Will It Tow?
2023 Ford Explorer (3.0L EcoBoost V6 (ST/Platinum)) with the 2027 Forest River Salem FSX 178BH at its full GVWR of 5,535 lb, two adults and a dog aboard and a weight-distribution hitch.
To know for sure, enter the payload from your door sticker (the yellow Tire and Loading one).
- Tow rating: 65 lb to spare (5,535 lb camper, rating 5,600 lb)
- Payload: Not sure yet (1,374 to 1,540 lb used, payload ? lb)
- Truck and trailer together: Not sure yet (, GCWR not listed)
To settle it for your own truck: enter the payload from your door sticker (the yellow Tire and Loading one); measure your tongue weight.
Check it with your own numbers- Weight-distribution hitch (needed): Your camper is over 5,000 lb. Most truck makers require weight distribution here, and many receivers are rated far lower without it. It spreads the tongue weight to your front axle and the camper's axles, so the truck sits level and steers right.
- Sway control (strongly recommended): It stops the camper swinging side to side in crosswinds, when semis pass and on rough roads. Many weight-distribution hitches have it built in.
- Spring bars rated about 700 to 1,200 lb (size): Match the bars to your loaded tongue weight (664 to 830 lb, from an estimate of 12 to 15% of the camper's weight) plus anything heavy behind the truck's rear axle. Bars that are too stiff ride rough. Too light won't level the rig.
- Brake controller (needed): Your camper has electric brakes, and the controller in your cab runs them. Many newer trucks have one built in.
- Measure your tongue weight (tip): We're estimating 664 to 830 lb. A tongue weight scale or a hitch with a built-in gauge gives you the real number. Enter it in step 2.
Hitches make towing steadier, but none of them raise your tow rating or payload. The hitch itself counts against payload.
Ratings come from manufacturer towing guides and spec sheets. These are planning estimates, not a safety guarantee. Your truck and camper stickers, your owner's manual and a scale always win.