Towing with an Explorer

[njlarry]

I am looking to trade up from 15' (1200 lbs) to something as large as 20'. What is the largest I can comfortably launch, retrive, and tow long distance over flat roads? My current hitch is rated for 3500 lbs but with a larger hitch I believe my 2002 v-6 Explorer can tow 5OOO lbs. I expect to likely use a single axle trailer with disc brakes.<br />Thanks for your advice.

 

[Northern Eclipse]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

I tow a 20' Wellcraft on a tandem axle trailer with a 4.0 v6 98 Explorer which has a factory tow package at a 6000# rating... I have no complaints.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

have you guys ever try to rent a trailer from Uhaul? they won't let Explorer tow their equipment, wonder why?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

Gonefishie, while that practice may still be in place, their reasoning is very flawed. The older Explorers obviously had some handling issues and in the hands of inexperienced drivers problems were encountered. However the newer models have totally redesigned suspensions and therefore should not be put in the same category as the older models. I have witnessed two Explorer roll overs towing small trailers and I suspect sudden steering input that causes the instability was the cause as both incidnets involved rapid lane changes. When severe sway begins, most drivers tend to counter the sway by attempting to steer out of it. Unfortunately, that increases the sway and over you go. Short wheel base vehicles are very prone to handling problems. If you understand the limits and adhere to the load and tow capacities, Explorers are ok to tow with. Electric brakes by the way, are excellent for countering sway as they can be actuated manually which literally snaps the vehicle straight again.

 

[njlarry]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

I am currently towing over 1500 lbs and have not encounter any sway.

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

I tow a 21' Rinker, 3500# with a Mountaineer. 5.0 w/ tranny cooler etc. Mine is AWD, Mileage is awful, but the tow is terrific.

 

[BrettNC]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

We have a '98 Ford Explorer with the 210 h.p. v6. We tow a 20' Ebbtide at around 4,500 lbs. total. Absolutley no problems or complaints.

 

[John_S]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

Not sure about '02 Explorers, but when I was looking at '05's this summer, you couldn't just swap out the class II hitch with class III/IV to get a 5K towing capacity. When the dealer pulled out their books to check, it was considerably less than 5K. Don't remember the number now, since I was looking for 5K minimum. To get 5K it needed the specific towing pkg, gearing, axle, and cooling, etc. The only explorers on the local lots that had this, was Eddie Bauer editions. Even with the employee discount and incentives, the Eddie Bauer was more than I wanted, both in features and cost. <br /><br />I would expect most 20' boat and trailers to come in at 4500lbs or greater, so I think you would be in the danger zone with your '02.

 

[GCervak]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

Got my 4.0L '05 back in April, and been towing my 20' Four Winns (4000# including trailer with surge breaks) all summer and love it. Prior to the '05 we had a '98. No trouble with that vehicle either. However, the wider wheel track on the '05 does make a difference.<br />-FloatingCPU

 

[bdirect]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

BIG MISTAKE!<br /><br />A stock V6 Explorer with or without a towing package is "NOT RATED" for 5,000lbs except with a distribution hitch. Max is 3500lbs class 2 hitch. Any reputable hitch company will inform you of that immediatly. There is a very rare find Explorer with a V8 and different suspension that will tow 5000lbs without the distrubution hitch. I realy wanted another explorer but ended up with a 99 Pathfinder to tow my new boat. a distribution hitch will not (that I can find) work on a boat trailer and is used on convential trailers and rv trailers

 

[Solittle]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

I bought a new Explorer Sport with the V6 and trailer pkg in 1993. I pulled a 6,000 lb 23' cc on a dual axle trailer with surge brakes around south Florida for 12 years. It had marginal power but pulled OK in flat south Florida. I would not have attempted it in hilly country. The transmission is a weak spot.<br /><br />Initially I like it. Gas milage was OK when not towing. The longer I had it the less I liked it to the point I could not wait to get rid of it. It went this past summer.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

I bought a new Explorer Sport with the V6 and trailer pkg in 1993. I pulled a 6,000 lb 23' cc on a dual axle trailer with surge brakes around south Florida for 12 years. It had marginal power but pulled OK in flat south Florida. I would not have attempted it in hilly country. The transmission is a weak spot.<br /><br />Initially I like it. Gas milage was OK when not towing. The longer I had it the less I liked it to the point I could not wait to get rid of it. It went this past summer.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

Woops!!

 

[DJ]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

Let's get some facts straight. Everyone has an opinion, when it comes to Ford. Most of them are forged from years way past. It's expected for a 103 year old company.<br /><br />Explorer Sport equals, 2-door short wheelbase-pushrod-4.0L.<br /><br />Explorer 4.0L can be two different engines. Is it Overhead cam or pushrod?<br /><br />Explorer V-8 can be 5.0L (V-8), old design-302. Or, a 4.6L V-8 modern OHC design.<br /><br />What does your vehicle have?? If it does NOT have the trailer tow option #535, or 532, you're limited.<br /><br />The best way to tell it is a "factory" tow wiring harness attached to the rear bumper. If not, you're on the low end.<br /><br />The Explorer is a fine tow vehicle, within limits.<br /><br />Towing anything beyond the vehicles own weight is risky and foolish, IMHO. I've towed 7K# with an Explorer. It handled fine, but you had to think about stopping. The same would be true for ANY vehicle, in that class. And, the Explorer has the most stopping power of ANY vehicle, in that class.

 

[bdirect]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

One last thought and i am done<br />If the vehicle you are towing with is not rated for the amount of weight you tow or you exceed the MAX weight os the vehickle and something goes terribly wrong your insurance is void

 

[mikeneal]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

I have a 2000 Explorer Sport with SOHC 40 liter. I tow a 20 ft bowrdier (approx 4k). It is marginal in Flordia at best. Not enough truck in any reguard in my opionion. Tranny sucks, weak suspension....it is fine for my wife to drive around town but towing is not good at all. Not a Ford vs. other brands thing, in fact I was workingfor Ford as a engineer when I bought it. Tow cap is just over 5k just with a weight dist hitch , that is crap, on the moon maybe. bdirect has a very important point if you exceed the tow capacity you are an asking for trouble, you might as well cancel you insurance becauase they are going to walk if you have a accident.

 

[njlarry]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

I'm confused, can the 3,500 lb explore be upgraded to 5000 lbs by changing to a larger hitch etc?

 

[bdirect]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

Mike<br /><br />Understand the confusion. I have listed the most common below. If you go to www.drawtite-hitches.com/ there are examples of hitches. <br />a weight ditribution hitch basicly ditributes the load differntly acrros the vehicle frame and with this type of hitch (for example a Ford Explorer V6) can tow a think 5,000lbs. Without it the same vehicle is rated for ony 3,5000lbs Class ll.<br />Most trailer Hitch suppliers have refernce guides on there web sites to check what your truck or car will tow and what hitch they will recommend.<br /><br />Class I<br /> 2,000 lbs. (GTW)<br /> 200 lbs. (TW)<br /><br /> Class II<br /> 3,500 lbs. (GTW)<br /> 300 lbs. (TW)<br /><br /> Class III<br /> 3,500 - 6,000 lbs. (GTW)<br /> 350 - 600 lbs. (TW)<br /><br />Ditribution Hitch<br /> Class III<br /> 4,000 lbs. (GTW)<br /> 350 lbs. (TW)<br /> Class IV<br /> 5,000 - 12,000 lbs.<br /> (GTW)<br /> 500 - 1,200 lbs.<br /> (TW)

 

[bdirect]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

Mike forgot something<br /><br />I have seen a ditribution hitch used to pull rvs and utilty trailers boat not a boat. If anybody has one I would love to see a picture of it hooked up to the vehicle.

 

[BrettNC]

Re: Towing with an Explorer

Some of these opinions have to do with what your expectations are. I've noticed opposing opinions on the exact same vehicle towing the same load. Some expect to tow a 4,000 lbs. trailer as if the trailer is not behind them. There is certainly nothing wrong with that, but it will require a whole lot of money invested in a very large vehicle. Some expect to see slower acceleration and longer braking when towing, and those people are satisfied with that. Without numbers, someone's good could be someone else's bad.