Somewhat new to this towing business and I have several questions.

I previously asked a question about a 2004 Explorer but we ended up buying a 2006 V8 Explorer XLT with a class 2 hitch, which is standard I think.

We aren't "new" to towing in general but have upgraded from a popup to a small pull behind 18 foot Jay Feather 165. It's a single axle trailer. Dry weight = 2875; Gross weight = 3775. (However, we are pretty light packers and I'd guess 500 lbs at the absolute MOST in the trailer. We are mostly weekend only campers. We wouldn't carry any water with us in the tanks, for example.)

I have been reading and reading on here but I am so overwhelmed right now and things are getting jumbled. So in an effort to get things organized in my head, I am going to ask all my questions here and hope someone can answer at least some of them.

I apologize in advance if you've seen some of the above b/c I've said it in a couple of other posts but again, I want to get everything in one spot for my sake so I can then show this to my husband aka the man who will be doing the towing.

1. I have read some replies that mention knowing the gearing of your vehicle. Why is this important? (stupid question maybe but I have no idea.)

2. It was recommended at an RV dealer that we go up to a class 3 hitch. What are your thoughts? Is this a hard swap for a 2006 Explorer?

3. The same guy at the dealer also recommended we get a different wiring harness to accomodate the trailer brakes. I was of the impression that had to be with a separate add-on so more of a manual thing?. But again, I have no idea.

4. Since this Explorer came with a class 2, it is a pretty safe assumption there is not a separate transmission cooler. Given our trailer weight, do you think this is something we should also add?

Okay, I think that's it. Any insight on any of those questions/issues is greatly appreciated. Thank you!!

 

[joecrna]

I'll take a stab at these but some of it is just personal opinion.

1. Looked on the Ford towing guide site. They only mention 3.55 gears for a 2006 V8. Changing gears is very expensive. Lower (higher numerically) gears such as 3.73 or 4.10 allows the vehicle to work less while pulling the same load. It multiplies the torque (force). Frequently a manufacturer will offer the same vehicle with several different gear ratios and the lower geared vehicle will be rated to tow much more because of this.
2. I would use a class III or III/IV hitch with your trailer. Hitches (actually hitch receivers) are rated by the max weight of the trailer they are design to be used with but there is a bit more to it. The frontal area of the trailer will directly impact the force necessary to pull it. Based solely on weight your trailer is rated 2875 dry. 3775 gross is only 900 lbs more. You would be surprised how fast this adds up. Most travel trailers are over loaded by their owners without them ever knowing. Remember "dry" does not include clothes, food, waste tanks, water (I know you said that you wouldn't have any, but truely never?), spare parts, plates, toiletries, even propane. I have no idea how hard it is to swap on a 2006.
3. If your trailer has brakes, they are usually electric and not the surge brakes common to boat trailers. This will require the proper connection to the tow vehicle. Your Explorer has a 4 pin flat connector. This does not have a provision for the brakes. This is an easy fix but will also require a brake controller. Prodegy makes a very good one. Also most states require a trailer of your size to have functioning brakes.
4. Also of interest, the Ford towing guide lists your tow rating as about 3000 lbs. It also list the same vehicle with a class III hitch as about 7000 lbs. My guess is the only difference is a transmission cooler. Look in front of your radiator for another small radiator. That would be the trans cooler, I would guess you won't find one. I personnaly would add one but it probably isn't completly necessary, depending on the terrain you pull on, the weather and your driving style. This is really a presonal choice.

OK, I think that covers it. It sounds like that RV dealer was stearing you straight. You will also need some add-on mirrors. As a recap; forget about the gears, you have what you have. Get the class III hitch receiver (2" opening) while you are getting the correct hitch for your trailer so they will fit eachother. If you already have a hitch for your class II reciever (you must, you pulled it home), you still should really consider the class III reciever. You really do need the proper wiring harness to connect your Explorer and a brake controller to the trailer so the brakes will work. The trans cooler is a good idea but probably the last thing to add.

 

[summermac]

Thank you! I really appreciate the reply.

 

[Benfrench]

On my 2006 the hitch is part of the frame. You will not be swapping the Class II but adding a class III under it. As for the wiring, everything is there if you want to add a 7 way. I went to an RV dealer and bought a 7 way adapter (permanent mount). Basically it plugs into the 4 way flat and then you connect the wires for the brakes and accesory power. Both of those wires are taped above the 4 way connector under your truck. The brake controller hookup is located under the dash to the left of the steering wheel. It is plug and play. Too easy, right! Good luck with your new rig.

 

[willied]

Don't worry about the gearing. The 4th gen V8s only have one axle gear ratio and it's good for up to 7000+ pounds. The 6 speed transmission is geared very low in the first gear to accommodate for heavy loads. I'm not sure about the transmission cooler, but I would probably recommend the Class III hitch (but don't take my word as the final say).

 

[corkey]

this picture is of my 2nd gen towing a boat, but we used a 2006 to tow them boats on a regular basis , on a round trip of 50 miles with some big hills on the way, and it lived fine with no transmission problems.
It had a Class 3 hitch .

the boat itself must weigh in the neighbourhood of about 3400 with a 500 lb plus outboard on it.

 

[thebrakeman]

I just posted to your early thread, when you were talking about a 2004. My recommendation there was that you were stuck without upgrading the gearing.

Now that you are talking 2006 V8 model, that changes things (for the better).

Having the right gearing for the load is important. Think about a bicycle. If you try starting out in top gear, your legs hurt because you have to work so hard. Likewise, if you have too much load for your drivetrain to handle, you will damage your engine and/or transmission prematurely. So when you get a factory towing package, it will often change the axle gear ratios (just like downshifting that bicycle) so the engine doesn't get damaged. 2002+ Explorers, this was going from 3.55 to 3.73 gear ratios. So the engine spins faster for a given road speed. Better for towing, but it decreases your fuel economy whether towing or not.

Enter the 2006 6-speed automatic transmission. By using this wider-ratio transmission, they were able to retain the 3.55 axle gearing, but still get the increased 7000+ tow rating. Why:
1st gear in the 6-speed (3.55 gearing) spins faster than 1st gear in the 5-speed (3.73 gearing). Better for towing.

Yet it still gets better gas mileage than the 2005 V8 with 5-speed and 3.55 axles. Why:
6th gear in the 6-speed (3.55 gearing) spins slower than 5th gear in the 5-speed (3.55 gearing).

What does this mean for you, with your 2006 V8 truck?
You already have the correct gearing for maximum tow rating, so you do not need to worry about changing axle ratios.

However, by not having the Class III/IV tow package, you are missing some trans cooling, the upgraded hitch, and the wiring for trailer brakes.

1. The upgraded hitch
In 2006, they started welding the hitches to the frames for added stiffness. Swapping the hitch is not an option. You could get an aftermarket undermount hitch, which is your best option. Etrailer has one that has a shaft that slides into your existing Class 2 hitch, then bolts underneath at 4-6 points. But if you are absolutely sure you will not exceed 3500 lbs, and you can find a 1¼ ballmount that will accept the size ball that you need, you might be fine with the Class 2. The welded hitch is not going anywhere!
2. Trans cooling. I've seen conflicting information on differnet year (2006-2010) towing guides from Ford. Not sure if the upgraded cooling is standard, or only with the package. Check with the dealer.
3. Trailer brake wiring. This is a must! Your brakes were designed to stop up to the vehicles GVWR (around 6400 lbs).
4500+ (empty truck)
3500 lbs (loaded trailer)
That's 8000 lbs before you even add people and stuff in the truck. So definitely get that taken care of, complete with a Tekonsha Prodigy, P2, or P3 brake controller. Accept no other.

 

[summermac]

Wow, thank you for that insightful post. Very helpful!!

 

[thebrakeman]

You're very welcome. I was living this while researching before our purchase 18 months ago. In my opinion, they should have made the HD tow package standard on the V8 models. It's silly to have that much capability in the drivetrain, but not put the extra wiring and hitch to match.