Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > TRAVEL TRAILER, 5th WHEEL & TRUCK CAMPER FORUMS > Pop Up, Tent Trailer and Teardrop Topics
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-05-2006, 04:16 PM   #1
JFL
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 7
I have recently traded off my 2002 F150 Supercrew (7 new rear ends and 3 yrs later)for a 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. I have a 2 wheel drive. I was told by the dealer that I would have no problem towing my current 1989 Hard side pop up camper that is approx. 2800lbs. I am wanting to trade up to a 19' Rockwood Roo Hybrid camper. Does anyone have a clue as to whether or not this is not a good idea to tow a hybrid with a Explorer Sport Trac. I had a class III hitch installed yesterday and when I went to truck accessory store to get the electric brake installed, they told me that they could no longer install tow hitches on the Sport Trac because of towing concerns. He wanted to charge me over $400 to install a 7 point trailer plug and electric brake. I am hearing all sorts of horror stories about towing with an Explorer Sport Trac but can't find any direct related material. The RV dealers are saying I can tow the 19' camper easily with a 4.0 5 spd automatic v-6. Does it make a difference if I get a single axle hybrid versus a dual axle hybrid? Starcraft has a single axle but the tongue weight it almost triple the tongue weight of a dual axle. Any help would be appreciated. I would hate to have to consider trading in my Sport trac to be able to keep camping.
JFL is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 02-05-2006, 04:16 PM   #2
JFL
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 7
I have recently traded off my 2002 F150 Supercrew (7 new rear ends and 3 yrs later)for a 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. I have a 2 wheel drive. I was told by the dealer that I would have no problem towing my current 1989 Hard side pop up camper that is approx. 2800lbs. I am wanting to trade up to a 19' Rockwood Roo Hybrid camper. Does anyone have a clue as to whether or not this is not a good idea to tow a hybrid with a Explorer Sport Trac. I had a class III hitch installed yesterday and when I went to truck accessory store to get the electric brake installed, they told me that they could no longer install tow hitches on the Sport Trac because of towing concerns. He wanted to charge me over $400 to install a 7 point trailer plug and electric brake. I am hearing all sorts of horror stories about towing with an Explorer Sport Trac but can't find any direct related material. The RV dealers are saying I can tow the 19' camper easily with a 4.0 5 spd automatic v-6. Does it make a difference if I get a single axle hybrid versus a dual axle hybrid? Starcraft has a single axle but the tongue weight it almost triple the tongue weight of a dual axle. Any help would be appreciated. I would hate to have to consider trading in my Sport trac to be able to keep camping.
JFL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2006, 12:49 PM   #3
Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Cobb County, GA
Posts: 65
You may want to call Forest River, the maker of Rockwoods.

I have called them twice and although the service person was not available they promptly called me back with good results.

Call 574-642-2640.

Good luck!
icamp2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2006, 04:02 PM   #4
Moderator Emeritus
 
TXiceman's Avatar
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Bryan, TX when not traveling.
Posts: 22,942
Blog Entries: 21
The Sport Trac is just an Explorer. We had one with the 4.0L V-6 and 3.73 axle. We towed a 21' Lite trailer at just under 4000# fully loaded and we were at the point that it could not take any more. As I had noted in a post on another Forum, your tongue weight should be between 10 and 15% of your loaded weight. It does not make any difference whether you have a single or a dual axle, you still need the weight on the tongue in order that the trailer behave properly.

First do not pay any attention to the brochure weights. They are way off on the light side. The trailer will have a sticker in the cabinet and it will list the weight as shipped from the factory, less any dealer installed items. Next use 12% of the trailers GVWR for the real world estimate of tongue weight.

The tow rating on the SportTrac is based on a base model, no cargo, no passengers other than a 150# driver and no hitch. add for thes and you reduce the tow rating accordingly, so plan to have a loaded trailer that is under 80% of Ford's tow rating, to be close to ratings.

Main thing is to not use the brochure ratings for weight.

$400 to install a brake controller and a 7 pin plug is a lot of $$$. You can get a Prodigy controller for less than $100 from the net. The instal with the plug should be 1 hour, 2 hours max in my opinion.

Ken
__________________
Amateur Radio Operator (KE5DFR)|No Longer Full-Time! - 2023 Cougar 22MLS toted by 2022 F150, 3.5L EcoBoost Tow Max FX4 Lariat Travel with one Standard Schnauzer and one small Timneh African Gray Parrot, retired mechanical engineer
TXiceman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-06-2006, 04:49 PM   #5
Moderator in Memoriam
 
Kablewizard's Avatar


 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Mesa, AZ, USA
Posts: 2,361
Ken gave a lot of excellent info. The big thing is watch those weights. We had a 98 explorer, which had about the same limits as yours the sticker and your owners manual will give the max weights , GVWR and tongue weight. We used a weight distribution hitch for our Bayside which weighed in at 3400. and it helped big time to keep it all level. If you don't want to install the brake controller, and have a camping world close. They charge around 100 for the controller and $65.00 to install it.

Let us know how your doing, and have fun , and as alway be safe.
__________________
Jim (SSG US Army Ret.) and Cheri (TSG Phx ANG Ret.) Mesa, AZ
2006 Dodge Ram 2500 HD Mega Cab Diesel | 2005 Honda Goldwing | 2006 35' Dune Chaser 5th Wheel
Kablewizard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2006, 11:03 AM   #6
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Ostrander, Oh
Posts: 55
I installed a Prodigy in my Ford E-350 in about 15 minutes. You can get a brand specific wiring harness from CW and I assume other places. The newer model vehicles have a plug if the trailer towing package is in the vehicle. If not, the instructions and the regular wiring harness do OK. I removed mine from my previous tow vehicle, a 2000 F-150 P/U, where the plug was also available under the dash.

I went to a feed company and weighed my vehicle with just me and a tool box in in. Cost $3.00. Weigh it like this and don't believe what the brochures and dealers talk about. I already had the trailer weighed.

Good luck.

Frank
__________________
Linda, Frank & Cassie (JR Terrier)
Ivory Snatcher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2006, 10:54 AM   #7
Junior Member
 
UNCW71's Avatar
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2
Fist of all, never take a salesman's word for anything, unless you see it in writing from the manufacturer. You need to check what the manufacturer's specs are for weight and length, and then use some caution. You need to make sure you have the required equipment that goes with that tow rating like transmission cooler, engine size, gear ratio.
One of the challenges in towing with the small SUVs is the wheelbase. Fortuneately the 2005 Sport Trac has a 125 inch wheelbase as opposed to 113 for the standard explorer, which should help.
If your Sport Track is prewired for trailer towing, then installing a brake controller is fairly simple. With pre-wired, the biggest problem is too small a wire for the brake lead, which will reduce braking. $400 may not be a bad price if they have to run wiring and this includes the brake controller, depending on where you live. Labor rates vary by location. RV labor rates are about $80/hr here but I had work done in WY for $50/hr

A tandem (dual) axle trailer will always handle better than a single axle. You should have appropriate weight-distributing hitch and sway control for any trailer.
__________________
1996 Aerbus XL3300
1997 Jeep Gr Cherokee Toad
UNCW71 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Ford Explorer Wizard Toads and Motorhome Related Towing 26 07-01-2008 05:01 PM
'99 ford explorer Edwin Toads and Motorhome Related Towing 3 02-29-2008 08:02 AM
towing with a sport trac JFL Trailer Towing and Tow Vehicles Discussion 4 02-06-2006 05:17 PM
Ford Explorer Tow kit Daddy's truck Toads and Motorhome Related Towing 6 04-08-2005 04:08 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:20 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.