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Towing 22' Wakesetter with 2.3L AWD Ford Explorer ?


flatwaterrob

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Anyone have a recent model AWD Ford Explorer that is towing a 22' Wakesetter or Axis A22 or T22 ?  I only need to pull the boat up a very short and shallow boat ramp once a year.   Literally the ramp is like 50' long.  Vehicle is rated for 5300 lbs towing which is right at the total of boat & trailer.  Does the 2.3L have enough torque and vehicle weight to get traction to get up a wet boat ramp ?  I'm mainly worried about wheel slip.  I realize that this Explorer is not the ideal tow vehicle, but I won't be trailering this more than 20 miles year year - so this is a not a huge concern.

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If it is only once a year you are worried about, you could always rent a truck from Home Depot or Uhaul to do it. 
 

FWIW, Id be willing to bet the boats you are talking about are closer to 7000 pounds on the trailer than they are to 5300. 

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I would be more concerned about the 20 miles than the launch ramp, especially if you'll be going highway speeds. The 10 speed transmission should give you enough torque to get going, though you will be pressed for highway power with that little I4.

The oldest models of the boats you're looking at are 3600-4000 lbs dry weight. A tandem trailer adds about 1400 lbs. Add in gas and gear, and you're looking at at least another 500 lbs. 6000 lbs is the minimum you should be anticipating to tow.

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RyanB and Tsumi - thanks for the feedback.   I've considered renting one of the Home Depot pickups to get me by, but if I'm buying a vehicle I'd like to get one that would eliminate this.  Unfortunately the next step up in vehicles is a large price increase (Expedition or Tahoe) and it's more truck than I would typically need the other 364 days of the year.   Agree on the additional weight aspect and recognize I can help myself by limiting myself ONLY to the 40 gallons of gas which is 240lbs.  So I'm over, but only by 140 lbs.    Also understand these are theoretical calculations too.  FYI, my current solution is borrowing a neighbors truck trading a case of beer for the use of their F150/Sierras when I pull the boat out in the fall.  This can continue to be my backup.   When I test with the AWD Explorer I'll report back and let you know the results.  Thanks again fellas. 

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On 7/17/2022 at 9:18 AM, flatwaterrob said:

Anyone have a recent model AWD Ford Explorer that is towing a 22' Wakesetter or Axis A22 or T22 ?  I only need to pull the boat up a very short and shallow boat ramp once a year.   Literally the ramp is like 50' long.  Vehicle is rated for 5300 lbs towing which is right at the total of boat & trailer.  Does the 2.3L have enough torque and vehicle weight to get traction to get up a wet boat ramp ?  I'm mainly worried about wheel slip.  I realize that this Explorer is not the ideal tow vehicle, but I won't be trailering this more than 20 miles year year - so this is a not a huge concern.

5300lbs LOL.  The dry weight of a boat does not include the 1200-1400lbs of trailer, or fuel, or pretty much anything that you might put in a boat.

My 2012 VTX on a twin axle is just under 6000lbs

Edited by oldjeep
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At the top of the page you can go to "boat specs" to get the dry weight numbers. Wakesetter 22 is 4800 dry, Axis T22 is 4800, and the A22 is 4500. Add 1200 for the trailer + your 40 gallons of gas + gear.

Whatever you do... take a video and post it here as a follow up. 

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8 minutes ago, BlindSquirrel said:

At the top of the page you can go to "boat specs" to get the dry weight numbers. Wakesetter 22 is 4800 dry, Axis T22 is 4800, and the A22 is 4500. Add 1200 for the trailer + your 40 gallons of gas + gear.

Whatever you do... take a video and post it here as a follow up. 

Also, it has been widely discussed that Malibus "Dry weights" are ridiculously understated.

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23 hours ago, flatwaterrob said:

RyanB and Tsumi - thanks for the feedback.   I've considered renting one of the Home Depot pickups to get me by, but if I'm buying a vehicle I'd like to get one that would eliminate this.  Unfortunately the next step up in vehicles is a large price increase (Expedition or Tahoe) and it's more truck than I would typically need the other 364 days of the year.   Agree on the additional weight aspect and recognize I can help myself by limiting myself ONLY to the 40 gallons of gas which is 240lbs.  So I'm over, but only by 140 lbs.    Also understand these are theoretical calculations too.  FYI, my current solution is borrowing a neighbors truck trading a case of beer for the use of their F150/Sierras when I pull the boat out in the fall.  This can continue to be my backup.   When I test with the AWD Explorer I'll report back and let you know the results.  Thanks again fellas. 

I would say step up to the 3.0 L Ecoboost, but you would have to get into the $50k ST model for that, which is very close to a $53k base model Expedition.

How about the Durango? The Pentastar V-6 is rated for 6200 lbs and the platform itself should be good for up to 8700 lbs (V8 models are rated for this).

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Grand Cherokee gets you 7200 pound tow limit with a Hemi. I’ve used mine for very short distances. Would be more than adequate for what you need. Assuming you’re looking to buy something else and not checking to see if what you already have will work. 

0294B3AC-E77C-4502-8163-A7FAAFB22C5D.jpeg

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Few years ago I got to the launch to fetch my dad's boat at the end of the summer and some guys had an Explorer buried up to the hubs trying to pull out a 22' Sea Ray.  The terrain beyond the ramp was flat, so we unhooked their truck from their trailer, yanked them out, and hooked up my Titan while the boat and trailer sat there in the water.  With the drive in 4LO I yanked that thing right out without issue.

Granted, that's a tricky-ish ramp situation, but it's not like it was a slimy ramp and they slid down.  They just didn't have the weight and rubber to get that load moving on that terrain.

So, what sort of ramps are you going to be using?  That's very important to consider.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I towed my old 2002 VLX  with a 2000 AWD Astro Van, 4.3 V6 200HP. Power wise it was way underpowered(Top out about 65-70 on the highway). I put uprated brake pads and rotors on it, trailer brake system was well maintained and would do 2-3 long trips a year(150 Miles). Towed with it for 3 years before going to a F250. I was probably around 5k weight fully loaded. 

I never had a issue on the ramps and I kept my boat 1 mile from the boat ramp. 

My biggest problem was that it was underpowered on the hi-way. I would pretty much camp in the slow lane and go 65 the whole way. 

I lived in Germany for a year and you should see what they tow with. A BMW wagon will be towing a small boat or trailer. 

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Have a tow strap available to attach to the front of your car so another vehicle can pull you up the launch ramp.  I think you're gonna be slipping and sliding with that much weight behind you.  This will only be needed if in fact you even make it to the lake.  LOL. 

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11 minutes ago, PopsA22 said:

Have a tow strap available to attach to the front of your car so another vehicle can pull you up the launch ramp.  I think you're gonna be slipping and sliding with that much weight behind you.  

I think this is a good call.  it's probably worth a try if you can do it all safely and have a backup plan if it doesn't work.  Have someone on standby in case the Explorer cannot get it up the ramp on its own.  I'm sure it will pull it around on flat ground well enough to get it from the lake to storage once you're out of the water. 

FWIW our 22' Axis can drag my F150 at times down steep ramps.  Never more than a short slide of a few inches with the brakes locked, but it is not a comfortable sensation.  

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8 minutes ago, rennis said:

I think this is a good call.  it's probably worth a try if you can do it all safely and have a backup plan if it doesn't work.  Have someone on standby in case the Explorer cannot get it up the ramp on its own.  I'm sure it will pull it around on flat ground well enough to get it from the lake to storage once you're out of the water. 

FWIW our 22' Axis can drag my F150 at times down steep ramps.  Never more than a short slide of a few inches with the brakes locked, but it is not a comfortable sensation.  

Does the same slide on my GMC Sierra as well.  Who would of thought I should have bought 4x4? Not me.  Dah.  

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4 minutes ago, PopsA22 said:

Does the same slide on my GMC Sierra as well.  Who would of thought I should have bought 4x4? Not me.  Dah.  

My truck is 4x4 and I have had to put it in 4H to get it up steep slippery ramps a couple of times on rainy days.  These newer boats are just heavy little piggies.  Objects at rest/objects in motion, etc.   

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8 minutes ago, rennis said:

My truck is 4x4 and I have had to put it in 4H to get it up steep slippery ramps a couple of times on rainy days.  These newer boats are just heavy little piggies.  Objects at rest/objects in motion, etc.   

Funny you said piggie.  I often refer to my boat as "The Pig".  Seriously, "it's time to pull the pig out".  My entire family knows what I'm referring too.    

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One thing that make the Explorer different is the traction control on the AWD, most newer suvs in that segment have a good set up.  They will do a lot more to make traction than a 1/2 ton pickup which is probably not much heavier.  If the ramp is shallow like he said I believe he will be fine for the short hauls to launch and retrieve.  I would want to do this at a time when the ramp isn't as wet to give the best odds.  This however would not be a good set up for long hauls and unknown ramps.

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