2016 Explorer towing review

[Marcus22]

hey all,

Just wanted to give a towing review.

I would give my explorer 5/5 stars! I am really impressed. I have a 2016 Explorer XLT AWD, 3.5L, factory tow package, and I put a brake controller on it.

I pulled a 1955 Ford Customline (3,200LBS ish) on a tandom axel car hauler trailer (1,000 ish LBS) over 300 miles! Pulled great! Plenty of power, 14 MPG doing 70!

I thought it would struggle or not be stable in cross winds, but it was great!

 

[kam327]

Good to know thanks. I'd like to get a trailered boat someday, going as big as I can without exceeding the 5,000 lb tow capacity, and I'm concerned about pulling it up a wet launch ramp with my front wheel drive only. But I can rest easy about pulling it down the flat Florida roads.

 

[DWZ]

I would love some more information on this. i just purchased a '15 XLT FWD with Class III Tow Hitch (Factory) and would like to be able to pull my '12 Ford Focus to the race track. I figured a dolly would work. Can you talk to me about the brake controller? What does that do? What additoinal things did you add to allow the lights to work. What is the sway controller? I'm newb to trailering, clearly.

 

[peterk9]

I would love some more information on this. i just purchased a '15 XLT FWD with Class III Tow Hitch (Factory) and would like to be able to pull my '12 Ford Focus to the race track. I figured a dolly would work. Can you talk to me about the brake controller? What does that do? What additoinal things did you add to allow the lights to work. What is the sway controller? I'm newb to trailering, clearly.

I'm not an expert on towing but am willing to offer some help. I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.
I believe a brake controller when installed in the vehicle will enable the brakes on the trailer to function when the vehicle's brake is used.
How Brake Controllers Work
When the 'Sway Control' feature is activated it will if necessary apply brakes to decrease vehicle speed. See page 274 of your Owner's Manual.
As for wiring, I found this thread using the Forum's 'Search' feature; Towing Wiring Harness
If towing more than 2000 lbs it is strongly recommended to also use a Weight Distribution Hitch; Weight Distribution Hitch Canada
Hope some of this helps.

Peter

 

[JAPeterson]

You won't find electric brakes on a dolly type car trailer.

Usually what people mean about sway control is a set up on both the towed trailer and towing vehicle where the weight is equalized out between the to. A car dolly will not have something like this.

For the lights to work I would just get some magnetic ones like tow trucks use and place them onto the towed vehicle that is if you use just a dolly. You would have to do quite a bit of wiring to get the lights to work on the towed vehicle while it is connected to your Explorer

 

[DWZ]

Got it, thanks. I clearly have a lot of research to do on this trailering thing. The track is 90 miles from my house on fairly easy roads (love Central VA!) but want to do it properly and safely.

 

[Marcus22]

Got it, thanks. I clearly have a lot of research to do on this trailering thing. The track is 90 miles from my house on fairly easy roads (love Central VA!) but want to do it properly and safely.

I would get a trailer that has brakes. It’s easy to install the brake controller on your explorer, it’s all plug and play.

 

[Mlarv5]

I would get a trailer that has brakes. It’s easy to install the brake controller on your explorer, it’s all plug and play.

I would also recommend getting a regular trailer to haul the car on. If it gets wrecked or the back axle or XX brakes you would still be able to get it home. The last thing you want to do is drag a car that far.

 

[nizmugen]

Just bumping this to the top - does anyone else have any towing experience?

Like @DWZ, I also want to tow my car to the track lol

 

[Marcus22]

Just bumping this to the top - does anyone else have any towing experience?

Like @DWZ, I also want to tow my car to the track lol

I’m sure lots of people here have towing experience. What information are you looking for?

To piggy back on the advice given to @DWZ, I would also suggest towing on a trailer with electric brakes and not a dolly.

 

[peterk9]

........... What is the sway controller? I'm newb to trailering, clearly.

Trailer Sway is covered on page 274 of your Owner's Manual.

Peter

 

[kam327]

Good to know thanks. I'd like to get a trailered boat someday, going as big as I can without exceeding the 5,000 lb tow capacity, and I'm concerned about pulling it up a wet launch ramp with my front wheel drive only. But I can rest easy about pulling it down the flat Florida roads.

Was finally able to tow a big boat the other day with my FWD Limited (3.5 NA). Towed my buddy's 4,000 lb (incl. trailer) 21-foot Mastercraft and launched it at the boat ramp. I was very glad to see it pull the boat up the ramp with no problem. One of the drive wheels did lose traction very slightly the second time I pulled it up, but I did press the accelerator a little too aggressively. I will say though that I did choose a ramp with a very rough surface (by design) to maximize traction; and I have new Michelin Defender (truck) tires on it. I'd try this with even greater caution with the stock Hankooks or at a steeper or smoother ramp.

Did fine on the road too up to 60 mph and no brakes on the trailer (I know, but I was borrowing my buddy's older boat just to test it out - will have brakes on any trailer I own).

 

[Mlarv5]

I didn't read all the post in this thread, so this may have been answered already. Boat trailers normally don't have electric brakes they have hydraulic brakes. So you will not need a brake controller.

 

[JAPeterson]

It doesn't look like there is a hydraulic brake set up on that trailer tong from what I can see of it.

 

[Biohazrus]

It doesn't look like there is a hydraulic brake set up on that trailer tong from what I can see of it.

Or as I read before the pictures:

and no brakes on the trailer

 

[kam327]

It doesn't look like there is a hydraulic brake set up on that trailer tong from what I can see of it.

Actually there is, I guess it's built into the square tube instead of on top like more modern setups. But the system wasn't operating - no hydraulic fluid, I don't even know if there were any brake pads in place.

 

[Mlarv5]

Actually there is, I guess it's built into the square tube instead of on top like more modern setups. But the system wasn't operating - no hydraulic fluid, I don't even know if there were any brake pads in place.

I was saying this as an FYI. If I were pulling 3000 or more pounds with my EX I would want brakes on the trailer. A boat trailer with hydraulics brake should do just fine. The issues I see is at the Ramps and you seem to understand them already. Just take it slow on the ramps turn off ABS when pulling it out so the wheels can spin if needed without cutting power from the engine.

 

[Mbrooks420]

The last thing I’d want to do on a mossy ramp is spin.