Explorer Towing

[insscore]

I have a question about a vehicle that I am thinking about towing with. Currently I have a '98 expedition with a 5.4 liter V8. I have been towing a 21 foot ebbtide. Total tow weight adds up to be about 3500 pounds. The expedition does well but these days its just annoying how big it is and it seems like it goes in the shop more than i'm driving it. I want to step down to a '02 4.6 liter v8 explorer but I was wondering if it will be able to handle my boat. Also if anyone has any information on how this vehicle does in general i would appreciate it. If the explorer wont cut it is there an ideal vehicle that can comfortably seat 4-5 people for a long ride that can also tow great? Thanks<br />Andizzle

 

[JB]

Re: Explorer Towing

3500# seems awfully light for a Ebbtide 21, with engine, gear and trailer, ADizzle. I would expect that rig to weigh closer to 4500#<br /><br />As far as I know (check with dealer before you believe anything) The '92 Explorers are rated for up to 7500# with the V8, 5speed auto, towing package and a reciever hitch. Without that equipment they would be rated for a lot less.<br /><br />I have found the Mercedes ML320 and ML430 to be superb tow cars. Rated for 5,000lb (with brakes)and good for 12-16mpg when towing my Montauk. The best of a light truck and the best of a luxo-cruiser in one package. Good ones are available for under 20 big ones.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[reference123]

Re: Explorer Towing

Have a 5.9 v-8 01 durango that pulls great. Can barely tell I am pulling my 3000lb load. Third row seat is pretty comfortable for kids and other seats provide great leg room for 4 adults. I like the ride and handling (RT package) better than any other AWD SUV I drove other than the Escalade.<br /><br />Plus the RT exhaust package sounds really nice. Much like my v-8 boat.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Explorer Towing

hey ref, that thang got a hemi? <br /><br />Adizzle, there's a towing forum at www.ford-trucks.com that helped me out a lot when I was deciding on a vehicle. It's not a ford company site - more like the iboats of trucks.<br /><br />Bottom line, if you got the tow package, you'd be good to go (IMO).<br /><br />good luck,<br />jtw

 

[reference123]

Re: Explorer Towing

No, no hemi here. They didnt offer the hemi in 2001. Just a souped up 5.9 liter. The hemi's actually have more horsepower and larger towing capacity even though they are only a 5.7. The new body style is just plain ugly though so I will stick with what I have.

 

[Redhorse]

Re: Explorer Towing

I am a Ford fan and the 5.4 can pull alot. Not sure about the size of the vehicle but a used Excusion with the diesel is hard to beat. You can find them around with low miles for a little more than the explorer but with more room and way more towing capacity.

 

[Northern Eclipse]

Re: Explorer Towing

The Explorer will do a good job as long as it has the correct tow package, But if your going to go for a 02, I suggest you have the rear end gears inspected, Explorers of that year are blowing the rear ends pinion and ring gears, Ford do have a correction for it.

 

[mikeneal]

Re: Explorer Towing

My 2 cents is dont do it. A smaller tow vehicle is like a slower boat...sounds better in theory. I have a 2000 4 WD Explorer with the V6 and use it to pull boats at least once a week and it has NOT held up. The factory tow rating is like 5k pounds..ya right..on the moon maybe. My current boat is a 20 ft bowrider that weighes about 4100 lbs loaded and it kills the Explorer. Old boat was a 18 ft about 1000 pounds lighter and still was boarderline. I am on my second rear ends and 3 transmission valve bodies . All these with 55k on the odometer. I live in Florida where it is flat and I have towed things my whole life and do not abuse things, the Explorer is just under rated. I think the larger full size Ford products are OK, but the Explorers are meant to haul kids and be a mini van. And I worked for them as an engineer when I bought it and got a great deal and I still do not consider it worth it.

 

[RedRangerVIP]

Re: Explorer Towing

I pull with both a 1996 ext cab 4x4 ranger , and a 1993 4x4 explorer. Both have the 4.0l in them. I tow anywhere from my 2700lb boat , to a tandem trailer loaded with carpet & pad(1500lbs or more). As long as you don't get in a hurry they both do just fine. With the price of gas these days, I have chosen to use the ranger for my business as much as possible. My 460 3/4 ton ain't cutting it(5-6 mpg).Adizzle , don't blame you for wanting to down size. You just got to remember it isn't a powerstroke dually.<br />BTW welcome to Iboats! I love it here!

 

[dmonwai]

Re: Explorer Towing

I have a 2000 Explorer with the SOHC V6 and it works great for me. <br /><br />I tow a 2800 pound boat at least once a week in the winter and 3-5 times a week in the summer. I bought it in 2001 with 15000 miles on it and now have 90000 miles on it, no problems with it yet. A lot of my trips are over 500 miles round trip and I tow up and over the Cascade and Olympic mountains all the time. I also use it for work, I'm a Field Service Tech and drive from call to call all day long. I've been really happy with it so far.<br /><br /><br />Damon

 

[Realgun]

Re: Explorer Towing

Adizzle that 5.4L is a 98 correct? Well the 98 had loflo heads in that you only get about 230 Hp. The 99 mid year and higher got PI Heads.P.I.- performance improved. This got you 260 Hp. My brother has a 98 Expedition and it is a dog compared to my 2001 F-150 and both have the 5.4L motor.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Explorer Towing

I have a 1993 Explorer V6 with 136K miles that I bought new. I have been towing my 23' Wellcraft CC with V4 twins on the back on a tandem axle trailer with disk brakes for 10 years in south Florida. I would not tow with the Explorer in hilly country but here it has worked well for me.

 

[DJ]

Re: Explorer Towing

First off, I doubt your towed weight is 3500#. <br /><br />Weigh it! Moving company, truck stop, etc.<br /><br />Without doing that, you're guessing. Boats are ALWAYS heavier than what the manufacturers say they are. Trust me, been there.<br /><br />The Explorer is a fine tow unit, it can handle, comfortably IMHO, up to about 3.5K. Anything after that must have well working trailer brakes and possibly load leveling/equalizer. Read the trailer towing guide put out by Ford. An excellent piece. See link below. Rear tire pressure must be checked. No one ever does that. With right equipment, the Explorer does very well.<br /><br />The "Power Improved" (PI) engine came on in the '03' model year for all 5.4 (V-8) and 6.8 (V-10)liter engines equipped vehicles. Torque went up too. <br /><br />Remember, an Expedition outweighs an F-150 by almost 1000 pounds, depending on F-150 cab configuration and equipment.<br /><br />Remember, compare oranges to oranges, not apples to oranges.<br /><br /> https://www.fleet.ford.com/products/rv_trailer_towing/default.asp

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: Explorer Towing

Originally posted by Adizzle:<br /> I have a question about a vehicle that I am thinking about towing with. Currently I have a '98 expedition with a 5.4 liter V8. I have been towing a 21 foot ebbtide. Total tow weight adds up to be about 3500 pounds. The expedition does well but these days its just annoying how big it is and it seems like it goes in the shop more than i'm driving it. I want to step down to a '02 4.6 liter v8 explorer but I was wondering if it will be able to handle my boat. Also if anyone has any information on how this vehicle does in general i would appreciate it. If the explorer wont cut it is there an ideal vehicle that can comfortably seat 4-5 people for a long ride that can also tow great? Thanks<br />Andizzle

My Rinker 212 close to yours in weight. Tow with a 98 Mountaineer AWD 5.0. No Problem, although the Mountineer is a pig. 13.2 avg. MPG.

 

[jeff_nicholas]

Re: Explorer Towing

I like that 4.6.<br /><br />I tow a Seaswirl 1850 W/A cuddy w/ a '98 F-150 4.6. The boat/trailer were 3,340# on the truck scale (add another 300 lbs tongue weight). No complaints towing for over 10,000 trailer miles. The same 4.6 was also recently used to tow a travel trailer (>5,000#) 12,000+ miles to Alaska and back - no problems whatsoever...but, I never go over 55mph. BTW, we got over 12 mpg on the Alaska trip and crossed the 100,000 mile mark on the odo.<br /><br />A buddy tows his 18 footer w/ a Mercury Mountaineer. That Mountaineer not only tows better than our pickup, but it's also more comfortable/responsive than our Crown Vic with the boat behind it. And Roger on the rear end gears - my buddy had his done by Ford before they caused trouble.

 

[Indymike]

Re: Explorer Towing

I have a 2002 Explorer V6 XLT with trailer pkg and it does a fine job with a 16 ft fg tri-hull.<br />Brakes are very good (4 wheel disk ). But if you want to seat 4-5 adults for a long trip keep the Expedition. Back seat room is not very good. I'm<br />6'1" and it is darn uncomfortable back there for long trips. But all said I really like this truck.

 

[GCervak]

Re: Explorer Towing

Don't know if I can add much, but we just finished our first full year of towing our 4000 lbs. 20' Four Winns boat trailer package. We have a 1998 V6 SOHC 4WD Explorer with 130k. No problem in flat Midwest (Northern Indiana/Michigan area). Not even a problem on some steep ramps. But I don't think I would go with anything smaller (like a Jeep Liberty) as there were times when I felt I was being pushed around. And if I was going to be pulling mostly in hillier areas, I would want the power of a bigger engine.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Explorer Towing

I started out pulling a similar sized boat with a Cherokee with a in-line 6 and had to take a back route home on the way home because I couldn't maintain the minimum speed limit on the highway when climbing a 600' grade on the way home. I traded up for a 5.2 Jeep Grand with the tow package and a 3:73 reared that pulled that boat like a charm. I then traded the boat and got a W/A that bumped up the tow weight to #5700 and that was the end to the Jeep. Talk about tail wagging the dog. The Jeep had the muscle it just didn’t have the mass or suspension to carry that much weight not to mention the mileage dropped down to between 8-9 mpg when pulling.<br />I traded in the Jeep and got a 2002 Tahoe with tow package and 3:73 rear and have no problem whatsoever. Even with the bigger truck my tow mileage increase from 8-9 mpg in the Jeep to 11-12 mpg in the Tahoe.

 

[jimchere]

Re: Explorer Towing

My experiences with the Cherokee have been different. I have a '98 with tow package, and have pulled 3500 to 5000 lbs over the years with it, even through some mountains (not huge ones, but those on I-81 through the smokeys and also TX hill country). The drivetrain is easily up to the job. Brakes....different story. This vehicle has IMO inadequate brakes for its size, I'd recommend trailer brakes over 2500# towing except for very short distance on easy terrain. The 4.0 with the AW 4spd auto is a tough drivetrain. As always, what's more important is can you stop!