It’s not uncommon to see mobile homes being moved by semi-trucks, as they are popular housing options among many. However, someone recently decided to tow a trailer using an SUV. This racked up several citations and caused a degree of damage to the vehicle and the road they were traveling on. 

Towing a full-sized trailer with an SUV is not a good idea

According to KOAM, a person decided to move a mobile home on the morning of May 16 in Jasper County, Missouri. However, as mentioned, they did so with a Ford Explorer SUV. While the Explorer has some towing capacity, it’s not designed to handle the weight of a full-size mobile home. This is evident by the fact that they had to repair a tire during the process. 

The people continued trying to tow the trailer for a time. Sadly for them, the SUV went dead on the road, where more issues arose. While working on the Ford, State Commercial Vehicle Inspectors showed up. The inspectors gave the driver a reported five citations, partly related to the size of the mobile home being towed. It’s also important to note that the improperly towed trailer also damaged the road. The citations are worth about $3,000. 

Ultimately, they were able to arrange for a local towing company to assist in moving the trailer, which the people also had to pay for. Readers should know that permits and inspections are required before attempting to tow a load of this size in order to prevent other issues like damage to roads. It’s unclear what model year of the Ford Explorer the person used. However, most models can tow about 5,000 pounds, whereas mobile homes often weigh at least 20,000 pounds. In other words, this was an awful idea.