Trailering my new 190 Sport - Should I upgrade tow bar?

You could always go custom. But that will cost you a pretty penny too. I built the one for my motorhome and one for my 79 Cadillac. Nobody makes them for the car anymore. The motorhome was custom because of the 2 holding tanks. Also Coachman extended the frame with a thin walled piece of square stock for the bumper. Had no design for a hitch. So I replaced the square stock with 5" C channel 5/16 thick welded to the factory frame bolted with 1" grade 8 bolts (4 per side) then welded to the frame front and back. Add a C notch for body mount bolts and good to go. The actual reciever straddles the tanks from below and attach to the frame with a 3 foot spread for weight distribution. This is thinking ahead for the future use towing an enclosed car hauler and also the boats. Plans are to build a custom trailer for my 240 so I can run the equalizer bars like I do with the camper. This is because the motorhome has a long space between the hitch and rear axle. This would give the boat an advantage over the motorhome. Add the bars and stability returns.
As for how it fells, you won't know if something is wrong until failure. And that can be a catastrophic one. Another option is you can "beef up" the existing hitch. But even there the hitch draw bar has its limits that cannot be added to.
The next time you trade up concider the fact you may one day get a bigger boat and need a bigger truck. And a bigger hitch. I still say I would stick with what you got. But you and I know you are at the absolute end of the ability to tow with that settup.
 
if you are at all handy, I would look online (amazon even has them), and buy a hitch and install yourself. My expedition came with a class III, but when I decided to use my camry to tow the jetski to FL the last 2 years (27 mpg vs 12 mpg), i bought a class III hitch from etrailer.com (funny that they make a class III for a camry, i wouldn't tow more than 1000lbs with it :wink: , but it was the same price for all the hitches they had for it). anyway, most of the newer cars are already predrilled (or in my case, pre-tapped), so it was a very easy install. Even the wiring harness was plug and play, no cutting.
 
The next time you trade up concider the fact you may one day get a bigger boat and need a bigger truck. And a bigger hitch. I still say I would stick with what you got. But you and I know you are at the absolute end of the ability to tow with that settup.

Thanks jitts, I really appreciate the good feedback!

The reason I went with what I did, and did not even consider a slightly larger boat, was due to our truck. We bought it new in Jan of 2011, and it will be paid off before the end of this year. My wife absolutely loves her truck, and we intend to keep it for a while, as it still has low mileage. I was comfortable this truck will be able to handle the 190, based on my experience with this old 180 we have been hauling. That darn thing is probably so water logged, no telling how much it weighs LOL.

I mentioned earlier in the thread though, the dang owners manual I downloaded for the 190 Sport - it lists a dry weight of 5593 lbs! Surely to goodness that has to be a type, when the spec sheet lists it at 2600 lbs! Even loaded on trailer, it shows 3600 lbs ( read that somewhere can't remember where).
 
You talked about keeping it in a slip. You can minimize time in tow by storing your rig on a lot near the lake or river or whatever. The original weight numbers were accurate so to stay within a safe weight you might have to haul without passengers and cargo.


For now save the money and don't drive 80mph with it and you can do it safely. Its up to you to be aware of handling characteristics for your vehicle at max load. You might be able to change your vehicle situation in time replacing the hitch doesn't make sense. Do you plan to keep your truck more than a year? Then maybe invest in it. Otherwise pay attention to your actual weight.
 
Yes I think I mentioned, we bought the truck new in Jan of 2010 and it will be paid off before the end of this year - and my wife loves her truck. We will hold onto it for a few more years.

Thanks,
 
I also have the 190 Sport, as I have a Chevy Traverse and it has a max of 5200 pounds I was concerned about the weight. From everything I can tell the boat is 2600 plus another 200 if you got the 4.3 and I figure about 1000 for the trailer. Just adding gas and regular stuff that sits in the boat, anchor etc I knew I was over 4000 with it. I know the spec you are talking about with the 5300 pounds, I am pretty sure that is a typo. The traverse handles the boat pretty well, but it is also a pretty heavy vehicle. Going around corners it wants to pull me if I let it, but stopping is no issue with the surge breaks.
 
Thanks for the feedback Jeff, have talked with the wife as well , I think we are going to bite the bullet and upgrade to class III for that safety margin.
 
I should add, it is a class III hitch and I bought it with the towing package. I wouldn't tow it without the package.
 
Yes, it's definitely a typo. I don't have my book in front of me right now, but I know the "wet" weight is somewhere in that low to mid 4,000lb range as I've figured this out many times for customers.

I saw you had a 2010 but I wasn't sure about the differences between different Explorer models. Curt is a good company and it might be worth a phone call to talk to them. Reese and Putnam are some other manufacturers. If you had to, I'd go along with Jitts and the idea of having one made/adapted. But you really need to do your homework on who does the work. A cold weld in the wrong place will ruin the day awful fast.
 
You can always weigh it. Your in Nashville TN. Take it to the TA truckstop. CAT scale is what we use there. Big yellow sign next to the diesel island. Explain to the people inside what you want to do as the drive thru style speaker is set for tractor trailer height. Weigh the truck and trailer together. Weigh again with just the boat trailer on the scale. Then 3rd weigh with just the truck. You now know what the whole thing weighs. Take the weight of the truck only and subtract. That's the actual trailer gross weight. Now take the trailer gross and subtract the trailer axle only weight. You now have tongue weight. All for about $12.00.
 
My father did similar. Mom wanted a bigger car. They used to have a Ford f150. Then got a Suburban. But when Dad sold the boat. JItts. He sold me the Suburban and downsized to a pair of cars. Later in years Dad got into Remote Control planes. So he needed bigger vehicles. But he is a bit of a chissler. So he was forced by Mom to get a Ford Escape. When the lease was up they upgraded to a Ford Edge. They got the tow package for the possibility they may tow Dad's Gold Wing on a trailer one day. The Edge was a lease as well.
They wanted to get a boat and so they talked themselves into an early retirement gift to themselves and got JITTS II. (The letters all have our names in it) JIm Toni Tanya Steven.
Dad refused to take my advice e and just go big with a Suburban again or equivalant. He was worried about the gas. FYI his Edge towing the boat got the same MAG as my F-250 towing the same boat. 10 MPG. He didn't want to buy so much gas he said. Like I said. A chissler. So they buy an 18 ft. Alumacraft. Light weight so the puny Edge can tow it.
The Original JITTS was an 18 ft as well. But was fiberglass and heavy. Underpowered with a OMC 130. (That's how I learned OMC). Now they live in NJ. The fiberglass boat was sleady. The Aluminum boat is light and wide with an 8 foot beam. The Raritan bay tosses that this around like a tinker toy. And the lake in Pennsylvania is 100 miles away. Not a short drive. Mom gets sick on the boat now. She prefers the lake. And the long drive discourages the trip.
Now they are retired. They bought a new Ford Expedition and a new travel trailer. Mom still refuses to go i the boat in the bay. Dad doesn't want to make the long trip. The boat hasn't seen the water since I last took her out 3 or 4 years ago. To be fair Dad has hand issues. But also has Mom, myself, and my children to help him.
Long story short, he has the wrong boat because he was too cheap to buy a decent tow vehicle. Now he's stuck with the wrong boat and a wife who is spooked off of it.
 
Yes, it's definitely a typo. I don't have my book in front of me right now, but I know the "wet" weight is somewhere in that low to mid 4,000lb range as I've figured this out many times for customers.

I saw you had a 2010 but I wasn't sure about the differences between different Explorer models. Curt is a good company and it might be worth a phone call to talk to them. Reese and Putnam are some other manufacturers. If you had to, I'd go along with Jitts and the idea of having one made/adapted. But you really need to do your homework on who does the work. A cold weld in the wrong place will ruin the day awful fast.

Many thanks for the info, I think at this point while it is pricey, I may be most comfortable with it being a Ford replacement. Going to have the boat for a the next few years, and the truck, so might as well make the investment in it so hopefully it will be right.
 
Thanks jitts, neat story on how the name came about. By the way, I too used to do RC planes years ago, and my car currently is a 2011 Edge. ( we bought the 2010 Sport Trac, and the 2011 Edge, on the same day - both brand new lol).

Good tip on getting the package weighed, I may do just that - although I will probably already have the Class III installed by the time I pick the boat up. Ford dealer has to order the part, but said can probably have it in 2-3 days.

This truck, is my wife's pride and joy, I mean she loves her truck LOL. When I explained her the situation and that I was thinking we could probably be fine with what we have, she was like- no way, we have made the investment now let's get the proper tow package on this truck for that boat.
 
I grew very distant from my father. But on that boat fishing we were good friends. I will always remember the old thing. I took JITTS3 as a screen name, but couldn't name my own that. That was my parents. Now it's time for me to be the Dad and take my sons out.
But one thing I learned is always look ahead. You may never desire to go bigger, until.....
 
I grew very distant from my father. But on that boat fishing we were good friends. I will always remember the old thing. I took JITTS3 as a screen name, but couldn't name my own that. That was my parents. Now it's time for me to be the Dad and take my sons out.
But one thing I learned is always look ahead. You may never desire to go bigger, until.....

Yeah, I know what you mean. Now we are at the stage in our lives, we take the grandkids out and watch them have fun. The transition from son to Dad was a big one, and likewise the transition from Dad to Grandparent is big as well...

We though are very blessed at this stage of our lives, have wonderful children and grandchildren, and with the boat a great way to spend a fun day whether it is just with my wife ( which it mostly is ), or taking the grandkids tubing.
 
You will have much more piece of mind if you do.

MM

Agreed, going to call the Ford dealership in the morning and have them order it and get it scheduled.

Many thanks to everyone, for the great feedback in this thread, it was very helpful - you guys are great!
 
I would not give up trying to get a better price. Does the dealer have any specials or coupons? Mine does. Search online for the Ford part and either order it from them or use the pricing to get he dealer to do a better price. Case in point: seal on my sunroof required the entire glass panel to be replaced. Part $950, found online for $350, dealer let me have it for $450. So don't give in just yet.

Go to the towing section of the forum and ask if anyone knows how to get the part at a better price, you have time until spring.

MM
 
Thanks MM,

I have searched so much about blue in the face, found a forum where others were griping about this same thing, Ford apparently making it so difficult to replace the factory Class II package, with a Class III. Apparently a very big job to do, and stuck with having to use a Ford part. Another guy bit the bullet and did the same with his, cost him 1500 bucks, and like me the heck of it was just needed room for another 400-500 lbs... but that peace of mind thing though.

I have not been able to find any parts anywhere else to do this.
I have seen where guys have gone to local garages to try to get them to do a custom, and some turn them away as they do not want the liability.

I am looking at this for long term - long term for the truck, and the boat. 1300 bucks to get me that comfort for the next several years, I think I can live with.

Thanks again,
 

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