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2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
The highest conventional-hitch rating for the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac is 5,260 lb, the top of 4 rows transcribed from Ford’s 2003 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide. That row is printed for the 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (automatic), 4-Door (crew), 2WD. Most configurations are rated lower: 3 of the 4 transcribed conventional-hitch chart rows for 2003 are below 5,260 lb. Across 4 manufacturer chart rows for 2003, ratings run conventional 2,480 lb to 5,260 lb; the engine, cab, axle ratio and package on your truck decide its number.
The build table for 2003 is not transcribed. This page will not multiply trims, cabs, and engines into trucks the order guide did not list.
| Hitch | Cited maximum | Configuration | Source grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 5,260 lb | 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (automatic), 4-Door (crew), 2WD. | OEM chart |
Highest rows among 4 transcribed chart configurations. Most trucks of this model year are rated lower; find your exact configuration in the table below.
Source: Ford, 2003 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide, Trailer Towing Selector, pages 19 and 21; Explorer Sport Trac towing table, PDF page 22.
Spec sheet
3 of 25 fields cited; 1 estimate. Field index
Cited fields may cover selected trims or only part of a measurement. Read the configuration and source beside each value; a cited field does not mean every version is researched.
Towing
- Conventional maximum
- 5,260 lb. 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (automatic), 4-Door (crew), 2WD.Ford source
- Gooseneck maximum
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Fifth-wheel maximum
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Tongue or pin load
- 526 lb tongue at the 5,260 lb conventional maximum. Illustration at 10 percent conventional and 15 percent in-bed, not a measured load or recommendation. Follow the trailer and vehicle instructions; actual load may be higher.Estimate
- Weight distribution
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Trailer frontal area
- Not transcribed for this model year.
Weights
- Payload
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- GCWR
- 9,600 lb (4-Door (crew), axle n/a); 7,000 lb (4-Door (crew), axle n/a)Ford source
- GVWR
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Front GAWR
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Rear GAWR
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Curb weight
- Not transcribed for this model year.
Body
- Wheelbase
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Bed length
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Bed width and depth
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Cab-to-axle
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Overall length, width, height
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Ground clearance and angles
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Fifth-wheel clearance
- Not transcribed for this model year.
Power
- Engine, horsepower, torque
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Transmission
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Fuel type and tank
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Drivetrain
- 2WD, 4WDFord source
- Axle ratio
- Not transcribed for this model year.
- Tow package
- Not transcribed for this model year.
Bed, tongue weight, and wheelbase
The trailer rating is one limit. The bed has to fit the load, the tongue or pin has to fit in payload, and the wheelbase is the column the chart uses.
- An illustrative 10 percent of the 5,260 lb conventional maximum is 526 lb of tongue weight. This is not a measured load or recommended percentage; actual load may be higher.
Bed capacity · Tongue and pin weight · Wheelbase · GCWR, GVWR, and GAWR. Wheelbase is not transcribed for this year. See the spec sheet for the sourced GCWR and its configuration.
Estimate payload margin and bed volume · How these limits work together
Change from 2002
- Conventional: 5,300 lb in 2002, 5,260 lb in 2003 (-40 lb).
Generation
First generation
2003 is year 3 of this generation (2001–2005). Four-door pickup based on the Explorer, with the 4.0L V6.
2003 towing by engine
Lowest to highest printed rating for each engine across 4 transcribed chart rows. A missing hitch means the chart did not print one for that engine, not that it is zero.
| Engine | Conventional | Chart rows |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (automatic) | 5,060–5,260 lb | 2 |
| 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (manual) | 2,480–2,700 lb | 2 |
Highest-rated configurations
| Trailer | Engine | Cab / bed | Drive | Axle / package | GCWR | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,260 lb Conventional | 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (automatic) | 4-Door (crew) | 2WD | —note 1 | 9,600 lb | PDF page 22, Explorer Sport Trac table, 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (automatic) 2WD axle All (axle ratio column: All) |
| 5,060 lb Conventional | 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (automatic) | 4-Door (crew) | 4WD | —note 2 | 9,600 lb | PDF page 22, Explorer Sport Trac table, 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (automatic) 4WD axle All (axle ratio column: All) |
| 2,700 lb Conventional | 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (manual) | 4-Door (crew) | 2WD | —note 3 | 7,000 lb | PDF page 22, Explorer Sport Trac table, 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (manual) 2WD axle All (axle ratio column: All) |
| 2,480 lb Conventional | 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (manual) | 4-Door (crew) | 4WD | —note 3 | 7,000 lb | PDF page 22, Explorer Sport Trac table, 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (manual) 4WD axle All (axle ratio column: All) |
- Automatic transmission table; chart column "Sport Trac 4-Door 4x2".
- Automatic transmission table; chart column "Sport Trac 4-Door 4x4".
- Manual transmission table; chart column "Sport Trac 4-Door".
Chart source: Ford, 2003 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide. The evidence column gives each row’s page and table.
Find your exact configuration (4 rows) →Download 2003 rows as CSV ↓
What changes the number
- Engine and transmission
- Cab, bed, and wheelbase
- Two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive
- Axle ratio and tow package
- Conventional hitch versus fifth-wheel versus gooseneck
- People, options, and cargo, which spend payload the chart assumed was empty
Questions
- How much can a 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac tow?
- The highest conventional-hitch rating for the 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac is 5,260 lb, the top of 4 rows transcribed from Ford’s 2003 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide. That row is printed for the 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (automatic), 4-Door (crew), 2WD. Most configurations are rated lower: 3 of the 4 transcribed conventional-hitch chart rows for 2003 are below 5,260 lb.
- Did Explorer Sport Trac towing change for 2003?
- Compare the cited 2003 figures on this page with the 2002 record. They are stored separately.
- Which configuration hits the maximum?
- The 5,260 lb conventional maximum is printed for the 4.0L SOHC SEFI V6 (automatic), 4-Door (crew), 2WD.
- What tongue weight should I plan for a 2003 Explorer Sport Trac?
- At the cited 5,260 lb conventional maximum, an illustrative 10% assumption produces 526 lb of tongue weight. This is not a recommended percentage or a measurement; follow your trailer and vehicle instructions and measure the actual load. That load counts against payload and the rear axle rating.
Compare with
2001 · 2002 · 2004 · 2005 · All Explorer Sport Trac years