Factory trailer tow package

[jimmal]

Hello can anyone tell me how to find out if my 97 explorer limited has a factory trailer tow package, because I want to install towing equipment and I need to know for the wiring THANKS

 

[Brian97V8]

Mine is tucked under the bumper on the passenger side of the truck.

 

[jasonb]

the trailer tow package is just the auxillary trans cooler. you will still need the wiring harness. just a basic one, but you need it. the plug on my 99 was pretty much in the driver side tail light housing. you will see it from under the truck. it had a red rubber cap on it.

 

[John_Rock]

I can't say for sure what exactly Ford means when they say an Explorer has a towing package.

I'm pretty sure that tranny coolers are standard on all 2nd Gen Explorers.
Because we all know how sucky Ford auto trannys have become. That even with a stock tranny cooler many transmission won't make it to over 100K miles. The darn things should come with 3 tranny coolers stock! I've added a 2nd additional B&M 19GVW rated tranny cooler to my Limited and still can't believe some of the temperatures my tranny oil will hit during normal driving without a load. And it still isn't summer yet!

I'm pretty sure that for the Explorer, the towing package is just the 4 wire trailer plug at the rear bumper. Both my Explorers came with them. BTW, the Sport Trac also had two untapped wires hanging down near the bumper. One labeled "power", the other "ground".

On the bigger Ford's(F150s, F250, Expeditions, Excursions, etc.) I believe the towing package includes a wiring harness up under the dash making it easier to plug in an electric trailer brake controller. I know my Limited did not have such a harness and I had to tap in to wires myself to install my electric trailer brake controller.

 

[Robert]

From '95 through '97 the optional tow package consisted of the auxillary transmission cooler, the highest ratio differentials offered for the size tires that the particular Explorer has, a limited slip differential in the rear, a round plug to plug in the included 24" wire adapter (converts to standard 4-wire, flat connector), heavy duty flasher relays and a class II bumper. On the '95 through '97s if you have a limited slip,and auxillary transmission cooler you have the towing package. In '98 Ford started including the cooler as standard equipment but the limited slip was still only available with the optional tow package.

The optional tow package differs from the standard "trailer tow prep". The standard package only comes with the class II bumper and a different wiring setup that takes a different connector adapter.

 

[jared ajlouny]

how do i kno if i have the tranny cooler?

 

[John_Rock]

It would be located behind your front grill on the passenger side and is only about 9" wide. And has two rubber hoses attaching to it at the bottom.

Edit - hold on, I've got a picture of the one on my Limited. I'll post it in a minute after I find it.

 

[John_Rock]

Ok, here's a picture of the stock tranny cooler on my 2000 Explorer Limited.
This is with the front grill and bumper removed.

 

[John_Rock]

Here's my current setup...

And I still want to add a puller fan to the B&M tranny cooler.

 

[Crankcase]

Holy crap, thats a small cooler.....the one on my X is the size of the whole rad in dimension.....Unless it was a special order for the police?

The #1 in my pic is the tranny cooler....
The # 2 is the A/C condenser or whatever....It is the same size as the transmission cooler on later Explorers it looks like??

Anybody with a first gen have the same as me?

 

[james t]

Crank- basically all police vehicles have huge tranny coolers installed on them. that thing doesnt look stock to me. ive never seen Ford use a cooler that large on anything. 99% chance its part of the Police package. i know this is a stupid question, but are you completely sure that's the tranny cooler? that thing is so big i would think it would restrict flow too much. my parents motor home had a cooler on it 1/3 that size.

 

[John_Rock]

Holy crap, thats a small cooler.....the one on my X is the size of the whole rad in dimension.....Unless it was a special order for the police?

The #1 in my pic is the tranny cooler....
The # 2 is the A/C condenser or whatever....It is the same size as the transmission cooler on later Explorers it looks like??

Anybody with a first gen have the same as me?

ok. Are you sure? On my 2nd gen Explorers, the A/C condensor is the size of the radiator.

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

My '96 doesn't have an tranny cooler. I have the 4.10 LSD too.

 

[Trckmagik]

Crancase,

All of my first gen explorers look identical to yours. The tranny cooler is the smaller cooler on your drivers side. I have upgraded these on many first gens that look identical to your. Hope this clears somethings up

 

[N7XME]

Actually, if your 1st Gen is like my 93, then the tranny cooler is integral to the bottom of the radiator. Look for the tranny lines that run into the bottom, driver side of the radiator. The bottom 2 tubes are for the tranny. At least that is how mine is. Then there is the smaller A/C condenser in front on the driver side.

 

[Robert]

All Explorers use the bottom of the radiator for cooling. The auxillary cooler adds cooling capacity that is used in series with the standard radiator/tranny cooler.