[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by unlurking

Found what seems to be a pretty detailed towing manual for the Sport Trac...

http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/p...rttrac9-15.pdf

I have been trying to find a new TV (so that I can pick up a 2720) in Colorado. I have been checking out all of the full size trucks due to expecting most towing to be through the mountains, and recommendation from many posters here. Unfortunately, this will be my daily driver as well (20,000+ miles a year just for work). This presents some interesting quandries. I really don't want to drive a large truck that much. Also, I'll obviously want most of the "comfort features" spending that much time in the vehicle. A full-size fully loaded is between 40-45k for most brand new vehicles, while a fully loaded Sport Trac can be picked up for around 30k.

I am seriously considering the new '07 models with the increased performance specs (though might wait until early spring for an '08) as TakingTerns mantioned.

If RockyMtnRay or any other Colorado area TMer could review the linked PDF, I would be grateful for any opinions.

To be honest, I will probably do most of my towing up I-24 (I'm in Monument) and less up I-70, so being stuck at 35mph behind semis isn't much of a concern. I just want to make sure I can get wherever I am going safely, and am willing to plan ahead to avoid some mountain driving problems read on here (such as leaving early in the morning).

Thanks!

If you get the optional V8, you'll do OK. The V6 is simply not enough engine at Colorado's altitudes.

As for the strategy of sort-of-sneaking-over-the-mountains the "back way" via US24 instead of a more "head-on attack" via I70, I tried that for 2 towing seasons when I had a 4.0L I-6 powered Jeep (with more torque than the V6 SportTrac). It only sorta works...for a while: Sooner or later you're going to need to cross one of the other challenging passes (e.g. Monarch, Rabbit Ears, Berthoud, etc.). And it will only take one or two tries on those non-I70 routes before you realize you are so underpowered that every such crossing is going to be slow, painful misery for you and the vehicle. Never forget that Rabbit Ears has 7 miles of 7% on the west side; Monarch has nearly 10 miles of 6% grades on both sides. Such misery might be tolerable for the out-of-staters who are making a once-in-a-lifetime trip "out west"; it won't be tolerable for any Coloradan who wants the freedom to readily roam to any part of the state. Not to mention that there's a heckuva lot of wasted time if you have to backtrack south from Monument some 25 miles down to Colo Spgs before you can go back northwest into the mountains via US24 and Colo Hwy 9. If the destination is the central mountains, it's at least an hour quicker to go via I25 and I70 if you can maintain at least 55 mph and thereby avoid the left lane restrictions on I70. With the V8 you can maintain 55; with the V6 you'll be behind the sloooowwwww semis and motorhome RVs (aka "rolling roadblocks") at 25-35 mph.