towing with a small suv?

[Michael Wood]

I am thinking about buying 2019 Ford Escape Titanium with 4 wheel drive. 

2.0L EcoBoost Class II Trailer Tow Package

max rating 3500 lbs

 

Would like to to tow my stratus 295 pro elite 19.6ft

Boat 1700 ibs

motor (Mercury EFI 150)= 500lbs

Trailer 2 wheels approx 750 lbs *(maybe less)

3 Batteries

Gas

 

My ramp is .5 miles from my house, but there is a hill to back down.

 

Seems like Im cutting close??? What do you think?

[MN Fisher]

22 minutes ago, Michael Wood said:

I am thinking about buying 2019 Ford Escape Titanium with 4 wheel drive. 

2.0L EcoBoost Class II Trailer Tow Package

max rating 3500 lbs

 

Seems like Im cutting close??? What do you think?

That's right on the edge, and the towing rating is mainly for level ground. You want some extra capacity if you're going to be backing that thing down a hill.

 

Does the Escape have an optional towing package? Tranny cooler is the main thing, extra heavy-duty brakes is the second thing. Might want to think about those options.

[Michael Wood]

Thank You! I am taking my rig to a truck stop and getting exact weight. The escape does have 4WD if that makes a difference.

 

Also thinking about getting rid of fiberglass boat and getting something like 17ft Alluminum Express bass boat that has aluminum trailer. I don't think it has brakes, but seems light enough.

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, Michael Wood said:

The escape does have 4WD if that makes a difference.

4WD means it's easier to get it going as all four tires are involved. The tranny cooler means your transmission won't overheat and the heavy-duty brakes means you can stop somewhat before a 1/2 mile.

 

I'd take one of two routes myself - more powerful tow vehicle, or the lighter boat.

[jbmaine]

This is the second year towing our Lund Fury XL with our ford Edge. I would not want to tow anything bigger with the Edge, or have a vehicle any smaller to tow the Lund.

[Michael Wood]

jbmaine   

 

Do you know your weight? Boat, Trailer, motor?

[Way2slow]

If the Edge has a low range for the 4WD, that would get you up the ramp ok.  Definitely would not be my choice of tow vehicles for a 295 Pro.  I think once you are committed to the vehicle, you will find it won't be long before you doing more than thinking about trading the 295 for a 17' aluminum.

'

Almost anything is possible, Back in 1966, for two years I towed a 14' glass boat and 65hp Merc, with a 1962 Carman Ghia.  The road was fairly level and the ramp was about five miles from the house but it was a fairly steep ramp.  Burned out two clutches in those two years just getting it up the ramp.  I that thing, it didn't take much more than an hour to change the clutch though.

How ever, today my wife has a Toyota Highlander with the factory towing package.  It's rated for over 5,000 pounds towing and no way under the sun would tow my 20' Javelin more than a short distance with it, I mean like maybe around the block.  I keep a 4WD Silverado 2500HD just for towing that boat and a 93 4WD Toyota Pickup for my daily driver. 

[slowworm]

2 hours ago, Michael Wood said:

I am thinking about buying 2019 Ford Escape Titanium with 4 wheel drive. 

2.0L EcoBoost Class II Trailer Tow Package

max rating 3500 lbs

 

Would like to to tow my stratus 295 pro elite 19.6ft

Boat 1700 ibs

motor (Mercury EFI 150)= 500lbs

Trailer 2 wheels approx 750 lbs *(maybe less)

3 Batteries

Gas

 

My ramp is .5 miles from my house, but there is a hill to back down.

 

Seems like Im cutting close??? What do you think?

So after lurking for ages I have something concrete I can contribute.  Yay for me!

 

In a word - don't do it.  You need something bigger, or a smaller boat.

 

I tow a Pro Team 175txw 60 HP with a 2014 Ford Escape with the factory tow package.  That package adds a tranny oil cooler and enables the electronic sway control.

 

The published package weight of my boat is about 2200lbs.  With gear and gas lets call it 2400 lbs.  This is nicely below the 3500lb tow limit, and to be honest the Escape tows that package quite nicely.  But you can certainly feel the weight behind you.  I liken the ride to driving my wife's little Toyota matrix with 4 adults in it. It will accelerate uphill, but you have to anticipate a bit.

 

Stopping is also fine.  But here's the catch.  In the Escape users manual you will find this:

 

Separate functioning brake systems are required for safe control of towed vehicles and trailers weighing more than 1500 pounds (680 kilograms) when loaded. 

 

Everybody misses that caveat.

 

I have surge brakes on my trailer.  And again I can feel the weight behind me, and again it's like driving the Matrix with 4 big adults in it.  Not an issue if you leave some thinking space and anticipate the stops.  If I really had to stand on the brakes I have confidence that it would stop readily enough, but that is kinda harsh on things.

 

Your boat is about 1000 lbs heavier than mine, give or take.  There is no way, even with surge brakes, that I would want to hitch that up to my Escape and go anywhere.  Without surge brakes it would not even be legal in my state.

 

And with that I say hello to Bass Resource ….

 

Slowworm.

 

[Michael Wood]

slowworm

 

Thank You!

[jbmaine]

2 hours ago, Michael Wood said:

jbmaine   

 

Do you know your weight? Boat, Trailer, motor?

Total weight-- around 2500 lb. 

[Further North]

3 hours ago, Michael Wood said:

I am thinking about buying 2019 Ford Escape Titanium with 4 wheel drive. 

2.0L EcoBoost Class II Trailer Tow Package

max rating 3500 lbs

 

Would like to to tow my stratus 295 pro elite 19.6ft

Boat 1700 ibs

motor (Mercury EFI 150)= 500lbs

Trailer 2 wheels approx 750 lbs *(maybe less)

3 Batteries

Gas

 

My ramp is .5 miles from my house, but there is a hill to back down.

 

Seems like Im cutting close??? What do you think?

 

Before we add gas, gear, batteries, etc...you're already pushing 3,000 pounds. 

 

Feels like you'd be cutting it close, and I towed with a 2014 Escape for three seasons.

 

3 hours ago, jbmaine said:

This is the second year towing our Lund Fury XL with our ford Edge. I would not want to tow anything bigger with the Edge, or have a vehicle any smaller to tow the Lund.

I towed my 18 1/2 ft. Crestliner for until last season with the Escape; it was fine.  My boat's a bit longer, wider and heavier than yours and the Escape had no problems with it, ever.  The edge is fine, also.  Lots of pretty ling trips here.

 

We did some vehicle swapping around last winter, and I'm now towing with a 2016 Edge Titanium.  We still own the Escape and it's been problem free, and is pushing 80K on the odometer.  It still does back-up duty as needed.

 

**************************

 

I'll drop this here: Our Edge has the 3.5 L V-6...I like the 2.0 L EcoBoost 4 cyl. better, for towing.

 

The V-6 has 280 HP, 250 ft./lbs. torque.

The 4 cyl. has 240 HP (10 less) and 270 ft./lbs. torque (20 more).  That's a lot, and it makes a difference.

 

They did a re-design of the 2.0 EcoBoost engine, I think in 2015, and bumped it up to 245 HP and 275 ft./lb. torque.  Even more better.

 

The built in anti-sway in Ford's tow packages for the Escape and Edge is really good.  Our has only activated once (deer in the road), and it gets the job done, right now.

Edited July 29, 2019 by Further North
Quia volui illam mutandi, non adipis anserini inepta!

[Ray K]

Maybe I can add something constructive here.  I've towed my last two boats with a 2014 Escape Titanium 2WD with the 2.0 EcoBoost engine and currently a 2018 Titanium 2.0 EcoBoost with 4WD.  First boat was a Nitro Z7 Sport and now my current Z7 Tournament boat.  Both weighed about 3200 loaded.  I've been totally happy with the Escape as a tow vehicle.  Power is plenty sufficient and mileage when not towing is close to 30 MPG on the highway.  I don't feel that the boat held the Escape back in any way but, would have preferred that the trailers have surge brakes which neither has.  But, the braking feels very adequate.  I do agree that this rig is approaching the maximum rating of 3500 lbs for the factory towing package but I feel very safe trailering all over the state with it.  The longest trip I've made was almost 600 miles from Guntersville, Alabama where I bought the Z7 Sport about 3 years ago back to Orlando.  I put over 76000 miles on the 2014 Escape and never had a warranty issue except for a radio problem.

[Johnbt]

"Separate functioning brake systems are required for safe control of towed vehicles and trailers weighing more than 1500 pounds (680 kilograms) when loaded. 

 

Everybody misses that caveat."

 

I think most if not all manufacturers misstate the towing capacity. I have a 4Runner and what they advertise isn't precisely what's in the owner's manual.

 

Edited to add: Even this Carmax ad lists 2 different towing capacities. Looks like they read the manual about braked and unbraked limits.

 

www.carmax.com/research/toyota/4runner/2015/features-specs

 

"Towing Capacity (Max.)  1655/4700 lbs."

[Johnbt]

Things changed with the introduction of SAE J2807 and the agreement by the manufacturers to use the specific standards it lists for starting, stopping, grade, etc. The makers can no longer get away with rating their trucks based on a work truck that comes with the bumper deleted, the spare deleted and all that game playing. It adds a passenger and the weight of the hitch and such, too.

 

http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/towing/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard

 

Most if not all vehicles sold with 5000 pound capacity listings can't meet the braking standards of J2807 without having brakes on the trailer. I mostly read the parts about 5000 pound capacity because that's what my '16 4Runner has - supposedly - until I read the manual.

 

Fwiw, back in the day, my buddy fished regional tournaments and worked with Shimano, etc., and there was a regular who towed his bass boat all over behind a Corvette. I know it can be done, but should it be done? 

[Further North]

19 hours ago, Ray K said:

Maybe I can add something constructive here.  I've towed my last two boats with a 2014 Escape Titanium 2WD with the 2.0 EcoBoost engine and currently a 2018 Titanium 2.0 EcoBoost with 4WD.  First boat was a Nitro Z7 Sport and now my current Z7 Tournament boat.  Both weighed about 3200 loaded.  I've been totally happy with the Escape as a tow vehicle.  Power is plenty sufficient and mileage when not towing is close to 30 MPG on the highway.  I don't feel that the boat held the Escape back in any way but, would have preferred that the trailers have surge brakes which neither has.  But, the braking feels very adequate.  I do agree that this rig is approaching the maximum rating of 3500 lbs for the factory towing package but I feel very safe trailering all over the state with it.  The longest trip I've made was almost 600 miles from Guntersville, Alabama where I bought the Z7 Sport about 3 years ago back to Orlando.  I put over 76000 miles on the 2014 Escape and never had a warranty issue except for a radio problem.

Great experience to share, and mirrors mine 100%.

 

It seems like soe folks are stuck 20+ years ago in terms of technology and current capabilities.

6 hours ago, Johnbt said:

Fwiw, back in the day, my buddy fished regional tournaments and worked with Shimano, etc., and there was a regular who towed his bass boat all over behind a Corvette. I know it can be done, but should it be done? 

There's a whole bunch of, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." metaphors there...

 

...but depending on what year the Corvette was...there were some seriously weak years out there...I lived through 'em...made me ill...

[boostr]

@Micheal Wood Maybe look into a F150 Super Crew with an 2.7 Ecoboost with tow package. I have F150 Scab with the same motor and it pulls my Stratos 176XT like it's not even there. 

[A-Jay]

 

Been Very happy with the towing capabilities of this one.

 

 

A-Jay