2012 Ford Explorer Trailer towing

[Gators]

Hello. We're thinking of purchasing a new 2012 Explorer in the near future. We are also thinking about getting a new travel trailer to tow. My question. . What is the biggest trailer we can buy to tow behind it? I know it'll tow 5000 lbs, so perhaps a trailer around 3500 or 4000 lbs would be OK?
Thank you!

 

[Rick]

Welcome to our forum. I moved your thread to the Stock 2011+ forum.

 

[TIO M]

Well first off welcome...

Many will tell you here it is safe to all the way up to 5000 lbs, just make sure that that is including gear, clothing, fluids, in/on the trailer.

I tow a boat, with boat and trailer it is about 4400lbs with fluids and gear. Probably more like 4500 to 4600lbs I'm sure with all the extras in it like, vests, safety equipment, tube, and anchor. It will pull fine!!

ONE THING YOU SHOULD REALLY BANK ON IS 4WD!!! One of our other members only has front wheel drive and had some minor traction issues trying to pull a boat out of the water, but you'll be hauling a trailer and I would apply the same situation to you when going up hill or for emergency. When you get the 4WD system you are allotted a weight increase to a total of 10125lbs of GCVW... Vehicle, Payload, and Trailer= 10125lbs.

If you have any other questions let me know. Make sure you get a Weight Distrubtion kit and ensure you order the factory Tow pacakage!! You'll get all the benefits and a nicely intergrated factory installed OEM parts. Follow the manual for towing purposes, also make sure you put atleast on 1k miles on break in before pulling any trailer.

Happy Towing!!

 

[tmilicia]

I'm towing a 20' hybrid camper that weighs in at about 4000 lbs. loaded up. My trailer has an unloaded weight of 3600 lbs. You'll definitely want to get a good weight distribution hitch with sway control for towing a full height camper.

 

[Gators]

Thank you for the information! Can't wait to buy the new Explorer (and will probably get the 4WD!)

 

[JohnnyDop]

I'm towing a 20' hybrid camper that weighs in at about 4000 lbs. loaded up. My trailer has an unloaded weight of 3600 lbs. You'll definitely want to get a good weight distribution hitch with sway control for towing a full height camper.

QUOTE]

Does that mean you are towing a total of 7600 lbs?

 

[Car 54]

I had traction issues towing my ~5000lb car/trailer with FWD. The wet roads made starting a real exercise in planning ahead. It is not enough for me to have wished for AWD. If I was boating, I'd probably want the rear wheels to ensure I get out of the water. RWD only pulling out a boat can be bad as well, if the trailer gets too deep and the boat's buoyancy lightens the tongue....forgetaboutit.

 

[tmilicia]

I'm towing a 20' hybrid camper that weighs in at about 4000 lbs. loaded up. My trailer has an unloaded weight of 3600 lbs. You'll definitely want to get a good weight distribution hitch with sway control for towing a full height camper.

QUOTE]

Does that mean you are towing a total of 7600 lbs?

No, I'm towing about 4000 lbs.

 

[JDraper]

If you're planning on towing with the Explorer, get the 4WD version as mentioned above. I've towed several times with weights in the 4k-5k range with now problems. The Explorer is quite capable towing those weights.

 

[Amazing Base]

My Kodiak trailer is very similar to yours in size and weight. The towing has been fine with our Ex. We have the WD hitch. Only complaint is that Ford does not offer factory towing mirrors and the stock mirrors are too narrow towing an 8 ft wide trailer! Also, on the road towing, our MPG drops to about 13!
Whats your experience on these?
Thanks

 

[Car 54]

Towing a few thousand pounds (or a big box) with anything other than diesel will put your mpg into the teens. Be happy with low teens, as a good amount of fullsize V8 trucks will be single digits.

 

[tmilicia]

My Kodiak trailer is very similar to yours in size and weight. The towing has been fine with our Ex. We have the WD hitch. Only complaint is that Ford does not offer factory towing mirrors and the stock mirrors are too narrow towing an 8 ft wide trailer! Also, on the road towing, our MPG drops to about 13!
Whats your experience on these?
Thanks

I haven't really found the mirrors on my Explorer to be an issue, sure I can't see behind the trailer, but I don't really need to. I didn't get the BLIS option on my Limited so I have the extra blind spot mirrors that Ford put in the corners and it works fine for me. You're not doing bad at 13 mpg while towing the camper. I'm averaging about 12.3 on most of my trips up and down the Ohio Turnpike going to Cedar Point with the camper (I get 25.1 in the Ex without the trailer). There's alot of wind resistance with these full height travel trailers that's working against us.

 

[TIO M]

I haven't really found the mirrors on my Explorer to be an issue, sure I can't see behind the trailer, but I don't really need to. I didn't get the BLIS option on my Limited so I have the extra blind spot mirrors that Ford put in the corners and it works fine for me. You're not doing bad at 13 mpg while towing the camper. I'm averaging about 12.3 on most of my trips up and down the Ohio Turnpike going to Cedar Point with the camper (I get 25.1 in the Ex without the trailer). There's alot of wind resistance with these full height travel trailers that's working against us.

Good to see that somone other than me is reporting 25+ on the highway and on 4WD!!

 

[FordService]

Thank you for the information! Can't wait to buy the new Explorer (and will probably get the 4WD!)

Welcome to the boards, Gators! As you can see, the community here is awesome. Great choice on the 4WD! I know you’re going to love it.

Cory

 

[Car 54]

I haven't really found the mirrors on my Explorer to be an issue, sure I can't see behind the trailer, but I don't really need to. I didn't get the BLIS option on my Limited so I have the extra blind spot mirrors that Ford put in the corners and it works fine for me. You're not doing bad at 13 mpg while towing the camper. I'm averaging about 12.3 on most of my trips up and down the Ohio Turnpike going to Cedar Point with the camper (I get 25.1 in the Ex without the trailer). There's alot of wind resistance with these full height travel trailers that's working against us.

Why don't you want to see behind the trailer?

 

[tmilicia]

Why don't you want to see behind the trailer?

There's nothing interesting going on back there anyway when i'm traveling forward I can see to both corners of the rear of the camper, just not directly behind it.

 

[RandyH2]

Another vote for AWD. I was pulling my boat out of the water today and had some tire slippage even with AWD. It got the job done, but I don't think the Hankooks are the best tires for that job.

Remember that technically there are two limits on your towing capacity: the weight of the trailer and the total weight of the vehicle, occupants,cargo, and trailer.
The trailer limit is 5,000 pounds
The total limit (GVCW) is ~10100 pounds. The vehicle alone, in Limited trim with 302a, weighs 4872 pounds ( http://www.edmunds.com/ford/explorer...est-specs.html ) - I don't know if that includes a full tank of gas.

Assuming you have AWD, that gives 10096-4872 = 5132 pounds of combined occupant/cargo/towing weight. In my case, subtract 380 pounds for 4 people and another 30 pounds for gear, food, etc. and the available towing capacity is down to 5132-410 = 4722 pounds. Fill up those extra seats with people and more gear and suddenly you have to start removing weight from the trailer...

That said, I think there is some safety factor engineerd into those restrictions. I wouldn't risk it in the mountains!

 

[Spengracin]

Thanks for all the info, great thread to learn from others.

 

[TIO M]

No problem with our vehicles being so new, we need all the help we can get with each other.

 

[Spengracin]

Just a note r idea; friend of mine added a portable rear camera on his trailer, don't know the particulars, but it works.