weight FORD EXPLORER 1997 2.G Owners Manual

Built-in child seat (if equipped)
The rear seat may be equipped
with a built-in child safety seat.
This child seat conforms to all
federal and Canadian motor vehicle
safety standards. Read the labels
located on the child seat cushion
and shoulder belt for more
information on the built-in child
seat.
Use the built-in child seatonly
under the following conditions:
Child's age Child's weight Child's height
At least one year 10-27 kg (22-60 lb)Shoulders must be
below the shoulder
harness slots on the
built-in seat.
Children not meeting these
requirements should be secured in
an approved aftermarket seat.
Refer toChildren and infant or
child safety seatsin this chapter.
Placing your child in the built-in
child seat
Failure to follow all of the
instructions on the use of
this child restraint system can
result in your child striking the
vehicle's interior during a sudden
stop or crash.
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102

Utility and four-wheel
drive vehicles are NOT
designed for cornering at speeds
as high as passenger cars any
more than low-slung sports cars
are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road
conditions. Avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers in these
vehicles.
LOADING YOUR VEHICLE
Before loading your vehicle,
familiarize yourself with these
terms:
²Base curb weight ÐWeight of
the vehicle including any
standard equipment, fluids,
lubricants, etc. It does not
include passengers or
aftermarket equipment.
²Payload ÐCombined
maximum allowable weight of
passengers, cargo and optional
equipment.
²GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
ÐBase curb weight plus the
payload weight. The GVW is not
a limit or a specification.
²GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) ÐMaximum total
weight of the base vehicle,
passengers, optional equipment
and cargo. The GVWR is specific
to each vehicle and is listed on
the Safety Compliance
Certification Label on the
driver's door pillar.
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²GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating) ÐCarrying capacity
for each axle system (front and
rear). The GAWR is specific to
each vehicle and is listed on the
Safety Compliance Certification
Label on the driver door pillar.
²GCW (Gross Combined
Weight) ÐThe GCW is the
maximum combined weight of
the towing vehicle (including
passengers and cargo) and the
loaded trailer. The GCW is
specified by the manufacturer to
indicate the combined maximum
loaded weight that the vehicle is
designed to tow.
Payload = GVWR minus Base
curb weight
To obtain the correct weights for
your vehicle, try taking your
vehicle to a shipping company or
an inspection station for trucks.
Do not use replacement tires with
lower weight capacities than the
originals because they might lower
the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR.
(Replacement tires with a higher
weight limit than the originals do
not increase the GVWR or the
GAWR limitations.)
In high altitudes, engines will lose
power at a rate of 3% power per
300 m (1000 ft) increase in
elevation. A reduction in GVW and
GCW is recommended for
maximum vehicle performance.
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136

Do not exceed the GVWR
or the GAWR specified on
the Safety Compliance
Certification Label.
It is extremely dangerous
to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In
a collision, people riding in these
areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area
of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your
vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
Driving with a heavy load
The total vehicle weight plus the
total weight of passengers and
cargo should never exceed the
GVWR.
The weight that the vehicle carries
over the front and rear axles
should never exceed the GVWR for
the respective axle.
The weight limits of your vehicle's
tires affect the GVWR or GAWR
limitations. Using tires with higher
weight limits than the original tires
will not increase the GVWR or
GAWR of your vehicle; using tires
with lower weight limits may lower
the GVWR or GAWR of your
vehicle.
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Driving
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Do not exceed the maximum loads
listed on the Safety Compliance
Certification label. For load
specification terms found on the
label, refer toLoading your
vehiclein this chapter. Remember
to figure in the tongue load of your
loaded vehicle when figuring the
total weight.
Preparing to tow
Use the proper equipment for
towing a trailer and make sure that
it is properly attached to your
vehicle. See your dealer or a
reliable trailer retailer if you
require assistance.
Auxiliary coolers are recommended
for the power steering system and
automatic transmission system if
you are planning on:
²towing farther than 80 km (50
miles)
²towing in hilly terrain
²towing frequently
Trailer towing tables
TRAILER TOWING TABLE 4X2 MANUAL TRANSMISSION
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights
Engine
(EFI)Rear Axle
RatioMaximum
GCWR
Kg(Lb)Trailer Weight
Range Kg(lb)
(0-Maximum)Maximum
Frontal Area of
Trailer Ft
2
2-DOOR
4.0 L 3.272,721
(6,000)0-907
(0-2,000)50
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TRAILER TOWING TABLE 4X2 MANUAL TRANSMISSION
4.0 L 3.733,175
(7,000)0-1,406
(0-3,100)50
4-DOOR
4.0 L 3.27 2,721(6,000)0-861
(0-1,900 )50
4.0 L 3.73 3,175(7,000)0-1,315
(0-2,900)50
TRAILER TOWING TABLE 4X4 MANUAL TRANSMISSION
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights
2-DOOR
4.0 L3.27 2,721
(6,000)0-816
(0-1,800)50
4.0 L3.55 2,948
(6,500)0-1,043
(0-2,300)50
4.0 L3.73 3,175
(7,000)0-1,270
(0-2,800)50
4-DOOR
4.0 L 3.552,948
(6,500)0-952
(0-2,100)50
4.0 L 3.733,175
(7,000)0-1,179
(0-2,600)50
NOTES:
- For high altitude operation, reduce GCW by 2% per 300 meters
(1,000 ft) elevation.
- For definitions of terms used in this table and instructions on how to
calculate your vehicle load, refer toLoading your vehiclein this
chapter.
- Maximum trailer weights shown. The combined weight of the
completed towing vehicle and the loaded trailer must not exceed the
GCWR.
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TRAILER TOWING TABLE 4X2 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights
Engine
(EFI)Rear Axle
RatioMaximum
GCWR
Kg(Lb)Trailer Weight
Range Kg(Lb)
0-MaximumMaximum
Frontal Area of
Trailer Ft
2
2-DOOR
4.0 L3.27 3,175
(7,000)0-1,360
(0-3,000)50
4.0 L3.55 3,628
(8,000)0-1,814
(0-4,000)50
4.0 L3.73 4,082
(9,000)0-2,267
(0-5,000)50
4-DOOR
4.0 L 3.554,082
(9,000)0-2,177
(0-4800)50
4.0 L 3.734,535
(10,000)0-2,630
(0-5,800)50
4.0 L 4.104,535
(10,000)0-2,630
(0-5,800)50
5.0 L 3.734,990
(11,080)0-3,039
(0-6,700)50
TRAILER TOWING TABLE 4X4 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights
2-DOOR
4.0 L3.27 3,175
(7,000)0-1,270
(0-2,800)50
4.0 L3.55 3,628
(8,000)0-1,723
(0-3,800)50
4.0 L3.73 4,082
(9,000)0-2,177
(0-4,800)50
4-DOOR
4.0 L 3.554,082
(9,000)0-2,086
(0-4,600)50
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TRAILER TOWING TABLE 4X4 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
4.0 L 3.734,535
(10,000)0-2,540
(0-5,600)50
4.0 L 4.104,535
(10,000)0-2,540
(0-5,600)50
TRAILER TOWING TABLE AWD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights
4-DOOR
5.0 L 3.734,990
(11,000)0-2,902
(0-6,400)50
NOTES:
- For high altitude operation, reduce GCW by 2% per 300 meters
(1,000 ft) elevation.
- For definition of terms and instructions on calculating your vehicle's
load, refer toLoading your vehiclein this chapter.
- Maximum trailer weights shown. The combined weight of the
completed towing vehicle and the loaded trailer must not exceed the
GCWR.
Calculating trailer loads
To determine the amount of weight
that your vehicle can carry:
²Obtain ratings from the Safety
Compliance Certification label
and the trailer towing
specifications in this chapter.
²Weigh your vehicle as you
customarily operate the vehicle
without cargo.
²Subtract the total weight of
passengers, driver and optional
equipment to determine the
total weight that your vehicle
can carry.
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Trailer weight range
The range is between zero and the
maximum trailer weight rating
found in this chapter.
Using trailer brakes
Use electric brakes or manual,
automatic or surge type hydraulic
brakes that meet Federal and local
regulations. Install and adjust
brakes according to the
manufacturer's instructions.
Do not connect a trailer's
hydraulic brake system
directly to your vehicle's brake
system. Your vehicle may not
have enough braking power and
your chances of having a
collision greatly increase.
Using safety chains
Always connect the trailer's safety
chains to the vehicle. To connect
the chains, cross the chains under
the trailer tongue and attach to the
vehicle frame or hook retainers
(not the bumper). Make sure there
is enough slack to allow the vehicle
to turn corners.
Using trailer lamps
See your local trailer retailer or
rental agency for proper
instructions and equipment for
hooking up trailer lamps.
Do not hook the trailer lights
directly into the vehicle's wiring
system. If the trailer lamps are not
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Driving
143

working properly, the warning
lights in the instrument cluster
may not work properly.
Using a hitch
Do not use hitches that:
²clamp onto the vehicle bumper
²attach to the axle.
Distribute the load so that only 10
to 15% of the total weight of the
trailer is on the tongue. tie down
the load so that it does not shift
and change the weight on the
hitch. Follow the towing
instructions of a reputable rental
agency.
Driving while towing a trailer
Do not drive faster than 70 km/h
(45 mph) while towing a 454 kg
(1000 lb) trailer. Do not drive
faster than 72 km/h (45 mph) with
any weight trailer while towing in
hilly terrain or on hot days.
Speed control (if equipped) may
not work properly while towing on
long, steep grades.
If driving with an automatic
transmission:
²use D or L rather than while
towing up or down steep hills
²anticipate stops and brake
gradually.
Towing behind another vehicle
Do not tow your vehicle behind
another vehicle, such as an RV,
unless front wheel dollies are used.
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