Ford Escape Towing Specs

On Sun, 18 Nov 2007 08:10:53 -0500, "SC Tom" <sc.TakeThisOut@tom.net> wrote:
>"Mike Schumann" <mike-nospam.TakeThisOut@traditions-nospam.com> wrote...

>> The 4 cylinder version of the Ford Escape is rated at 1,500 lbs towing
>> capacity. The 6 cylinder version is rated at 3,500 lbs.
>>
>> Are there any differences between these two versions other than the engine
>> that result in the different towing capacity? Is there any fundamental
>> reason that you can't tow 3,500 lbs with the 4 cylinder version if you are
>> in the Midwest with very flat terrain?
>
>In my '02 manual, the 4-cyl is rated at 1K lbs., the 6-cyl at 2K lbs., and
>the 6-cyl with towing package is rated at 3.5K lbs.
>I don't know what year yours is, but for '01 and '02 (at least), the 4 only
>came with manual and the 6 with auto transmissions. Therein might lie the
>difference- maybe the manual tranny behind a 4 cyl isn't as "beefy" as the 6
>cyl auto. Then there's the difference in torque generated.
>
>Without the towing package, I don't think I'd attempt 3.5K lbs. with my 6
>cyl.

Agreed - and even with the towing package I wouldn't go over 1,000
pounds without working electric or surge (preferably electric) trailer
brakes - you can always take your time to get it moving with the 4 and
a stick, but once it's moving you have to get stopped again, sometimes
in a hurry.

Trust me, a small car getting shoved around by a big trailer (or a
big car being shoved around by a huge trailer) is not a fun thing At
All. Been There, Done That, Have the T-shirt...

--<< Bruce >>--
 >> Stay informed about: Ford Escape Towing Specs 

"Bruce L. Bergman" <blnospambergman.DeleteThis@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message news:8dt0k3hl2ipi2ppjor5b58sp67n6c4id7v@4ax.com...

> Agreed - and even with the towing package I wouldn't go over 1,000
> pounds without working electric or surge (preferably electric) trailer
> brakes - you can always take your time to get it moving with the 4 and
> a stick, but once it's moving you have to get stopped again, sometimes
> in a hurry.
>
> Trust me, a small car getting shoved around by a big trailer (or a
> big car being shoved around by a huge trailer) is not a fun thing At
> All. Been There, Done That, Have the T-shirt...
>
> --<< Bruce >>--

I remember towing a full sized jet ski with my tiny three cylinder 54 horsepower
Geo Metro. Felt like I was pulling something massive but the little car did it without
any problems. I did need a little more time to stop & always allowed more room
with the vehicle in front of me. With the ski having 160 HP everybody stated that
my car should have been on the trailer & pulled by the jetski.

Now my Ranger with the 4.0 liter v-six can easily tow a double jetski or snowmobile
set with plenty of power to spare but I do miss the 50 mpg the geo dished out.
 >> Stay informed about: Ford Escape Towing Specs 

Shawn wrote:
> "Bruce L. Bergman" <blnospambergman RemoveThis @earthlink.invalid> wrote in message news:8dt0k3hl2ipi2ppjor5b58sp67n6c4id7v@4ax.com...
>
>> Agreed - and even with the towing package I wouldn't go over 1,000
>> pounds without working electric or surge (preferably electric) trailer
>> brakes - you can always take your time to get it moving with the 4 and
>> a stick, but once it's moving you have to get stopped again, sometimes
>> in a hurry.
>>
>> Trust me, a small car getting shoved around by a big trailer (or a
>> big car being shoved around by a huge trailer) is not a fun thing At
>> All. Been There, Done That, Have the T-shirt...
>>
>> --<< Bruce >>--
>
> I remember towing a full sized jet ski with my tiny three cylinder 54 horsepower
> Geo Metro. Felt like I was pulling something massive but the little car did it without
> any problems. I did need a little more time to stop & always allowed more room
> with the vehicle in front of me. With the ski having 160 HP everybody stated that
> my car should have been on the trailer & pulled by the jetski.
>
> Now my Ranger with the 4.0 liter v-six can easily tow a double jetski or snowmobile
> set with plenty of power to spare but I do miss the 50 mpg the geo dished out.
>
>

what you don't think 16mpg is suitable from a 4.0 v6 with half the power
and torque of a 4.6L v8 sporting 14mpg?

What ever would be wrong with that...
 >> Stay informed about: Ford Escape Towing Specs 

Anyone with thoughts on towing using an Escape Hybrid? I wouldn't be
towing more than a jetski or aluminum fishing boat.

Should I bother with a hitch? You think I will be sunk.



Mike Schumann wrote:
> The 4 cylinder version of the Ford Escape is rated at 1,500 lbs towing
> capacity. The 6 cylinder version is rated at 3,500 lbs.
>
> Are there any differences between these two versions other than the engine
> that result in the different towing capacity? Is there any fundamental
> reason that you can't tow 3,500 lbs with the 4 cylinder version if you are
> in the Midwest with very flat terrain?
>
 >> Stay informed about: Ford Escape Towing Specs 

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:47:10 GMT, "Just Me" wrote:
>Mike Schumann wrote:

>> The 4 cylinder version of the Ford Escape is rated at 1,500 lbs towing
>> capacity. The 6 cylinder version is rated at 3,500 lbs.
>>
>> Are there any differences between these two versions other than the engine
>> that result in the different towing capacity? Is there any fundamental
>> reason that you can't tow 3,500 lbs with the 4 cylinder version if you are
>> in the Midwest with very flat terrain?
>
>Anyone with thoughts on towing using an Escape Hybrid? I wouldn't be
>towing more than a jetski or aluminum fishing boat.
>
>Should I bother with a hitch? You think I will be sunk.

A car is a car, as long as you don't exceed the loading limits of
the powertrain and brakes the "hybrid" part really shouldn't make any
practical difference in how you do it - if it does, they haven't built
a proper car for "normal people" and it'll give you trouble simply
with a full passenger and cargo load.

Same towing rules: Make sure the hitch is bomb-proof, because it
really sucks to see a trailer passing you and realize it's /yours/...

Brakes on any trailer over 50% of towing capacity, always add an
automatic transmission cooler because they toast really easy.

For a hybrid, if there's a hydraulic component to the transmission
see if you can (or need to) add a cooler. Torque converters or other
fluid clutches/drives still generate heat when heavily loaded.

Might want to drop the engineers a line and see if there's anything
in the hybrid system you need to monitor the temperature of (because
the computer doesn't) just in case. I can see putting a temperature
sender and gauge on the main electric motor transistor bank heat
sinks, just in case the cooling fan quits or is overloaded.

The engineers would say what the maximum safe operating temperature
is - and even if the computer monitors it, you can see it getting
close to the limit and back off the throttle before the ECU notices
you have passed the limit and goes into 'blinkenlights' panic mode.

--<< Bruce >>--
 >> Stay informed about: Ford Escape Towing Specs 

On Nov 17, 6:23 pm, "Mike Schumann" <mike-nos...@traditions-
nospam.com> wrote:

> Are there any differences between these two versions other than the engine
> that result in the different towing capacity? Is there any fundamental
> reason that you can't tow 3,500 lbs with the 4 cylinder version if you are
> in the Midwest with very flat terrain?

Mike,

In most cases, being able to pull the weight, is of no consequence,
relative to being able to stop it, or control it if it begins to
fishtail or get a mind of its own.

On flat terrain, slow speeds, safe roads, no winding trails, you could
probably pull that much weight, but I think it is required to have
brakes on the trailer, no?

Not saying you should, but people often think that just because they
can get the tandem underway, that they can tow it safely.

Transmissions take the brunt of the towing, so pay attention there,
and brakes are the other more important facet.
 >> Stay informed about: Ford Escape Towing Specs 

Thanks.

Very thorough response.


Bruce L. Bergman wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:47:10 GMT, "Just Me" wrote:
>> Mike Schumann wrote:
>
>>> The 4 cylinder version of the Ford Escape is rated at 1,500 lbs towing
>>> capacity. The 6 cylinder version is rated at 3,500 lbs.
>>>
>>> Are there any differences between these two versions other than the engine
>>> that result in the different towing capacity? Is there any fundamental
>>> reason that you can't tow 3,500 lbs with the 4 cylinder version if you are
>>> in the Midwest with very flat terrain?
>> Anyone with thoughts on towing using an Escape Hybrid? I wouldn't be
>> towing more than a jetski or aluminum fishing boat.
>>
>> Should I bother with a hitch? You think I will be sunk.
>
> A car is a car, as long as you don't exceed the loading limits of
> the powertrain and brakes the "hybrid" part really shouldn't make any
> practical difference in how you do it - if it does, they haven't built
> a proper car for "normal people" and it'll give you trouble simply
> with a full passenger and cargo load.
>
> Same towing rules: Make sure the hitch is bomb-proof, because it
> really sucks to see a trailer passing you and realize it's /yours/...
>
> Brakes on any trailer over 50% of towing capacity, always add an
> automatic transmission cooler because they toast really easy.
>
> For a hybrid, if there's a hydraulic component to the transmission
> see if you can (or need to) add a cooler. Torque converters or other
> fluid clutches/drives still generate heat when heavily loaded.
>
> Might want to drop the engineers a line and see if there's anything
> in the hybrid system you need to monitor the temperature of (because
> the computer doesn't) just in case. I can see putting a temperature
> sender and gauge on the main electric motor transistor bank heat
> sinks, just in case the cooling fan quits or is overloaded.
>
> The engineers would say what the maximum safe operating temperature
> is - and even if the computer monitors it, you can see it getting
> close to the limit and back off the throttle before the ECU notices
> you have passed the limit and goes into 'blinkenlights' panic mode.
>
> --<< Bruce >>--
>
 >> Stay informed about: Ford Escape Towing Specs 

"Just Me (remove <nospam> to reply)" <2000-nospam-cam.DeleteThis@verizon.net> wrote:
> Anyone with thoughts on towing using an Escape Hybrid? I wouldn't be
> towing more than a jetski or aluminum fishing boat.

I have a class III hitch on my 2005 Ford Escape. I got mine before there
were hitches modified specifically for the Hybrid, but I think most now
have the notch to clear the battery coolant lines on the left rear frame
rail. The Ford hitch is class II, and fits up into the bumper, so it's a
little higher off the ground than mine. The Ford Accessory guide says it's
not available for the Hybrid, but I think I have read that it does fit.

The Hybrid does very well towing, but none of my trips have been over an
hour or so.

The eCVT in the hybrid is much more like a manual transmission than an
automatic in terms of overheating. There is no slippage of bands.

I routinely tow an old homebuilt trailer that I would estimate at about
1000 lbs, with no brakes. That tows fine, and stops fine.

The Escape Hybrid is not made of glass. You won't break it by towing an
aluminum fishing boat. You will be adding stress, but probably no more
than putting that same fishing boat upside down on the roof rack.

I don't think I'd set out across country with a camping trailer.

--
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5
 >> Stay informed about: Ford Escape Towing Specs