# TOWING CAPACITY



## San Dimas (Nov 15, 2013)

I'm thinking of buying a walk through boat. Whole package weighs about 2800lbs. My tow vehicle is a 2008 Ford Escape with V6 and trailer package. Do you think the car is capable or will I burn up the trans?


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## muskiemike12 (Nov 15, 2013)

Your towing capacity should be 3500#, you should be fine as long as you stay away from the mountains.


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## elkhornsun (Nov 15, 2013)

I would not do it. Towing capacity is in some ways the least relevant factor to consider. When I pull onto a highway or freeway I often have a merge distance of 200 feet or less and need to get from 25 MPH to a bare miinimum of 60 MPH in that distance. I also want to be able to stop the vehicle with the trailer in less than 200 feet when I am traveling at 55 MPH. Will your Escape be able to do that? I seriously doubt it. 

If all you do is drive on rural roads at moderate speeds then you are OK with the Escape. I knew someone who used a Volkswagen beetle to put his sailboat in the water but the boat when from the storage yard about 75 years to the boat ramp. For this the rear engine rear wheel drive bug was more than enough for the job. 

I bought a 1998 Tahoe and after towing a Whaler on a trailer with an overall weight that was less than half the maximum tow rating I found it took a country mile to bring the SUV and boat and trailer to a stop. I stopped towing the boat with the Tahoe on the freeway once I realized how long it took to bring everything to a full stop.


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## earl60446 (Nov 15, 2013)

"The base Escape's towing capacity is 1,500 pounds. V-6 versions can tow 2,000 pounds as equipped or 3,500 pounds with the addition of an optional Towing Package."

I would trust ford to know what their vehicles are capable of.

"25mph to 60mph in 200 ft" That sounds really fast, lamborgihni type fast.

I tow my boat with my RAV4, 4 banger, I keep it in D not OD and I am very comfortable doing it. My boat, motor, trailer = maybe 1500 lbs. I tow at a top speed of 65 mph and braking does not seem to be an issue.

Tim


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## TNtroller (Nov 15, 2013)

If you tow short distances, might be ok but you will probably have to increase your maintanence on the Escape, and it will probably pull it ok, but you still have to stop, and at times, stop quickly. Will the vehicle handle that weight pushing you from the rear.


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## muskiemike12 (Nov 18, 2013)

And that is why God created trailer brakes. :mrgreen:


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## SquiggyFreud (Nov 20, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=334551#p334551 said:


> earl60446 » 15 Nov 2013, 17:44[/url]"]"The base Escape's towing capacity is 1,500 pounds. V-6 versions can tow 2,000 pounds as equipped or 3,500 pounds with the addition of an optional Towing Package."
> 
> I would trust ford to know what their vehicles are capable of.
> 
> ...


I didnt know the old escapes had that much towing, I knew the 2014's with the new etec could pull 3500#
I have an 08 Rogue with a 1500# capacity, I put my boat and car on the CAT scales and the boat/trailer and motor weigh 1500 lbs on the button.
Car handles it just fine on the interstate.


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## nlester (Nov 22, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=334544#p334544 said:


> elkhornsun » 15 Nov 2013, 16:35[/url]"]I would not do it. Towing capacity is in some ways the least relevant factor to consider. When I pull onto a highway or freeway I often have a merge distance of 200 feet or less and need to get from 25 MPH to a bare miinimum of 60 MPH in that distance. I also want to be able to stop the vehicle with the trailer in less than 200 feet when I am traveling at 55 MPH. Will your Escape be able to do that? I seriously doubt it.
> 
> If all you do is drive on rural roads at moderate speeds then you are OK with the Escape. I knew someone who used a Volkswagen beetle to put his sailboat in the water but the boat when from the storage yard about 75 years to the boat ramp. For this the rear engine rear wheel drive bug was more than enough for the job.
> 
> I bought a 1998 Tahoe and after towing a Whaler on a trailer with an overall weight that was less than half the maximum tow rating I found it took a country mile to bring the SUV and boat and trailer to a stop. I stopped towing the boat with the Tahoe on the freeway once I realized how long it took to bring everything to a full stop.



I agree that towing capacity is not the only measure of safety in towing. I could tow my RV up the Rocky Mountains without slowing down with my Ford F150 5.7 V8 but stopping was an other matter and I had electric brakes on the trailer. Some times I felt that I needed to drag my feet to stop. It was only after I got my Toyota Tundra and a more sophisticated brake controller that I felt safe. The trailer was 2800 pounds dry. Almost anything will work until someone cuts in front of you and hits their brakes, then you need to make certain that you have allowed yourself room to stop.


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## bcbouy (Nov 23, 2013)

that #2800 will go up really quick when you start adding all the small stuff like coolers and gear and fishing buddies and all their gear and such.


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