OT - Trailer weight and hauling a Massey Ferguson

I'm thinking about buying a 5ft Massey Ferguson bush hog. The bush hog is about 275 miles (just happens that we're going where the bush hog is this weekend anyway) away and I'm planning to use my wife's 2000 Ford Explorer to pull the bush hog back on my trailer. My question, does anyone know how much a standard 16ft, dual axle trailer and bush hog combination might weigh? The trailer has the two standard 3500 lb axles. I was thinking that the trailer might weigh 1000 lbs and the used bush hog might weigh 650 lbs at most. Can my Explorer handle this load, I've never towed with it? The Explorer is a SOHC V-6 automatic with 3.55 rear end.

Thanks.

If that explorer has a class III receiver it should do 500/5000 toung/haul weight. I pulled a horse trailer ( 1650# ) and 1 horse (~1000#) on my 99 v-6 ranger. Was the samll 3.0 v-6.. didn't pull well, and the rear end had to light of suspension... your explorer should have a slightly stiffer rear end, and has a bit bigger engine ( 4.0 right? ).

should be good to go.

Be safe.. chain your loads, and if you don't have electric brakes keep in mind that you have about 2300# behind you extra. I had an electric brake controller on my ranger, and that is what made the difference. Now all my tow vehicles have one. ( I traded the ranger for a 'real' truck, a dodge ram. Much easier pull now with that 5.9l engine..

Soundguy

Tom