02 b3000 tow an explorer?

[this user name may change]

so my mom gave me her 02 and while i was up here visiting, well now i need to take 2 vehicles home and i cant just drive 1.)the explorer. (no plates, registration, or anything, other than a bill of sale for the wrong state) so i need to tow it out, i found a hitch for 2.)the 02 mazda, but i want to know do you think the 02 b3000 4x4 5sp will do ok towing the explorer on a dolly or not?....... if so my 88 has a a 4.0 engine for when the 2.9 dies again (hopes it wont)

specs:
2002 mazda b3000 4x4 3.0l 5sp. ext. cab.
1998 explorer sport 4.0l sohc auto .

 

[martin]

I have no doubt it would tow it but I would not like to try stopping it. Find someone with a full size and rent a trailer with brakes.

 

[Captain Ledd]

I towed this across the lower peninsula of Michigan 180 miles or so. We put the hood back on, packed the bed of the Ranger flat, packed the bed of the J10 full of parts and stuffed even more into the cab of the J10, my friend rode back with me.

It's doable, I'd do it at night like we did. Take your time and don't drive fast, piss everyone off behind you if you need to, they'll have their chance to pass. You've got an extended cab, so you'll have a bit longer wheelbase for stability. Just take it slow.

By the way, mine's a 4 cylinder, and that's with the old axle with 3.73 gears. I now have a 2500 GMC, for similar occasions as this one.

 

[brokemechanic3000]

It will tow it just fine as long as you take it easy and plan your stops/starts.

 

[jamie4ltr]

I can't believe none of you asked this guy his gear ratio!
If you got 3.27 gears in that 3.0Ltr, I wouldn't try towing anything with it, you're just going to burn up your clutch. If it's 3.73 or 4.10 gears it should struggle through it. Take your time and don't push it.

 

[this user name may change]

hmmmm ok well let me go look for the ratio

 

[this user name may change]

axle code 97, here, according to this its an 8.8 with 4.10

 

[Earl43P]

I towed a 99 Explorer with a dolly over 300 miles from NJ to NC using my 2000 3.0 4wd MO5D. It has 4.10s and smaller than stock tires (235/75-15).

It did fine but braking requires planning. Leave yourself plenty of room!
If you are climbing mountains and hills (Colorado) you will use a lot of 3rd gear. RPMs will be your friend. I recommend absolutely forgetting about 5th gear even being there, even downhill. I used a lot of engine braking, anticipated traffic lights by continuing to roll slowly toward red lights waiting for the green. That way you use less clutch.

About the clutch, I pulled out at just over idle, got the clutch fully engaged, THEN lightly accelerated. You can burn through a clutch pretty quick if you don't baby it at low rpms when pulling out. I would basically get it to start to roll by feathering the clutch out (idle+), then let the rpms die down to idle and ease it fully out to match the rolling speed. You'll get the knack pretty quick if you concentrate on using just enough engine speed to get rolling, then ease it the rest of the way out. I would droop the rpms such that the oil gage would flicker on occasion, yes that low when pulling out from a stop.

Try to stay in the engine powerband and forget about getting any gas mileage. Mine will pull well from 2800 up. It hits a good power point at about 3400 and can run between those rpms all day long. That is what I recommend, having done what you propose.

If you find that yours has 3.73s, you may need to bump it up to 3000 from 2800 to get it pull well. Tire size will matter too.


IMPORTANT!!! Remove the rear drive shaft from the Explorer after putting it on the dolly.
Otherwise you WILL burn up the automatic transmission. Period, end of story. WILL BURN IT UP.

 

[this user name may change]

i have 215's on it

 

[this user name may change]

so spite my efforrts the exploder didnt come home with me but i parked it at a friends house so next time i will come prepared....