Towing info. for Escape I need to get some opinions before I bend the body. It's a 2006 Escape LTD 4x4 with towing package, rated at 3500 lbs. My intended application is a very limited tow in terms of distance; my big concern is a boat ramp.
I will not be towing over the road, just from one side of a boat yard to another - it's one of those situations in which regular marina space is hard to come by but they have "trailer dry storage". I'll have to launch the boat, that is, push it down a ramp, and retrieve by pulling up the ramp - my main concern. The boat trailer combination is supposedly about 4200 to 4400 lbs.
Obviously, tht exceeds my "rating". I am wondering how much of a safety cushion is built into that rating. Since it is not for long distances and I doubt I'll exceed 5mph, overheating isn't an issue at all. But, my big concern is the loading of the power train and the stress on that unibody. Is the 800 extra lbs an issue, especially on a standard boat ramp? |