2013 Explorer, do I need a brake controller?

I recently purchased a 2013 Explorer with the factory installed tow package and I was curious if I needed to have a brake controller installed. I called the Ford Dealership in town and they indicated that Ford doesn't make brake controllers for the Explorer and I would have to buy an aftermarket one and have it installed somewhere else.

I went to a local truck place and they had no idea what to do when they looked at my Explorer, he said he had to find some stuff out and then get back to me about what needed to be done.

I am supposed to be picking up my trailer in a few days and I just want to make sure I have everything I need.

Thanks in advance!

 

[thebrakeman]

1. Read your 2013 Explorer Owner's manual cover to cover. It will have basic information in a towing section which would answer most of your questions.
2. Read this 2013 Explorer Towing Guide. It will answer all of your questions, and many more you haven't thought of.

The short of it:
1. You must use a weight-distributing hitch, otherwise you are limited to 2000 lbs. Unless you have ordered the very smallest of popup campers, you will need a WDH.
2. Your 5000 lbs max tow rating is for the actual loaded weight of the camper. Since you don't know what that is, a good approximation is 800 lbs over "dry" weight, or 600 lbs over "delivered" weight. Using the GVWR of the trailer is too conservative, IMO, as few campers will ever get loaded that much. But neither should you expect to tow a 4800 lbs "dry" camper, since no camper ever gets delivered or used at "dry" weight.
3. The towing guide refers to typical state laws that often require trailer brakes for any trailer over 1500 lbs. That's good enough for me. But even if your state does not require it, in my professional opinion:
If the combined weight of the 2 loaded vehicles will exceed the tow vehicle's GVWR, then you must have functioning trailer brakes. This is because the Explorer's brakes are only designed to adequately stop the Explorer itself, up to it's GVWR, but NOT it's GCVWR (combined rating, see towing guide). For a camper, that's almost always electric brakes, controlled by an in-cabin electric brake controller.

I highly recommend the Tekonsha "P2" or "P3" controllers as the best bang-for-the-buck. RVWholesalers.com or etrailer.com sells the P2 around $125 and the P3 ~$30 more. They are funcationally identical, but the P3 has a more user-friendly LCD user interface, while the P2 (used to be called "Prodigy") makes do with a more basic digital readout and dots. I have had my Prodigy for 11 happy seasons, used in 3 different tow vehicles. Anything cheaper will not perform as well, nor as easy, nor have such good diagnostics. Anything that performs better will either be prohibitively expensive for the casual camper, or only be available as OEM option (such as the SuperDuty trucks integrated controller...which was designed by Tekonsha!).

Your vehicle may or may not have pre-wiring as part of the tow package. But from what I read in that towing guide, you will have to get additional wiring installed for the controller back to the 7-pin controller, as well as a 12V charge line if you want to charge your camper battery in-route. This is routine work that can be done at any trailer/towing shop. I had my first minivan done at The Hitch House, to tow our popup camper. When we had to replace that van, I did the wiring on our replacement van myself, with a kit from etrailer.com. Our Mounty was all set as received.

Give this thread a few more days. Hopefully someone with a 5th gen will chime in, and let you know whether you have this pre-wiring or not. You can also look at the wiring coming into that 7-pin connector. If there are only 4 wires, you only have lights. If there are 6, then you also have the brake and 12V wire. 7th pin is typically unused (reserved for backup lights).

 

[dcplorer]

Generally, any trailer over 3000 pounds requires its own braking system which is activated by a brake controller inside the tow vehicle. The tow package for the 2013 Explorer includes the wire harness that a controller connects to. The trick is to locate the harness, which is well hidden. On mine, I had to remove the panel located just above the brake pedal. The harness is tucked into other wiring just to the left of the steering column. You can't go wrong with any Tekonsha brake controller. When I bought my RV, the dealer included a Tekonsha Voyager controller with the deal. It works as advertised. Good luck.

 

[thebrakeman]

Voyager is a decent proportional controller. I think it's pendelum-based, which means moving parts that can wear out, and has to be leveled properly.

The thing to stay away from is any time-delay controller. Avoid at all cost.

 

[2013_Exploder]

I recently purchased a 2013 Explorer with the factory installed tow package and I was curious if I needed to have a brake controller installed. I called the Ford Dealership in town and they indicated that Ford doesn't make brake controllers for the Explorer and I would have to buy an aftermarket one and have it installed somewhere else.

I went to a local truck place and they had no idea what to do when they looked at my Explorer, he said he had to find some stuff out and then get back to me about what needed to be done.

I am supposed to be picking up my trailer in a few days and I just want to make sure I have everything I need.

Thanks in advance!

Quick and easy. You never mentioned what you were dragging or how much it weighs... I drag a car trailer with a Jeep behind my '13 Base 4x4 with the trailer package. Everything you need to tow up to 5500# is already installed if you have this, with the exception of a brake controller. I have a Prodigy P2 on my Ex. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYyTvZYE3p8 It's very simple to install. Takes less than 15 minutes if you have the harness. I bought mine here: http://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Tekonsha/90885.html If you have any other questions, please PM me and I'd be more than happy to help you along. The whole process is pretty simple.

I might add, I installed my controller using 3M sticky tape with activator. You can pick it up at any auto paint supplier. The tape is not strong enough on it's own.

Depending on your trailer, you may want to install an airbags to reduce the sag caused by the extra weight. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/air-60821?seid=srese1&gclid=CIych--mibwCFYkWMgodORQAQg Mine sits a bit low out back when loaded. I'm planning on installing a set in the near future.

 

[thebrakeman]

Per the 2013 Explorer towing guide (see my 1st post), you need the HD towing package AND a weight-distributing hitch kit (WDH) in order to get that 5000 lbs max tow rating (not 5500 by the way). Air bags are for helping with cargo/payload in the truck. For a heavy trailer, you need the WDH, not just to level the rig, but to push weight back onto the front wheels for stability (steering and traction).

Proper trailer weight distribution is at least 10% on the ball. Any more, and Ford believes you are overloading the rear suspension and/or removing too much weight from the front suspection. Any less than 10%, and you will have stability (sway) issues. Do not rely on electronic or mechanical sway control to compensate for improper trailer loading.

Get the right equipment.

 

[2013_Exploder]

5000 lbs max tow rating (not 5500 by the way).

You're right, my bad.

 

[silverfz]

Yes you do . I towed a Coleman Utah Popup for quite a bit last year. GVWR was 3800 lbs and it was loaded. The explorer was loaded to the max. I used cheap voyager plug in that worked great.

Mine did not have a tow package . even then the plug was there . I put a class III hitch , 7 pin and a brake controller to the non tow package 11 explorer to tow. Only in the highways I let it in "D" . I drove it in "M" exclusively in mountain letting the engine to rev . this v6 is a rev happy one and also keeping the OD kicking in. I towed the same popup to NY with a 05 dodge ram hemi . even then the performance and easy with which the explorer towed the same rig compared to the ram was day and night better.

 

[Milty]

...Wat's the Tow Limit ? 5000 ±2000

Quick and easy. You never mentioned what you were dragging or how much it weighs... I drag a car trailer with a Jeep behind my '13 Base 4x4 with the trailer package. Everything you need to tow up to 5500# is already installed if you have this, with the exception of a brake controller. I have a Prodigy P2 on my Ex. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYyTvZYE3p8 It's very simple to install. Takes less than 15 minutes if you have the harness. I bought mine here: http://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Tekonsha/90885.html If you have any other questions, please PM me and I'd be more than happy to help you along. The whole process is pretty simple.

I might add, I installed my controller using 3M sticky tape with activator. You can pick it up at any auto paint supplier. The tape is not strong enough on it's own.

Depending on your trailer, you may want to install an airbags to reduce the sag caused by the extra weight. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/air-60821?seid=srese1&gclid=CIych--mibwCFYkWMgodORQAQg Mine sits a bit low out back when loaded. I'm planning on installing a set in the near future.

Exploder, I appreciate all your posts, and I find I tend to trust your judgments, so how far did you tow this 5000Lb 4th gen Explorer,..sitting on a 1700 Lb Trailer? This looks like "Braggin' Rights, or maybe a "Mythbusters" episode on Towing Safety Factors from the Ford Corp Offices?