Quote:
Originally Posted by yoda911
...the Lexus has 270 HP. That is only 7.5% less than your Explorer V-8 with 15% less torque however Ford rated the towing capacity of your Explorer 108% higher than the Lexus.
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Cliff -
Again you make some good points, and I don't want to get into a passionate argument about 3500-pound vs 5000-pound vs 7000-pound rated vehicles. As ThePair pointed out, we have several members who use 3500-pound-rated vehicles, apparently with good results. At the same time, I will point out that we also have many members who tried 3500-pound vehicles and were scared enough by the experience to buy something else.
The bottom line is that there is more to tow ratings than HP and torque. Many folks fall into this trap, and your post suggests that you may be one of them. I think you'll agree that if tow ratings depended only on horsepower and torque, then we wouldn't need tow ratings, since horsepower and torque are broadly published, objectively measured, and easily compared from vehicle to vehicle.
I can't wait for the new SAE tow rating standard to kick in for the 2013 model year. It might clear up a lot of this. According to
this article in Automobile Magazine, the test areas that strongly influence tow vehicle performance will include
- The engine's power and torque characteristics
- The powertrain's cooling capacity
- The durability of the powertrain and chassis
- Handling characteristics during cornering and braking maneuvers
- The structural characteristics of the vehicle's hitch attachment area
Bill