looking for a tow vehicle!!! need some advice!

[jackchan]

hey guys as you well know I am looking at possibly running a few events in FS next season, and am shopping for a basic vehicle to tow my car with. I've been looking at the V-8 ford explorers, and mountaineers. (yes I realize they are not duallys, but they will do the job I need for them to do). Question is on a 1997 thru 2000 explorer, mountaineer..........from the northern climates. Should I inspect these auto's for rust from the salt being on the roadways? or should this new a vehicle be ok. (if when I get it I clean it up really well, and keep it clean).
thanks in advance!
Jack

[Gray86hatch]

I would say a 1/2 ton P/U is a min

I know a few guys that tow with Expeditions and open trailers and they say is it not to bad.

I have a 3/4 HD Chevy for my 24' enclosed and I would not want any less of a truck.

So a Explorer is a no with me

Tim

[jackchan]

I guess my biggest question is about the salts inpact on the undercarriage!

[Chalie Sr.]

Jack,
I towed with a 98 Mountaineer awd for the last 4 yrs. It was fine! If you get up past 70 mph it gets a little sqwuirely, but at 65 it was fine! i now have a F250 super duty and that is alot better.
Good Luck,
Chalie Rankin Sr.
f/S 6018 Maybe!!!

[Steve Moberley]

Yes, they do rust. Typically right behind the tires.

I would not buy one of those for a tow vehicle. It's too light, the wheelbase is too short, brakes are too small, and a 302 or 4.6 isn't really a good towing motor.

I would also recommend either a half-ton or a half ton based SUV. Expedition or whatever the GM equivalent is.

My .05

Steve

[KenCook]

I towed to a few events with a 2004 6 cyc Explorer 2 years ago.
Yes it made it from NJ to BG with all those hills :D

I'm much happier with my 8.1 liter Suburban but the Explorer was not a horror story for a few trips.

[DARRIN P/S 5006]

I Tow with an old school "clean" 90 chevy Suburban with 4x4 and a 454 FI..I normally run about 75-80 mph without any trouble....Plus i didn't pay much for this truck....Nothing wrong with a new truck but i can't afford it right now..

[vrtical]

a 454 FI..I normally run about 75-80 mph without any trouble....

I would hope soo.... LOL I like my F250 SD. Anything with a larger wheel base and decent brakes is a must. Fighting a trailer on long hauls sucks.

[RFink]

Tow with an X (5.0) and as long as the car is in the right spot ( seem to load it different every time :) ) no problems at 70 + . Open trailer w/ surge brakes all around , rated at 5000 gvw .

[jackchan]

well i bought me a 1996 V-8 explorer tonight! superclean with all power, eddie b. edition.It's not exactly low mileage, but it has a new $1800 trans, and $1000 worth of new tires and brakes.And it was in my price range...(most important part).. So I couldnt go wrong with it for the price I bought it for. .......one more piece of the puzzle.....slowly coming together!;)
Jack

[DARRIN P/S 5006]

Good luck towing with that under powered, short wheelbase vehicle.

[clmrhayden]

Justin B. towed his F/S car in 02 with one all year long I think it was 02.

[jackchan]

Good luck towing with that under powered, short wheelbase vehicle.

well gee thanks for the thumbs up there.... I've towed with a lot less than engine than a 5.0 liter.....and it did fine for me. Maybe I guess I'm not in as big a hurry as everyone else. But I'm more than sure it will do the job I want it to do.
Jack

[J.Pulaski]

Jack, don't take it the wrong way. Most of us have done the same and through experience find out that bigger is better.

I started with a 6 cyl Blazer and it was adequate, but nothing compared to my F-150 now. (which will be replaced with a F-350 as soon as funds allow)A larger truck has bigger brakes and more mass which relates to better towing capacities.

I understand your comment that the engine is strong enough, but until you have to hit the brakes in an emergency you won't know the true value of a larger truck.

Good luck with the new vehicle, just leave a little extra room between you and the guy in front of you.

[jackchan]

yea i understand what your saying. It would be nice to have a F-250 at least. Its just not practical for me to own something that large to tow to only 2-3 races this season and then more next season. I've towed with a 89 chevy truck (6 cylinder), 91 Ford F-150 302, and a 1999 explorer with 6 cylinder. And actually the 99 with 6 cylinder towed better than my 91 F-150. Hopefully what i have (the V-8 explorer) will do what I need it to do....for a little while anyway.
Jack

[DARRIN P/S 5006]

yea i understand what your saying. It would be nice to have a F-250 at least. Its just not practical for me to own something that large to tow to only 2-3 races this season and then more next season. I've towed with a 89 chevy truck (6 cylinder), 91 Ford F-150 302, and a 1999 explorer with 6 cylinder. And actually the 99 with 6 cylinder towed better than my 91 F-150. Hopefully what i have (the V-8 explorer) will do what I need it to do....for a little while anyway.
Jack


Don't you have a local track in Al to test at? You still need a heavier vehicle that an explorer...I want a F series tow vehicle to But my old school suburban does just fine. See if you can find one of those for towing until you get funds to get a bigger truck( Try to find a Big Block if you can) and make sure you have a trailer with brakes and a truck that's equipt with a trailer brake module.

[jackchan]

Don't you have a local track in Al to test at?

yep sure do. And I will be testing at it.....as soon as the RULES come out and i finalize my combo. No need to test with something we can't run...

as far as a tow vehicle........I have what I have. And I'm no chevy person, so anything chevy is out anyway!........If a dam explorer with a V-8 won't pull one single 3000lb racecar on an open trailer.......then I guess half the world should just plain and simple quit trying it! :P

[DARRIN P/S 5006]

I'm not a chevy man either....But when your trying to run in a heads-up class like F/S P/S R/S..I'm trying not to spend 40 grand on a tow vehicle just yet...Plus my Suburban was a gift of sorts...This truck will get me where i need to go...No problems at all..

[Adam Smith]

yep sure do. And I will be testing at it.....as soon as the RULES come out and i finalize my combo. No need to test with something we can't run...

as far as a tow vehicle........I have what I have. And I'm no chevy person, so anything chevy is out anyway!........If a dam explorer with a V-8 won't pull one single 3000lb racecar on an open trailer.......then I guess half the world should just plain and simple quit trying it! :P

Your towing a 3000lb car on a 1500-2000lb trailer with 200-300lbs of tools, your looking at 5000lbs. Which is a lot to ask of a soft sprung Explorer. Bare minimum things you will need are a brake controller and air bags in the rear coils/leafs whatever Explorers have. Trust me, I tried to tow without these things in my EXPEDITION, and it was a major PITA. Wait till you get into some mountains/hilly states. I understand the need to spend less on a tow vehicle, but an Explorer just isn't the vehicle. Be careful

[Frank Peterson]

We towed to a few races with my Explorer(4.6L), local stuff, nothing too far and it was OK. Now, travelling very far might be different. I remember Joffre L. towing to some races with a Ranger using an open trailer...might have been his RS Championship year?

Some of the upgrades mentioned are a good idea as the truck is going to be stressed pretty good.

[jackchan]

yea I remember Joffre. not sure if that was his championship year, but yea he pulled with an open trailer also.

Its not like this if my first towing experience guys! I mean come on, I've been racing and towing since 1993! Sure the fartherest away I've towed is Bowling Green KY, but that isn't just around the corner from my house either. I do appreciate all the advice, and all the replys. Just if you see me on the side of the interstate between P, cola and Bradenton....just don't holler out the window "i told ya so" lmao
Jack

[Adam Smith]

No man, wasn't trying to dis the Explorer. I just had some very stressful trips because of my inferior tow set-up the 1st half of last year. On race weekend you have enough going on, chasing your trailer for 500miles is quite stressful. In a perfect world we all would have crew cab diesels with a pre-paid fuel card in the console :D

Adam

[ISSUES]

we pull a 3000lb car and a 1900lb open trailer that has electric brakes with a 4x4 4.0L ranger all over the place and have no probs going 75-80. youll be fine with what you have for now. believe it or not, the ranger tows better than the f-150 that i normally use to tow with.

[Adam Smith]

we pull a 3000lb car and a 1900lb open trailer that has electric brakes with a 4x4 4.0L ranger all over the place and have no probs going 75-80. youll be fine with what you have for now. believe it or not, the ranger tows better than the f-150 that i normally use to tow with.

How the hell would you know what it tows like? You sleep and make maryanne drive!:D

[DARRIN P/S 5006]

How the hell would you know what it tows like? You sleep and make maryanne drive!:D


LOL..You tell him Adam.

[ISSUES]

How the hell would you know what it tows like? You sleep and make maryanne drive!:D

well apparently it towed well enough to let me be able to sleep all the way to BG! i tow with it to byron occasionally and at 80-85 its smooth sailing. i still cant wait til we get that 350 already. how fast do you think we'll be able to tow with a 350 PSD and a 2 car open trailer? :)

[vrtical]

How the hell would you know what it tows like? You sleep and make maryanne drive!:D

Well we all know she is the better driver anyways :eek:

[Adam Smith]

Well we all know she is the better driver anyways :eek:

lol....tony's just pissed at me because i stole his hairband cd!:D

[ISSUES]

lol....tony's just pissed at me because i stole his hairband cd!:D


yeah you did!

than again, doug wont admit that maryanne is also a better driver than he is :D

[DARRIN P/S 5006]

yeah you did!

than again, doug wont admit that maryanne is also a better driver than he is :D


lol lol...You fella's cut it out..lol your killing me.:D

[MP John]

Mike and I started towing our B/SA Torino on an open trailer with a SuperCab Ranger 4.0L V6. It worked OK but. The open road towing is pretty easy. Towing in city traffac was a problem. No matter how much room you left to stop, some A--hole would pull in front of you. Stopping will be the biggest problem. Adding good brakes (both axles) and a brake controller is mandatory.

FYI
My 2005 F250 SD V10 Supercab Sport 4x4 will be available in January. Its a lease and my 2006 F150 SuperCrew will be ready in January. I'm trying to get 20k on it as that gives the new owner the best discount and some warranty left.