Can a Trailer Hitch Rated for 500 lbs Tongue Weight Safely Haul a 456 lb 2003 V Strom 1000

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Question:

Hi, I have a Ford Explorer Sport Trac with a Class III hitch 500 lb tongue rating, and I want to haul a 2003 V Strom 1000 with a Heavy-Duty Steel Motorcycle Carrier. The V Strom dry weight is 456 lbs and the wheel base at 60 inches. Can you make a recommendation or should I opt for something else? Thanks,

asked by: Jim C

0

Expert Reply:

If the owner's manual for your 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac states that you have a 500 lb tongue weight rating then you will easily be able to tow a 456 lb bike, like the 2003 V Strom 1000, on a motorcycle trailer. If you are talking about a motorcycle carrier like the etrailer # e98873 then you will likely be exceeding your tongue weight and I do not recommend going that route.

Tongue Weight (TW) refers to the downward force that the coupler of a trailer (or a bike rack or cargo carrier) puts on the trailer hitch. Typically a trailer hitch has a TW rating that is about 10% of the actual Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) rating of the trailer hitch so that means you could pull up to 5,000 lbs.

Keep in mind that although your trailer hitch may have a TW rating of 500 lbs, your Sport Trac could be rated for a lower TW. In that case you would be limited to the TW rating of your Sport Trac. I looked up an online version of the owner's manual for a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac and found a few different tow weight ratings listed. I recommend checking your owner's manual with the specs for your Sport Trac to determine how much weight you can safely tow.

I have attached a few helpful articles that you may also want to check out. One of them talks about using a TW scale, like part # e99044, to help you determine how much TW you have on your trailer.

expert reply by: Jon G

0

Randy

4/9/2024

My 2022 Silverado manual says hitch weight is 567 lbs what is the maximum travel trailer weight I can haul?

Reply

Jon G.

4/9/2024

@Randy Usually the listed tongue weight rating is 10% the weight of the trailer so I would guess you're looking at up to a 5,670 lb trailer, but that should be listed right next to the tongue (hitch) weight rating you found in your manual so I recommend referring back to your manual for this one.

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Answer 1

I think you'll need to go up a level in weight rating for your 5,000 lb GVWR Airstream travel trailer. The reason being the Reese Pro Round Bar Weight Distribution #RE34FR is for loaded tongue weights between 200 lbs and 600 lbs. I assume the…

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Answer 2

The Reese #RE94FR only requires a ball with a 1-1/4" diameter shank and the capacity to match the system. Although there are no specific balls from Reese, you can use the Curt #A-90 as a replacement for the 2-5/16" ball you have…

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Answer 3

Using a suspension enhancement system like the AirLift 1000 Air Helper Springs, part #AL60732 will not increase the load-carrying or tongue weight capacity of your 2015 Sienna. These are designed to help cushion heavy loads and help keep the…

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Answer 4

To measure for safety chains you will want to have the trailer hooked up to your tow vehicle with it just about jack knifed as this is the furthest the safety chains will be stretched. You will measure from one side of the tongue where you will be…

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Answer 5

They rate the tongue weight on hitches based on how the vehicle would most likely be used. So the hitch you have that has a 500 lb tongue weight rating is designed to handle exactly 500 lbs when used in normal towing situations. So long story short,…

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Answer 6

Due to the heavy duty nature of the lunette style pintle setups there isn't a bushing available for the rings. The sway you are experiencing is most likely due to improper trailer loading. If you move as much of the weight of your cargo forward…

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Answer 7

A 4-Way trailer connector has the basic lighting functions only; running lights, left turn signal and brake lights, right turn signal and brake lights, and ground. A 7-Way has these functions and a 12 volt circuit, a circuit for electric trailer…

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Answer 8

The ground circuit of trailer wiring does often times run straight to the frame of the trailer. This makes for easier ground wiring of all the circuits that are on the trailer wiring. Instead of having to route every ground wire back to the trailer…

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Answer 9

I went out to the warehouse and pulled the Waterproof, Under 80 inch LED Trailer Light Kit, item #TLL9RK, to see exactly what Optronics means by waterproof. Upon initial inspection the housing itself is not water tight. Water can access the housing…

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Answer 10

The EcoHitch Hidden Trailer Hitch Receiver #EH68VR rating of 600lbs maximum tongue weight is the maximum weight the receiver is capable to support. It will not increase the factory rating for your 2021 Mazda CX-5. According to your owners manual the…

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Answer 11

You can wire a license plate light like part #LPL55CB without running wiring up to the front of the trailer. You simply attach the white wire with the ring terminal to a clean, bare metal surface like the trailer frame, and then attach the black wire…

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Answer 12

You are correct that Shelby is no longer in business, so there are no longer direct replacement parts, though we do have jacks which make for terrific replacements for yours. The best option for this is the Fulton Round, Snap-Ring Swivel Marine Jack…

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Can a Trailer Hitch Rated for 500 lbs Tongue Weight Safely Haul a 456 lb 2003 V Strom 1000

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