Tell Me What You Tow...

...with your explorer?

Let me know the specifics (engine, gears, tow package, etc) of your explorer and mods if you have them...

Let me know what you are towing, weight, length, size, etc., and any issues with doing so...

I'm in the process of purchasing a pull behind camper I plan to tow with my 05 explorer, V6 with the factory towing package...

Thanks...

LJ

 

[thebrakeman]

2006 Mounty AWD Premier V8 with tow package (3.55 gearing, 6-sp auto, 7-pin electrical connector) 7,000 lbs max tow rating, 12,000 lbs GCVWR
We are looking for a camper with a dry weight no more than 5,000 lbs, with plans to keep the loaded trailer no more than 6,000 lbs and combined weight no more than 11,500 lbs.

Your '05 V6 with tow packages has the 5-speed and 3.73 gears, giving you 5,000 lbs max tow rating (approx?), and 10,000 lbs GCVWR. If you are looking for a full-height camper, you will need to watch your weight very carefully.

10,000 lbs - 4900 (empty truck?) = 5100 lbs for camper, cargo and people.
Depending on the size of you family and how much stuff you take, you will probably need to find a small hybrid camper with no more than 3500 lbs dry weight.

Happy hunting! You're doing the right thing. Just do the math.

 

[cbrhino]

2006 Explorer Limited V6 with tow package, 3.73 gears, 7 pin connector, 5500 lbs. towing capacity, 210 hp and 254 lb-ft of torque. I tow an 18' toy hauler @ 3820 lbs. dry weight which leaves me about 1680 lbs. of people and gear that I can still haul.

I tow this thing all the time and have never had a problem. I really don't even notice it while on the freeways. I have a weight distribution hitch and brake controller and try not to tow over 55 MPH.

 

[trailerqueen]

I tow a 28 ft tt that has a dry weight of 5900lbs. If I tow @ 55mph I get 10.8 mpg!

 

[a351fan]

02 Sport trac,V6 auto 4X4, I added another trans cooler in line with the factory installed one, 32" tires. I belive it has a tow package but not too sure, it has 3.73 gears with L/S with trailer brakes. I tow a hardsided tent trailer #1800 dry weight, quad in the bed and camping gear. I am not too sure what the weights but it seems to have no problems towing.

 

[JW]

2003 Limited V8 4x4, tow package, only mod is a K&N FIPK. I tow my daughter's high school band trailer which is roughly 6000 lbs loaded, about 20 feet long (it's a converted car hauler). Not an easy thing to tow but well within the truck's capabilities. I get in the neighborhood of 11 MPG when towing, keeping it around 55-60. I have a brake controller connected to the factory wiring and it's the best $129 I ever spent. I only manually shift the trans while towing and pull many grades in third gear. I want to add a trans temp gauge and probably a vacuum gauge, as soon as I figure out where I want to put them. No trans issues so far.

I'd really like to find a set of towing mirrors that work well. I have some strap-on mirrors from Camping World that are barely adequate.

 

[thebrakeman]

02 Sport trac,V6 auto 4X4, I added another trans cooler in line with the factory installed one, 32" tires. I belive it has a tow package but not too sure, it has 3.73 gears with L/S with trailer brakes. I tow a hardsided tent trailer #1800 dry weight, quad in the bed and camping gear. I am not too sure what the weights but it seems to have no problems towing.

'02 V6 only gets the 3.73 gearing if you have the factory tow package. You have somewhere around 5500 lbs max tow rating. Plenty for a light popup like that, but with the quad and other gear, it's probably a good match. The important thing to remember (besides not exceeding 5500 for the loaded trailer), is not exceeding your 10,000 lbs GCVWR.

I recommend that anyone get their rig weighed, just so you know. Sometimes a highway weigh station will let you run thru if they aren't busy. Pull into the parking lot, go in, and ask first.

 

[thebrakeman]

2003 Limited V8 4x4, tow package, only mod is a K&N FIPK. I tow my daughter's high school band trailer which is roughly 6000 lbs loaded, about 20 feet long (it's a converted car hauler). Not an easy thing to tow but well within the truck's capabilities. I get in the neighborhood of 11 MPG when towing, keeping it around 55-60. I have a brake controller connected to the factory wiring and it's the best $129 I ever spent. I only manually shift the trans while towing and pull many grades in third gear. I want to add a trans temp gauge and probably a vacuum gauge, as soon as I figure out where I want to put them. No trans issues so far.

I'd really like to find a set of towing mirrors that work well. I have some strap-on mirrors from Camping World that are barely adequate.

V8 with towing package has been 12,000 lbs GCVWR since 2002, and maybe earlier.
12,000 - 6000 (loaded trailer) = 6000 lbs for loaded Explorer
6000 - 5100 (empty Ex-Lmt?) = 900 lbs for people and cargo in the Ex. My '06 Mounty Premier AWD (empty with 3/4-tank) is exactly 5135 lbs empty. My frame is stiffer (heavier), but your 4x4 is heavier than AWD system. So 5100 is probably close.
So as long as you, passengers, and cargo in the truck, don't add up to more than about 900 lbs, your pushing the GCVWR, but not over.

Strictly from the truck's perspective (6400 lbs GVWR, IIRC):
6400 - 5100 (empty) = 1300 lbs available for people, cargo, and tongue weight
1300 - 600 (10% TW minimum) = 700 lbs
So, 700 lbs is really your limit for people and cargo in the Explorer.

I also highly recommend you get all 3 (4?) axles weight next time you are loaded and out on the road.
If you don't already have it, you should be using a WDH (required for TW greater than 500 lbs).
This will:
1. Push weight back up to the front wheels, for proper handling.
2. Help level the rig (decrease rear sag)
3. Actually push a little weight back to the trailer, helping out the weight on the Explorer itself.

 

[JW]

I believe the curb weight for the Explorer is in the 4400 lb range (my Expy was over 5000; no way this thing is anywhere near it). But even at 5100 lbs I'm well under the gross combined rating.

It tows very well and, with the brake controller, stops well also. Needs about 50-100 more HP though.

 

[engera]

I have a 2007 Limited (V8 and 4x4) with the tow package. I tow an 18 foot travel trailer and it tows really well. It was a must to have the brake controller and Ford was nice enough to include the wiring harness for it so it was pretty much a buy it, plug it in and go. I don't use any swaybars and it still pulls fine but I personally wouldn't go too much bigger. The trailer I have is an 18" 2005 Trail lite Trail cruiser.

 

[thebrakeman]

I believe the curb weight for the Explorer is in the 4400 lb range (my Expy was over 5000; no way this thing is anywhere near it). But even at 5100 lbs I'm well under the gross combined rating.

It tows very well and, with the brake controller, stops well also. Needs about 50-100 more HP though.

You're right. Edmunds says curb weights:
4469 - '03 Exp Limited 4x4 (your truck)
4706 - '06 Exp Limited 4x4
4562 - '06 Mounty Premier AWD (lower weight probably lack of low-range transfer case)

But I know from putting mine on a 4-point scale at work...it's 5135 empty (only 3/4-tank of gas)! So there can be a big difference between curb weight and actual empty weight. Options, I guess.

 

[abomb]

98 Mountaineer, 5.0 AWD. Weighed in at 12k once at the scrap yard towing a 6x12 flat loaded with old cast iron radiators, cast iron boiler, cast iron pipe, etc. A few times at the dump weighed in around 11k with a 6x12 packed with many bags of broken plaster and other debris while demoing a 1920s house. I usually had a bunch of tools in the truck and a couple people with me as well so the trailer was probably only between 6k to 7k.

All those times I could feel the weight, acceleration wasn't that great, had to disengage overdrive at any slight incline on the highway, mileage was piss poor at best, trailer obviously had its own brakes so it wasn't an issue. The relatively short wheelbase makes turns and backing up easier, but also makes highway towing less stable than something like a crew cab fullsize pickup. I would never recommend towing at full load for any long distances, sixty miles to the scrap yard and my knuckles were white for a few days.

Also, the one time I towed 5500lb of car carrier and car the Mountaineer was completely empty except for me, I was getting whipped around a lot more than when the Mountaineer was also fully loaded with people and tools.

 

[thebrakeman]

Getting pulled around by the car-hauler was probably more a matter of how the car was loaded, than the total weight. You need 10-15% of the actual trailer weight on the ball (so 550-825 lbs in that case), in order to combat natural tendancy to sway/fishtail.

 

[thebrakeman]

Just brought home a 2004 Forest River Surveyor SV261T. It's a 27' Ultralite Hybrid camper, with a front tipout queen bed, and rear quad bunks. Factory empty ship weight is 3980 lbs. I plan on getting it weighed soon, but it shouldn't weight more than 4600-4800 loaded. With 5135 lbs of empty Mountaineer and about 500 lbs of people, that should put us at no more than 10,400 lbs total out of 12,000 lbs GCVWR.

Can't wait to go camping!

 

[v8merc]

2003 Limited V8 4x4, tow package, only mod is a K&N FIPK. I tow my daughter's high school band trailer which is roughly 6000 lbs loaded, about 20 feet long (it's a converted car hauler). Not an easy thing to tow but well within the truck's capabilities. I get in the neighborhood of 11 MPG when towing, keeping it around 55-60. I have a brake controller connected to the factory wiring and it's the best $129 I ever spent. I only manually shift the trans while towing and pull many grades in third gear. I want to add a trans temp gauge and probably a vacuum gauge, as soon as I figure out where I want to put them. No trans issues so far.

I'd really like to find a set of towing mirrors that work well. I have some strap-on mirrors from Camping World that are barely adequate.

http://hensleymfg.com/products/mckesh-mirrors/

I have these mirrors. They are awesome. Will cost you about 175 bucks, but well worth it. I tried those crappy strap on things and hated them. Found these and never looked back.

 

[v8merc]

I have an 06 awd Mountaineer with the 4.6 v8 and factory tow package. If it matters, I also have a Magnaflow catback with a kkm intake. She makes a little more power over stock. I have a Husky friction type sway controller along with a an 1200 lb tounge weight weight dist. hitch. Inside the truck is an adjustable brake controller made by Tekonsha. Now I tow a 2010 Jayco Jayflight 19bh travel trailer. It weighs about 4200 lbs dry and about 6000 lbs loaded. Its the full height deal at 10 feet 6 inches high with the a/c unit. Also, its a tandem axle. The Mounty tows it great. I leave it out of o/d and tow at about 60 mph. Cant say enough good about this vehicle. When I started towing with it, I gained a whole new appreciation for it.

 

[2TimingTom]

1996 Jayco Eagle Series 10 popup camper. It's got a 10 foot box but the overall trailer is about 18 feet long. Empty weight is about 1600 lbs. I'm towing it with my 1997 XLT with the 4.0L SOHC motor and 3.55 gears with 30" BFG tires. I don't really know if it has a tow package or not- but it does have the factory aux cooler. I had to add the Ford bumper wire harness- it only had the license plate lights in the harness. I've since added a 4 pin and 7 pin adapter on the bumper- the Jayco takes a 7 pin. I have a transmission temp gauge but it's not hooked up yet.

It tows pretty well. I've taken it into the mountains once and it's definitely a game of momentum conservation. I dropped down to 55 mph in a 65 mph zone in the steep sections.