08 Explorer V6 Towing Question

spencer785 · 04-20-2009, 11:51 AM

Just wondering i have an 08 explorer v6 with tow package just wondering is it alright to tow and 23-25ft grady white boat with it. Because were thinking about buying a boat and just want to make sure its safe. Thanks

mithesaint · 04-20-2009, 07:48 PM

You might get more responses in the towing forum.

Odds are, probably not. How heavy is the boat?

My Mounty V6 without a towing package only tows about 3300 lbs, IIRC. I don't know how much the towing package adds, but I'm sure the boat will be heavier. A 23 foot boat is F150 territory, unless you're only moving it a mile or so.

sailfishford · 04-20-2009, 08:15 PM

I have a lot of experience towing things with my 2006 explorer V6. It tows perfectly. I tow a 21 bayliner and a 21 ft mako center console including a 10 ft jon boat which really isnt heavy. I have 4 200 pound people in the cab scuba tanks and fishing roads in the trunk and towing the boat the thing doesnt even flinch at the ramp. Tows perfectly. Cant even feel it. I of course have the standard tow package that comes on the truck and its great. I dont think you will have a problem. but check the tow ratings for your truck and gear ratio.

spencer785 · 04-21-2009, 11:10 AM

the boats dry weight is 3385 lbs plus whatever a 250 hp outboard weighs plus fuel i would imagine probably close to 5000lbs all loaded.

patrick112390 · 04-21-2009, 11:28 AM

read your owners manual, it tells you exact weight it can tow with that motor/tow package- if your under that, LET ER' EAT!

bojans · 04-21-2009, 12:52 PM

3385 plus 250 hp engine ~ 600 lbs plus trailer is going to put you over 5000 lbs. I believe this is going to be over your tow rating but even if it is not towing any distance with this combo would be painful. I know 6000 lbs behind my 06 V8 is more than I care to tow for any real distance.

spencer785 · 04-21-2009, 02:27 PM

i can tow 5200 lbs it says and what do you mean painful i have never towed with my explorer before.

sailfishford · 04-21-2009, 05:57 PM

Painful meaning stressing your componenets like tranny and motor. You have tranny coolers and so on but if your manuel says that than you should be ok. If you need any help on trailering the boat, go to www.trailerboats.com. has all the basics you need if you neer towed before and a lot of good tips.

bojans · 04-22-2009, 08:22 AM

By painful I mean slow. The vehicle will do it and aside from changing your maintenance schedule to the severe service schedule there should be no ill effects, it won't even be too bad if you are only going a few miles to the launch but if you are traveling on a vacation 100's of miles you will be longing for more power. Also at 5,000 lbs you probably want to look at upgrading the trailer to an electric braking system (if it isn't already figured), that will give you a little more control over surge brakes if you get into trouble.

I personally have always bought vehicles for towing with the theory I want 50% head room for the tow rating, just to be on the safe side. My V8 has somewhere around a 7,000 lbs rating (I think), the trailers I normally tow are around 3,000 to 3,500 lbs, I went with the V8 to have that extra capacity so that I wasn't taxing the vehicle as much.

gulftracker · 05-03-2009, 09:36 PM

I used my 2009 V6 4X4 this weekend for the first time to tow my 20ft center console with 150 Yamaha. I have the towing package. The Explorer moved the boat forward OK but got 9.8 mpg average on the and reved to 5-6K rpm on hills. The real issue was with stopping. I did not feel I had the brakes to stop safely and was a bit worried sometimes in traffic. Had to go slow and leave tons of room ahead of me.

Does anyone know if the V8 Explorer has bigger brakes or more boost? I am wondering if there is an upgrade I can do to get this thing to stop better?

sailfishford · 05-03-2009, 10:21 PM

The v8 does not have bigger brakes just a bigger engine. Don't forget u are towing a boat. U can't drive aggresivly and u have to make room for added stopping space. U are toeing a 3,000 pound boat it's a lot of wiefht but the v8 would handle that no problem up hill.

JeremyP55 · 10-10-2009, 12:32 PM

07 4.0L Explorer with the tow package is rated at 5500# I tow a 3500# camper with it. It does ok. Like mentioned it get 9-10mpg towing and 5500rpm on large hills. My camper has trailer brakes which makes stopping much easier. Maybe you can get trailer brakes for your trailer. The 07 Explorer came with a brake controller harness.

merchjo · 10-12-2009, 02:31 PM

I towed a trailer with 2 quads this weekend. With gear and all the trailer was 2900lbs. I dont have the tow package so I only have the class 2 hitch so I am limited to 3500lb. Drove about 60 miles on the highway to get where I was going averaging 70mph and got 17.2 mpg with my v6. Only issue was the huge hills crossing PA on I80, engine was really working.

04-20-2009, 11:51 AM	#1
spencer785 Wannabe Elite Explorer 08 EB 4x4 V6 Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 458 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	08 Explorer V6 Towing Question Just wondering i have an 08 explorer v6 with tow package just wondering is it alright to tow and 23-25ft grady white boat with it. Because were thinking about buying a boat and just want to make sure its safe. Thanks

04-21-2009, 11:28 AM	#5
patrick112390 Wannabe Elite Explorer chesterfield,va 97' mountaineer 5.0 4406 Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 689 Vehicle Specs	read your owners manual, it tells you exact weight it can tow with that motor/tow package- if your under that, LET ER' EAT! __________________ 97' mountaineer 5.0 V8 4406- k&n intake, hunter brush guard, shackles, TT, aal front/rear tow hooks, 35X14.50 Mud Grapplers, crager soft 8 rims, remote start, cb, 3'' pa body lift, 4'' superlift, 4406 swap, 4.88 gears and a full carrier Detroit Locker

05-03-2009, 09:36 PM	#10
gulftracker Wannabe Elite Explorer '07 XLT, '09 EB Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 5 Vehicle Specs	V6 towing experience I used my 2009 V6 4X4 this weekend for the first time to tow my 20ft center console with 150 Yamaha. I have the towing package. The Explorer moved the boat forward OK but got 9.8 mpg average on the and reved to 5-6K rpm on hills. The real issue was with stopping. I did not feel I had the brakes to stop safely and was a bit worried sometimes in traffic. Had to go slow and leave tons of room ahead of me. Does anyone know if the V8 Explorer has bigger brakes or more boost? I am wondering if there is an upgrade I can do to get this thing to stop better?

04-20-2009, 07:48 PM	#2
mithesaint Wannabe Elite Explorer Buffalo NY 06 Mountaineer Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 17 Vehicle Specs	You might get more responses in the towing forum. Odds are, probably not. How heavy is the boat? My Mounty V6 without a towing package only tows about 3300 lbs, IIRC. I don't know how much the towing package adds, but I'm sure the boat will be heavier. A 23 foot boat is F150 territory, unless you're only moving it a mile or so.

04-20-2009, 08:15 PM	#3
sailfishford Wannabe Elite Explorer Palm beach, FL 2006 XLT 4.0 V6 4x4 Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 67 Vehicle Specs	I have a lot of experience towing things with my 2006 explorer V6. It tows perfectly. I tow a 21 bayliner and a 21 ft mako center console including a 10 ft jon boat which really isnt heavy. I have 4 200 pound people in the cab scuba tanks and fishing roads in the trunk and towing the boat the thing doesnt even flinch at the ramp. Tows perfectly. Cant even feel it. I of course have the standard tow package that comes on the truck and its great. I dont think you will have a problem. but check the tow ratings for your truck and gear ratio.

04-21-2009, 11:10 AM	#4
spencer785 Wannabe Elite Explorer 08 EB 4x4 V6 Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 458 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	the boats dry weight is 3385 lbs plus whatever a 250 hp outboard weighs plus fuel i would imagine probably close to 5000lbs all loaded.

04-21-2009, 12:52 PM	#6
bojans Wannabe Elite Explorer McHenry, Il 2006 Explorer Limited Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 267 Vehicle Specs	3385 plus 250 hp engine ~ 600 lbs plus trailer is going to put you over 5000 lbs. I believe this is going to be over your tow rating but even if it is not towing any distance with this combo would be painful. I know 6000 lbs behind my 06 V8 is more than I care to tow for any real distance.

04-21-2009, 02:27 PM	#7
spencer785 Wannabe Elite Explorer 08 EB 4x4 V6 Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 458 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	i can tow 5200 lbs it says and what do you mean painful i have never towed with my explorer before.

04-21-2009, 05:57 PM	#8
sailfishford Wannabe Elite Explorer Palm beach, FL 2006 XLT 4.0 V6 4x4 Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 67 Vehicle Specs	Painful meaning stressing your componenets like tranny and motor. You have tranny coolers and so on but if your manuel says that than you should be ok. If you need any help on trailering the boat, go to www.trailerboats.com. has all the basics you need if you neer towed before and a lot of good tips.

04-22-2009, 08:22 AM	#9
bojans Wannabe Elite Explorer McHenry, Il 2006 Explorer Limited Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 267 Vehicle Specs	By painful I mean slow. The vehicle will do it and aside from changing your maintenance schedule to the severe service schedule there should be no ill effects, it won't even be too bad if you are only going a few miles to the launch but if you are traveling on a vacation 100's of miles you will be longing for more power. Also at 5,000 lbs you probably want to look at upgrading the trailer to an electric braking system (if it isn't already figured), that will give you a little more control over surge brakes if you get into trouble. I personally have always bought vehicles for towing with the theory I want 50% head room for the tow rating, just to be on the safe side. My V8 has somewhere around a 7,000 lbs rating (I think), the trailers I normally tow are around 3,000 to 3,500 lbs, I went with the V8 to have that extra capacity so that I wasn't taxing the vehicle as much.

05-03-2009, 10:21 PM	#11
sailfishford Wannabe Elite Explorer Palm beach, FL 2006 XLT 4.0 V6 4x4 Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 67 Vehicle Specs	The v8 does not have bigger brakes just a bigger engine. Don't forget u are towing a boat. U can't drive aggresivly and u have to make room for added stopping space. U are toeing a 3,000 pound boat it's a lot of wiefht but the v8 would handle that no problem up hill.

10-10-2009, 12:32 PM	#12
JeremyP55 Wannabe Elite Explorer Detroit 2007 Explorer XLT Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1 Vehicle Specs	07 4.0L Explorer with the tow package is rated at 5500# I tow a 3500# camper with it. It does ok. Like mentioned it get 9-10mpg towing and 5500rpm on large hills. My camper has trailer brakes which makes stopping much easier. Maybe you can get trailer brakes for your trailer. The 07 Explorer came with a brake controller harness.

10-12-2009, 02:31 PM	#13
merchjo Wannabe Elite Explorer Hackettstown, NJ 2008 Explorer XLT Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 28 Vehicle Specs	I towed a trailer with 2 quads this weekend. With gear and all the trailer was 2900lbs. I dont have the tow package so I only have the class 2 hitch so I am limited to 3500lb. Drove about 60 miles on the highway to get where I was going averaging 70mph and got 17.2 mpg with my v6. Only issue was the huge hills crossing PA on I80, engine was really working.