Towing and Transmission Cooler Advice

[ausguy96]

Hello all,
I have searched this forum and read threads related to Sport Trac towing and after-market transmission cooling but still need some advice.

03 Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin, 4x2, no towing package. 88k miles well maintained no issues. 4.10 limited slip axle. Class III hitch to be installed.

Considering towing 6x12 dual axle (with braking) cargo trailer on one-way move 2000 miles. From spec I know max towing is about 5200lbs. I will be under, 3500-4000lbs.

Will my Sport Trac handle this? Should I invest in an upgraded transmission cooler/gauge for this one-time deal? If so, how much to have a stacked plate cooler installed by reputable mechanic (I don't have the tools for this)?

Thank you for the advice and opinions as fellow owners.

 

[05explorer1974]

You should be fine. I am pretty sure if you have the tow prep package it has a cooler already. Actually I think they were standard. I have a 2003 with the 4x4 and 4.10 gear ratio. I tow a camper that weighs around 3600lbs plus us and 200 pounds in the back. I took 700 miles and went rough some hills. It did work on the hills but it made. On flat land i had know problems.

 

[ausguy96]

Thanks for the feedback. Actually, I do not have the tow package which is my primary worry.

 

[01STrunner]

You should be ok especially with the 4.10s.If this is only a one time thing or barley ever type of thing I wouldn't spend money on upgrades that you'll only use once.

Edit: A lot of non sport trac guys say that they can't pull worth a crap but in my experience and there's a couple others on here that do more work than some of the nay-sayers that have proven that these trucks will pull a lot of different things.

 

[05explorer1974]

Thanks for the feedback. Actually, I do not have the tow package which is my primary worry.

The first generation Sport Tracs came with a prep package but none ever came with a hitch from Ford. You can have a prep package not have a hitch. The second gererations came with the full package. The prep package came with the wires but that was it.

 

[ausguy96]

I read the chatter "out there" that the Sport Trac can't tow and the tranny is weak. This is why I value everyone's input. I do have my original window sticker and there is a reference to "4-pin trailer tow wiring." But I suspect I don't have an upgraded cooling system or suspension for towing.

 

[LONO100]

right in front of the radiator. if there is a second smaller radiator, you have the tranny cooler.

 

[01STrunner]

Just thought of something...
You said the trailer has breaking. Theres 2 different types of trailer brakes. One (Mostly used on large boat trailers but some utility trailers) is a bump style brake system. The other needs towing provisions and a 7 pin wire harness. It's not hard to convert to a 7 pin harness but I don't think the sport tracs came ready to wire in a brake controller if its not bump brakes.

 

[05explorer1974]

On Sport Trac's 2001-2005 the prep package was a 4 pin plug setup. Sport Trac's are not wired for a brake controller like the Explorer's (4dr.) 2002 and up. I have both a 4dr Explorer 2005 and a 03 Sport Trac. I had to have the RV shop wire my Sport Trac where as my Explorer came with a full tow package (the rv shop just had to add the wire kit that Ford supplied with the truck for the electric brakes). I have a camper that came with eletric brakes. From when I worked at Ford, they only used 1 trans cooler on that truck. If you want a better one you have to go aftermarket.

 

[05explorer1974]

I read the chatter "out there" that the Sport Trac can't tow and the tranny is weak. This is why I value everyone's input. I do have my original window sticker and there is a reference to "4-pin trailer tow wiring." But I suspect I don't have an upgraded cooling system or suspension for towing.

Ford did not offer upgraded suspension or cooling system for towing on these trucks. If anything the shocks are different for 4 wheel drive. From the factory they are set to tow the way they are. They all come the same from the factory excluding gear ratio's.

 

[ausguy96]

thanks all. I'm seeking a trailer with surge brakes to avoid the electrical wiring adventure. I see the 4 prong pig tail on my back bumper. I have a small 12x12 radiator in front of the main radiator but not sure if that is a tranny cooler. From other threads it seems like it should be the same size as a radiator.

 

[01STrunner]

I'm pretty sure that's the tranny cooler

 

[05dakotatrac]

factory trans cooler is on the passenger side of the vehicle bracket mounted in front of the radiator and condenser. i added a auxillary trans cooler that is twice the size of the factory cooler to the left side also in front of the condenser. i bout an electric autometer temp guage the temp range is 100-280 IIRC. the nice part of the electric autometer guages is the temp probe is small and the perfect size to fit in the pressure test port on the drivers side of the trans. then buy a universal A-pillar gauge holder and heat gun it to match the contour of the sport trac pillar. this is what i did when i hauled a 6X12 tandem axle surge brake trailer loaded with 3695 pounds. when you add that heavy trailer and that weight i was pushing 4200-4500 pounds the truck did well. gas milage sucked but thats a given. i hauled from illinois to western south dakota in the black hills. the praire land was a breeze. when i hit the hills i the temps raised a bit but it never overheated the trans never gets over 160 not hauling and hualing that load i never hit 180.

so to shorten and recap: get one of the $50 autometer water temp gauges, and a trans cooler the install is rather easy to be honest but if you are weary than any trans shop should be able to install this