87 Bronco II towing

[master hec0]

i have an 87 bronco II 4x4 2.9L v6 anyways next summer im planning on heading down to cali a friend of mine has a 2000 xploder that he said i can have if i come get it. so my question is could my b2 tow an xploder. if so what hitch would i need? and what would be the best means of towing. also its an automatic

[Will]

How far?

[Captain Ledd]

How far?

X2

Also, you're going to be looking at either a tow bar to flat tow it (probably best), or a tow dolly. A trailer large enough for the whole vehicle is pretty much going to be out of the question.

It still seems kind of a far distance though by the nature of the post so:

Be certain the BII has a GOOD tranny cooler - the bigger the better) with fresh fluid and a filter change if possible.

Be prepared to drive slow and piss people off. Short wheelbases can make towing.. "interesting", especially at higher speeds.

Hitches: Reese/Valley or other name brand hitches will all work well. I have a Reese Hitch and have been quite happy with it.

DON'T tow in overdrive (if it has one)

And finally make sure you're brakes are in good order.

[master hec0]

the brakes are brand new along with rotors only about 20kms on them.
for towing 4 wheels down wouldnt i need the vehicle that is being towed be registered/insured? it is a really long drive... where i live if the vehicle being towed weighs 50% of the towing vehicles weight it needs trailer brakes. so how would you be able to get the xploder to brake.? i would be coming from canada. i know long way to go to huntington beach. also dont some broncos already have tranny coolers?
so basically my main question is the law regarding this i would be crossing the border in montana and headin south.
also for tranny cooler is there a recommended vehicle to pull one off from the scrapper?

[Captain Ledd]

the brakes are brand new along with rotors only about 20kms on them.

excellent

for towing 4 wheels down wouldnt i need the vehicle that is being towed be registered/insured? it is a really long drive... where i live if the vehicle being towed weighs 50% of the towing vehicles weight it needs trailer brakes. so how would you be able to get the xploder to brake.?

In that case renting a tow dolly with inertia brakes would do the trick and solve the laws issue. Unless someone else chimes in with a tip, but to my knowledge there isn't a way to get the towed vehicles brakes to work without some fancy work.

I'm not sure if they need to be insured when towing 4 wheels down. I can almost guarantee it'll be a local law if it is.

i would be coming from canada. i know long way to go to huntington beach. also dont some broncos already have tranny coolers? ...Also for tranny cooler is there a recommended vehicle to pull one off from the scrapper?

Bigger the better. My experience has been with manual tranny's, but here it goes:

Since the oil return line on the transmission is low pressure, I believe you can just run a hose with hose clamps to and from the transmission. Yours may indeed already have one, but make sure it isn't actually bypassed by a previous owner or something. Hose adapters are fairly cheap and can be rigged to work if the hose sizes are too different from eachother. Cheaper than a new transmission for sure :icon_cheers:

so basically my main question is the law regarding this i would be crossing the border in montana and headin south.

I don't think it would be a problem, but be sure to check out if you need some paperwork ready. I'm pretty sure it will be minor, but I'm also fairly confident there will be at least some.

*** EDIT ***

Wait, so you're going over the rockies and across the U.S. with this? errmmm... I'd strongly consider getting something a little bigger. Stuck in the mountains is not somewhere I'd want to be. Also, with some of those slopes, your tranny is going to be AWFULLY unhappy with you, cooler or no cooler.

Those newer Explorers are fairly heavy and bulky vehicles. Trailer brakes are a MUST.

I'd look for something with at the least a larger 6 cylinder, preferably a manual transmission, or a good working automatic (which will probably also be fine so long as it has a good cooler).

[alaskan155]

look at an rv place, they have systems that will press the brakes in the vehicle being towed, and hidden valley(or walmart(reese) should have a towbar).
example:
http://www.usgear.cc/unified_tow_brake.htm

transcooler, 97-current f-150s/expiditions have some nice coolers, that or get another b2/explorer one and a trans temp guage

and for a radiator a 91-94 explorer 4-door 2-core radiator out of a automatic, a/c equipped truck to help cool the motor if your B2 dosen't have one already

[master hec0]

i dont think i will have an issue with the tranny i will take my planned route though montana and south on the way there. if i feel it is too rough i will plan an alternate route up through the coast into bc. i have driven the road though the rockies on the bc/alberta side and i know those are not bad. if i do a tow bar it will definatley be with traler brakes i am not going to risk no brakes with a load weighing more then my own tow vehicle. i have faith in my transmission since it only has about 40000 miles on it.

so you think a bigger rad is necessary? i was planing on just adding 2 electric fans to it.

for a tow dolly isnt a xploder too big for one?

[Captain Ledd]

Nah, you can get dollies for towing fullsize stuff.

I guess if you know the route and it isn't actually that hilly...

I'm still a little nervous for ya man lol. I'd at least look around for the radiator, if you happen to find one I'd run it just in case.

It's not that we're betting the trans is worn out or in bad shape, all of the auto's in RBV's have "less than stellar" track records (to put it very nicely). Many dying well before 70-100,000 without towing things or being abused.

It's just that heat is the quickest killer for auto's, and it's that much worse towing things. Get rid of it at all costs (well, you know what I mean).

[master hec0]

this is why i decided to ask before i set any plans in stone
thanks for the info also the manual says i can tow either 4500lbs or 5000lbs depending on the axle i have. i read online that the xploder weight is between 3300-3800lbs depending on the options/body. is that weight correct?
thats with super cooling pack 2. what is in super cooling pack 2? besides a tranny cooler

[Captain Ledd]

Well, Rangers and BII's had 2 axles. (A little story) The 7.5" and the 8.8", while the 8.8" is a stronger center section, they still used the 7.5" shafts on Rangers and BII's (and consequently the same wheel bearings), so really there isn't all that much difference in the ultimate strength. 7.5" tended to spit out spider gears under higher power (4.0L+), so they stuffed the 8.8" diff under it and left everything else. (Explorers, I THINK all years, had bigger shafts in them, on par with the F150's and fullsize 8.8" applications). Any RBV of your vintage will probably just have a 7.5". I give the 7.5" a little more credit than most, and think that it will be fine. I know a few that have put up with alot of abuse.

I've never actually seen a weight listed for a newer Explorer, but that looks about right, probably closer to 3,800 lbs.

[master hec0]

and at that weight you thinks its iffy for that distance?
do ya think using a 2001 ford ranger with a 3L 2wd single cab short box is a better choice? also automatic

[Captain Ledd]

and at that weight you thinks its iffy for that distance?
do ya think using a 2001 ford ranger with a 3L 2wd single cab short box is a better choice? also automatic

Honestly I kinda do. While they're still not that great, the newer trannies are still better than the old ones. It will have more power for the hills and the slightly longer wheelbase will help alot, also the newer models had larger/better brakes. Still don't tow in overdrive though lol.

[master hec0]

alright im out of questions for now. il probably revive this in a few months when i decided if i will use any rbv or if i can find a better way of getting an xploder over the border. i was just thinkin. how would i go about possibly driving it back north? is there a way to do that? i dont think i will have any issues at the border since it wont be going back on the road

[Will]

I would not do this. This is thousands of miles along the largest mountain range in North America--Southern California to Canada. I can't see an A4LD surviving. I can't see the risk and fuel cost being worth the price of a 10 year-old Explorer.

The Explorer curb weight ranges from 3,650# for a V6 2wd to 4,250# for a V8 4x4. A tow dolly weighs about 600# and that is the only conceivable way to do this. Get one with brakes on it of course. I would not flat tow it. Not only does that leave you with the brakes problem, but there are handling issues as well. The pivot plate in the dolly avoids these problems.

Again, I would not do it. I would borrow a full-size.

[jdm_farmboy]

Does the explorer run? If it does why don't you arrange for temporary tags and use the explorer to tow the BII back?

[master hec0]

from what i hear it runs but i would think i would have some issues at the border if i was driving a us vehicle across il look into it more

[master hec0]

ok did more reseach so it would have to be trailed because i would be declaring this vehicle for parts since if i didn't i would have either a 1000 or 2000$ tax added because of its fuel economy and once i declared it parts vehicle the car automatically gets titled as a non-repairable vehicle.

[kunar]

tow the b2 with the explorer till youre within a few miles of the border. stop, unload and reload with the b2 towing the explorer to cross the border. after a successful border crossing, reverse procedure and tow b2 with explorer the remainder of the trip :D

[jdm_farmboy]

+1 to Kunar!

[Will]

This time it will be--Canadian Mounties VS. Import Violators.

http://www.orau.org/PTP/collection/Atomicposters/mounti4.jpg

[strvger]

another option: rent the smallest U-Haul or equivalent truck and also a tow dolly and pull it back with that. probably more expensive than a plane ticket to fly down, but at least it won't destroy your rbv!

good luck.

[feellnfroggy]

I didnt read all the posts, but the exploder tranny needs to be in neutral in the t-case. Otherwise you will have issues, Maybe even remove the drive shafts. (this is the route I would go). With this and a two wheels dolly you should be fine. Just be careful. You will havemore problems through wyoming than montana.

Almsot forgot some of uhauls bigger trucks will fit a exploder inside.

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

v8, automatic, 3/4 ton at LEAST. don't be on the news

[tanbuddy]

what gears u have?

[eclipse2001gt]

I know this thread is old but was wondering about towing a car 10 to 15 blocks with a 87 b2 with 1997 ford explorer leaf springs in back.

The car is a 01 eclipse GT with blown transmission in it.

[adsm08]

do it. I've towed heavier things farther with my 87.

[eclipse2001gt]

I just hope i can get a car dolly from u-haul and they won't ask to many questions.

[master hec0]

way to revive a old thread lol. i was looking and thinking damn that title looked fimiliar. but yeah towing it short distances shouldn't be a big deal.

I never did get that exploder because the guy decided not to get a new truck.

[eclipse2001gt]

I figure why open a new thread when it has been discus before and brought this thread back alive again.

At least you save some cash not going up there and getting that explorer. And having to deal with customs.

[gaz]

I have out of necessity chosen to tow a couple of things that I probably shouldn't have. I was moving to Orange County from the greater Seattle area and my wife's 86 Ranger (single cab, long bed I) gave up the fight just north of Bakersfield. We all jammed in the 87 Ranger, finished the trip and I went back the next day with a tow dolly. I didn't know not to use 5 gear (which later reared it's ugly head) but had no trouble maintaining highway speeds until the Grapevine. I did my best getting over that and then rolled the rest of the trip to Irvine without a hitch. I later had problems with 5 gear, which were directly contributed to this tow.

I tow a 750 lbs, over axle flat trailer routinely with the 87 BII with two, 500 pound ORV's loaded with tools and gear. Before I tried it I installed the big Explorer Radiator, dual James Duff shocks all around, ECU chip, and a fresh rebuild on the 2.9l with performance and specifically torque in mind (port/polished heads and intakes, delta cam, increased ratio rockers, rocker spacers, balanced debured and polished crank, balanced .03" over with MSD ignition, new injectors, rebuilt A4LD, with an extra large second tranny cooler and a larger main cooler and new torque converter). This was uneventful but I kept it at 2,500 RPM the whole time and still do. It doesn't get hotter than normal and transmission fliud burnt in minimal. I have since incorporated an Explorer 8.8" rear and D35 front and Explorer rear leaf packs. The stability alone from the wider axle is worth it but those axles are very solid feeling from the drivers seat feel. By the book it should be able to handle an extra 800 pounds if memory serves (the 8.8 and the Explorer springs). The BII was rated at towing 2750 or something incredibly low, so even with all the changes to the engine, transmission and suspension I do this at my own risk. I was able to make it from Seattle Wa to Medford Or and back without a hitch. Like I mentioned I don't use Overdrive and keep the engine RPM @ 2,500 to maximise the usable torque. The positive side was I managed 24 mpg and had no problems other than a couple of highwayers (who may have never towed anything before) wanting me to drive faster, occassionally.

Overall, I need a full sized diesel for my towing needs; until someone makes me buy one, I will continue to keep the RPM @ 2,500, keep the weight to a minimal and prudently tow with my BII and Ranger, sucking up the occasional transmission failure and subsiquent rebuild.

[necessaryevil]

ill chime in with my two cents, here is a pic of my tow set up:
http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac88/bigtalloger/truckandtrailer.jpg

the biggest thing ive towed is a '89 dodge caravan about 120 mi. at freeway speeds, with a bumper hitch and no trailer brakes. granted it is a five speed. but with a aftermarket tranny cooler and a tow dolly with brakes you might just make it

[TomB1269]

As some one may use this post to determine what they need to tow another auto.
Be advised, in some states the auto (regardless of condition) in tow must be registered if any of it's wheels are on the road. IE a dolly pulling an un-registered auto will get the same ticket as driving the unregistered Auto. (NJ law requires all 4 off the road - that is why I have had to have lowboy trailers come in to haul off E350 van/bus chassis). The trick, as long as you have no other issue, is slap a plate on it. The legal way is to obtain a temp non-resident tag from the state in which you are picking up the auto. Your insurance company will gladly fax an insurance bidder to the DMV. The time and cost to do it right can be much less then the fines. In NJ if you are stopped and can not produce a registration or insurance card at the time it is $250 each ($500 total) and that does not include fines for unregistered or un-insured, for which they will impound the Auto immediately.

[wildbill23c]

Ok, with all this towing info on here there should be something somewhere that states the actual towing capacity of the first generation b2's, but I can't find anything. I'm picking up a 1984 Ford Bronco 2 in November. It has the 2.8L V6, 4x4, and 5 speed transmission (which has me scratching my head as well since everything I find says 4 speed manual for 1984 models). Anyhow does anyone know where these towing specifications can be located? I've heard anything from 2500lbs - 5000lbs (with weight distribution). Can't remember what my 1984 Ford Ranger's towing capacity was but I know the B2's wouldn't be as much.

Thanks,
Bill

Here's the B2 I'm looking at: http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh548/mowerguy2012/5Ld5V15Je3I23o33H6c8i54ad61e26dbf122f.jpg

[wildbill23c]

ill chime in with my two cents, here is a pic of my tow set up:
http://i888.photobucket.com/albums/ac88/bigtalloger/truckandtrailer.jpg

the biggest thing ive towed is a '89 dodge caravan about 120 mi. at freeway speeds, with a bumper hitch and no trailer brakes. granted it is a five speed. but with a aftermarket tranny cooler and a tow dolly with brakes you might just make it

How does the tranny cooler on a manual transmission connect? Sounds like a good idea to install one but never heard of one on a manual transmission before.

[85_Ranger4x4]

How does the tranny cooler on a manual transmission connect? Sounds like a good idea to install one but never heard of one on a manual transmission before.

Maybe he swapped in a later 5 speed automatic? :icon_confused:

[wildbill23c]

Maybe he swapped in a later 5 speed automatic? :icon_confused:

LOL, who knows. I know there are manual transmission coolers out there but I don't see the need.