Needing a tow vehicle

The Ford Escape hybrid says it can tow 6500 pounds on the website. Is it still not recommended for towing? it is what we are looking at for our next TV.

When I was shopping two years ago the Escape was rated for towing, but for the hybrid version the brochure had an asterisk and in fine print said "Not recommended for towing". I was told then that the reason was the CVT.

Looking at Ford.com I see that the 2011 Escape hybrid is rated for #3500 lbs with the factory towing package and the 3.0L engine and front wheel drive. It does not appear that the small engine nor the four wheel drive versions are rated for towing at all. I am not sure of the website where you saw #6500 lbs.

[Mr. Adventure]

Originally Posted by TMMiniVan

The Ford Escape hybrid says it can tow 6500 pounds on the website. Is it still not recommended for towing? it is what we are looking at for our next TV.

The two biggest questions for tow vehicles are always about going and stopping. The hybrid versions stop the same as the non-hybrid versions, so the open question remains about durability of the continuously variable transmissions under towing loads in the hybrids. Towing experience with these is still pretty thin, so I'm not sure I'd buy a hybrid for towing yet.

A 2720 or 3023 TM on the road will be 4000-4300# for most of us.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by Kevin Krause

I thought most Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVTs) were not recommended for towing. I know the Ford Escape Hybrid is like this and a few others. I'd be curious what that manual said about towing.

My 2005 Chysler Town and Country with factory tow package is marginal. (3800# rating) I have decided it is fine for instate Michigan, but I will be in the market for a tow vehicle before heading to the mountains.

Kevin,
as to CVTs can't speak for other models, but the towing guides all show the Murano at 3500# tow rating, and all Muranos have a CVT tranny. (BTW FWIW, Nissan CVT tranny fluid is $20/qt when you need to change it.) Tow-rating-or-not, I wouldn't trust any CVT for towing period! Give me a weaker engine and stronger finite something-speed tranny (if I have to choose between the two) any day. Just one person's opinion....

[marshel308]

The way Ford rates towing on the Escape, the 3500# rating also includes on board cargo, anything in the TV besides a 150# driver and a full tank of gas is considered cargo and would need to be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight. The factory tow package also comes with a Class II hitch which only has a 1 1/4" receiver, as far as I know any kind of WDH needs a 2" Class III receiver. The only TM that you want to tow with an Escape would be a Mini, even then you would probalbly want to add a Class III hitch.

The Gross Combined Vehicle Rating for the 2011 Ford Explorer 4WD with the towing package Class III hitch is 10,125 lbs and the Maximum Trailer Weight is 5,000 lbs. The curb weight of the Explorer is around 4,600 lbs. I think that means if the trailer you are hauling weighs 4,300 lbs (a oft-stated maximum loaded weight of the 2720SL) then one could still load the Explorer with 1,225 lbs of persons, fluids and cargo.

[T and C]

Originally Posted by Mr. Adventure

The two biggest questions for tow vehicles are always about going and stopping. The hybrid versions stop the same as the non-hybrid versions, so the open question remains about durability of the continuously variable transmissions under towing loads in the hybrids. Towing experience with these is still pretty thin, so I'm not sure I'd buy a hybrid for towing yet.

A 2720 or 3023 TM on the road will be 4000-4300# for most of us.

I don't know much about hybrids, but it seems to me that there is a third question beyond "going" and "stopping". That would be "slowing" on downhill drives. Would a hybrid be able to keep the TV and TM at a reasonable speed by shifting down when coming down a mountain? Otherwise one would have to constantly be on the brakes.

Tom

[Bill]

Jackfish posted

The Gross Combined Vehicle Rating for the 2011 Ford Explorer 4WD with the towing package Class III hitch is 10,125 lbs and the Maximum Trailer Weight is 5,000 lbs. The curb weight of the Explorer is around 4,600 lbs. I think that means if the trailer you are hauling weighs 4,300 lbs (a oft-stated maximum loaded weight of the 2720SL) then one could still load the Explorer with 1,225 lbs of persons, fluids and cargo.

I think that's right - and it shows the limitations of these ratings. If you load up a 2011 Explorer as you have described, you will be within the published limits, and on the flatlands, you will at least feel that you are in control and all is well. But based on my experience with two earlier Explorers (2002 and 2007), I gay-ron-tee that if you try the high country, you will not be pleased. And if you monitor your transmission temp, you will be even less pleased. On the way up the mountains, it is likely that nothing will break, nothing catastrophic will happen - but you will definitely feel the load, you will definitely slow down, you will definitely search for the right gear, your tranny will definitely get real hot, and you will definitely sweat. On the way down the hills, you will sweat some more - maybe a lot more. And much to my surprise, your tranny will get hot again, this time from the braking load. And when it's all done, you will wonder if you have shortened the life of the vehicle. I don't mind working my vehicles, like an old plow horse. But again like a plow horse, I don't like it when they struggle. Let's see, that warranty just expired, right?

I don't expect the vehicle to perform the same at 10,000 feet and steep grades in Colorado as it does as it does at 600 feet and rolling hills in Indiana, or 20 feet and board-flat in Florida. But the mfr's tow ratings imply that they do believe it. Do you?

Bill

[Mr. Adventure]

Originally Posted by T and C

I don't know much about hybrids, but it seems to me that there is a third question beyond "going" and "stopping". That would be "slowing" on downhill drives. Would a hybrid be able to keep the TV and TM at a reasonable speed by shifting down when coming down a mountain? Otherwise one would have to constantly be on the brakes.

Tom

The CVT has setting(s) for locked ranges, so that it simulates "second" gear, for example. My concern about towing with a CVT is more about durability, and we don't know how it will hold up. Also, Hybrids tend to be skimpy with the horses, of course.

The new Explorer is not the old Explorer. But it's ratings nevertheless support towing TrailManors pretty well. We don't seem to have any actual experience in the forum yet.

If you tow all the time at high elevations, you have different problems than if you visit there one week out of every five years or so. Most people who live there want more tow vehicle capacity so that they can go to the places I'm unlikely to find as a flatlander tourist (it's a goal for them). But that doesn't mean we flatlanders can't drive the Interstate highways through Colorado successfully as we go to see the more crowded places they've already seen dozens of times.

But one of the biggest durability issues for transmissions is that high speed run on the highway for many hours against the wind resistance on hot Summer days. You can find places to do that most anywhere. I'm a big fan of starting with a manufacturer that has good tranny reliability history.

Regards!

The original question was related to should I buy a Jeep Cherokee, Explorer or Trailblazer. Since I have recently owned a 2003 Explorer and now a 2009 Chevy Trailblazer I thought I would comment so at least the person does not make the same mistakes I did. Bill is probably correct when he notes that the older Explorers are good tow vehicles,... if you get the class 3 towing package. When I bought my first small trailer, I assumed because my 2003 Explorer had a trailer hitch, (albeit the smaller class 2), I assumed it had a the towing package. After I had the SUV for a couple of years or so and did more research, I realized the Explorer with the Class 2 hitch only has a towing capacity of 3500 lbs, compared to the Explorer with the Class 3 hitches which is 5000 lbs. Consequently, when I towed my 2720SL around curves on the highway, I was limited to 60 mph and anything above this it did not feel stable. This is probably because my trailer was 4200 lbs and my tow vehicle did not have this capacity. So if you are buying an older Ford Explorer make sure you buy one with the 2 inch - class 3 hitch receiver and not the smaller class 2 hitch.

With the 2009 Chevy trailblazer rated at 5200 lbs towing capacity it handles well going around curves from 60 to 70 mph. The only time I have found the need to slow down to 60 mph was with a strong wind. Yes, I know I should not go over 65 because of the tires, but I am usually around 65 mph or less 95% of the time. I imagine the Ford Explorer with the 5000 lb towing capacity would handle similar to the Chevy Trailblazer as far as cornering goes.
I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at the edge of the mountains so I am always driving up and down 3000 foot mountains. I must say that the Chevy trailblazer with the 275 hp in-line six gives me more power and an additional 10 mph speed up same steep hill (60mph vs 50 mph), than did my 210 hp Ford Explorer. In more rolling or gentle country, you probably would not even notice the difference, but in the mountains it makes the towing setup a little more responsive which is an additional feature.

One other difference between the Explorer and Trailblazer was the Explorer that I had was full time all 4-wheel drive and the Trailblazer has 2 wheel drive as well as all 4-wheel drive. I tow in the two wheel drive. One thing I found out about the Trailblazer today from my dealer is that even though the owner's manual says it is okay to put it in auto 4 wheel drive in wet conditions, it is not a good idea, and the transfer case can bind going around sharp 90 degree turns especially as the road starts to dry out. The dealer told me that even on wet roads I should stay in the 2 wheel drive mode. Apparently the Ford Explorer has a central differential which allows the vehicle to be in all wheel drive all the time, which the Chevy Trailblazer does not in the auto mode.

In summary, I know it is a no brainer, but make sure you get the Explorer with the class 3 hitch and if you get a Chevy Trailblazer you should tow in the 2 wheel drive mode just about all the time, unless it is snowing or very very slippery conditions. I am not an expert on any of this but thought I would share what I learned from a couple of my mistakes that might help others.