the bolt on is fine. They purposly place the holes in the frame for hitch mounting and there are plenty of hitches made to exact fit. Should be a couple hour job tops.
 
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