Solved Explorer Towing Capacities

This is your max towing capacity. Meaning all cargo, passengers and weight of trailer and contents included. Don't think you can load up with stuff in the truck and still tow this amount of weight on a trailer!

 

[BRIAN95]

trans cooler

Do all tow packages come with a trans cooler. I have a 01 mounty with v8 AWD 4 door I have a tow package installed from factory and have a small air radiator in front of reg radiator, is this small thing it.the computer inside just says ok trans temp but no actual reading.

 

[Mbrooks420]

The tow package IS a trans cooler, and the pre-wiring for the trailer lights. There should be 2 small coolers in front of the rad, the trans cooler, and the power steering pump cooler. if you are going to tow a lot another trans cooler is always a good idea. Cool trans fluid= long life.

 

[Badspell68]

My stock trans cooler looks like it is the one on the left front side of the car. Where would I install a second on and how large should it be?

 

[Mbrooks420]

I'd install it so the grill opening was directly in front of it. Best bet is probably to measure the area of rad you want to install it on, and then look for one close to those dimensions.

 

[Badspell68]

What would be the best method of adding it? Should I drain all the fluid first or just ad additional later? Also, how is the fluid circulated...is there some type of pump?

 

[Mbrooks420]

No need to drain the fluid. A fluid change wouldn't hurt, but unhooking a hose from the tranny won't cause it all to leak out or anything. I'd run it so the fluid went thru the rad, then the factory cooler, then the aux cooler. There is a pump in the trans. that moves the fluid.

 

[Badspell68]

I did not know the trans fluid went through the same radiator as the engine coolant...is that the c

 

[Mbrooks420]

Yeah, the trans fluid runs through a separate part of the rad, and then into the secondary cooler. On vehicles with no cooler it runs through the rad, and then back to the trans.

 

[capper]

I am not sure the best place to post this question so please advise.

I have a 2002 Ford Ex 4.0L V6 with the standard Class II tow package (4pin hitch?). The dealer says my tow capacity is 3500lb. I want to tow a pop-up camper that is 2000lb dry in Colorado with 2 adults and two kids. The people we are borrowing the camper from have a V8 Tahoe and they say they cannot maintain the highway speed limit in the mountains. I know the Tahoe is a heavier car taxing the V8 but my guess is that this is going to be too much for my Explorer in the mountains. Am I right?

 

[GreenMando]

I have a 2002 Ford Ex 4.0L V6 with the standard Class II tow package (4pin hitch?). The dealer says my tow capacity is 3500lb. I want to tow a pop-up camper that is 2000lb dry in Colorado with 2 adults and two kids. The people we are borrowing the camper from have a V8 Tahoe and they say they cannot maintain the highway speed limit in the mountains. I know the Tahoe is a heavier car taxing the V8 but my guess is that this is going to be too much for my Explorer in the mountains. Am I right?

I used to tow a pop up with a 84 Nissan truck and never felt it behind me, that was with a 2.4L 4 cyl. I doubt you will have any problem with it. You could always hitch it up and tow it around town for a few miles and see.

My guess is that the Tahoe may not be running right.

 

[Mbrooks420]

What's the highway speed? What is the rear axle code listed on the white tag on the drivers door? If doing this definitely get a tranny cooler.

 

[qjdb]

I didn't have any problem pulling a pop-up with my 99 Sport 4.0 V6 last summer, going through the Rockies near Calgary.

If it started 'lugging', I just turned off the overdrive, it would kick down into 3rd, and I never went any higher than 3000 RPM, going 100 km/h (60 mph).

If you have any REALLY long hills to go up, then, yeah, you might notice some difference, and, yeah, you might slow down. I did slow down on the Coquihalla highway in BC, but that is one long 30 km hill.

Just put on your 4-way flashers, and get this bumper sticker

http://www.puxtradingpost.com/produ...id=79&osCsid=2d6f0cc68e92bd9ff79efbca65a87f8d

While there, check out http://www.popupexplorer.com/index.php Cool site, with lots of modifications to do to your pop-up

Quentin

 

[ExpOwner2002]

Can I tow a 2300 Pound Boat??

I have a 2002 XLS 4.0 3.55 Explorer and I am looking at buying a 2300 pound boat with trailer. It might weight close to 2800 with the trailer. In any case can I tow the 2300? can I tow 2800?? I have a class III hitch (after market), and no additional cooling unit.

Please help!!

 

[00V8]

I have a 2002 XLS 4.0 3.55 Explorer and I am looking at buying a 2300 pound boat with trailer. It might weight close to 2800 with the trailer. In any case can I tow the 2300? can I tow 2800?? I have a class III hitch (after market), and no additional cooling unit.

Please help!!

You should have no problems towing that boat. I would recommend a transmission cooler if you are going to be making very long trips with it.

You will notice it is back there, it will tax the explorer, but the weight is within the tow limits.

 

[Badspell68]

Was surprised, even on steep hills my old ford handled it no problem. On the straightaways I was cruising around sixty or sixty five. My speed dropped significantly on the really steep hills, so I had to dropped it down into second manually. I tried to always keep the RPMs just bellow 3000. Only approached high temperatures, around 200, in the heat of North Dakota with intense head winds. Used synthetic oil and changed it as soon as I got to Alaska and will change the tranny fluid on the way back. Even though it all went well...I knew I were towing something large and it did effect my steering significantly.

 

[BRIAN95]

trailer brakes

i am lookind at buying a open car trailer to use with my 01 mounty awd v8 and the place were i live can sell me one for 1900. but it only has brakes on one axle i was looking for brakes on both but will have to order it and cost more, will this work or need both brakes. car weights around 3200.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I would tow that with single axle brakes, but 2 axle brakes are probably better. In PA any dual axle trailer needs brakes on both axles, and any dual axle trailer needs a periodic inspection.

 

[huntman58]

sorry to bump this but in reading all the post only one time was it even brought up and that was when gen 1 explorers were talked about but the frontal area of a trailer has a lot to also do with your towing abilities also. This is why a Boat or pop up tent trailer is easier to pull then the same size and weight of a hard wall travel trailer or utility trailer. The full size ones also have a larger wind resistance factor to them. The smaller size of our explorers leads to a larger trailer frontal area so this becomes a factor for us. So in this case lower your trailer size as in weight by at lest 25% or fallow your manuals instructions on frontal area as it is for a reason.

Now how strong our trucks are see if this helps
1993 explorer 4.0 bone stock with 373 gears and auto trany. Towed the large enclosed U haul trailer from Idaho to Calif with it loaded to the gills. Weight unknown but most likely over the 5,600 lbps limit plus the truck had two adult males one over 400 lbs alone and the truck was also stuffed with things. Tranny had just been rebuilt. Ran find even pulling Donner summit pass at 45 mph all the way up. Yes I was pushing it. 2 month later trany was being rebuilt again as it blew up and I lost over drive again! Later I had a 16 foot outboard fish ski boat you would not know it was there for the most part unless it was a long steep up hill grade or down hill as one slowed ya down the other pushed you like mad. the explorer handled the boat with no problems for over two years but the heavy load of that u haul trail I would not do again as it also had some frontal area beside the Weight to it. Even empty I know that trailer was there! now I did also get to pull it over the pass in the snow storm at the time but even with 4 x 4 I had to chain up the truck and trailer so did not use the 4 wheel drive but again no problem pulling the load at low speeds and as I said this was a major over load for the truck. so for once and a short trip I would tow at or near the max but for long trips or continued towing I would never come close to it but would stay at lest 1,000 lbs from it to keep the truck running and for peace of mind also. This comes from pulling trailers both camp and boats for about 25 years now. By the way my explorer now has over 200,000 miles on it with the trany rebuild at around 140,000 miles but that is the only major work it has ever seen to date so far. Darn good trucks if ya ask me and I feel it is now just broken in so lots more miles left in it yet I feel also.

 

[BRIAN95]

anti-sway lt

i was woundering if anyone has used an anti-sway kit. i used a uhaul car trailer( told them my truck was a 2002) with a weight around 2000lbs. car on trailer was around 3300lbs. car towed ok around town with low speeds alittle slow up hill but at around 45mph started to sway around road pretty bad. was looking to get my own trailer and was looking at a way to help towing the car. truck is and 2001 mounty v8 with class 3 hitch stock motor.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

i was woundering if anyone has used an anti-sway kit. i used a uhaul car trailer( told them my truck was a 2002) with a weight around 2000lbs. car on trailer was around 3300lbs. car towed ok around town with low speeds alittle slow up hill but at around 45mph started to sway around road pretty bad. was looking to get my own trailer and was looking at a way to help towing the car. truck is and 2001 mounty v8 with class 3 hitch stock motor.

You need a weight distribution hitch if you plant to tow often, they are kind of expensive, but well worth the money, it will really make it tow nice. I evenly spreads the tongue weight front to back on your tow vehicle, you won't have rear end sag, and much improved steering.