Trailer Towing Advice

[SoCalHarley]

I have a 2018 Explorer Sport. I am looking at a 17' toy hauler with dual axles that would be 5000lbs loaded. Any advice from those that have towed with a Sport would be appreciated. This is the first time I would be towing with this vehicle but I have towed RV's in the past. Looking for general comments on how the vehicle performs towing at max rating and what to expect. Thanks

 

[Red92lx]

You've got more then enough power, that isn't an issue. It's the weight on a unibody platform that's pushing it. It's doable in a pinch, but if I was planning to tow with this toyhauler regularly I'd look for a body on frame 1/2 ton truck to properly handle the weight.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Towing my boat..

New to the Explorer... I recently purchased a 2022 Platinum... and I need to tow my boat. The boat is a 21' Carrera Elite, essentially a day cruiser on a tandem axle trailer with disc brakes... overall length is approximately 26', with boat and trailer weighing in at about 5,000 lbs dry. The...

www.explorerforum.com

similiar to this- try to avoid peak times; as 5k is a hefty tow for the X, keep a larger following didtance, take it easy on the hills, aux tranny xooler, and watch them temps!!! other than that, should be fine if its a one time or once a season deal, but i wouldnt do it regularly

 

[Joe 16 Sport]

I have a 24' snowmobile trailer that I have towed with, and its not terribly fun. I have electric drum brakes on both axles, so braking isnt the real concern as long as you plan ahead and drive smart. It weighs 3k lbs empty and 5k lbs loaded up.

The biggest issues I have is with steering and squat. With close to 5k pounds it squats the rear suspension ALOT, which made the steering noticeably lighter and it wandered quite a bit. Also, since my trailer is significantly taller and wider than the Explorer it caught a ton of wind and it moved the car around alot more than I liked. Because of these factors I only move it around town, no expressway speeds.

In my opinion if you wanted long distance towing confidence you'd have to invest in a weight distribution hitch, and probably heavier duty suspension pieces.

 

[Mbrooks420]

You shouldn’t ever plan to tow the maximum weight regularly. If you’re maxing it out the towing you should move up a size vehicle, or downsize the trailer. These explorers aren’t exactly stout pulling themselves around, much less dragging the max they are allowed to carry.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I have a 24' snowmobile trailer that I have towed with, and its not terribly fun. I have electric drum brakes on both axles, so braking isnt the real concern as long as you plan ahead and drive smart. It weighs 3k lbs empty and 5k lbs loaded up.

The biggest issues I have is with steering and squat. With close to 5k pounds it squats the rear suspension ALOT, which made the steering noticeably lighter and it wandered quite a bit. Also, since my trailer is significantly taller and wider than the Explorer it caught a ton of wind and it moved the car around alot more than I liked. Because of these factors I only move it around town, no expressway speeds.

In my opinion if you wanted long distance towing confidence you'd have to invest in a weight distribution hitch, and probably heavier duty suspension pieces.

or maybe a larger truck if this is a regular tow... but used car prices are insane at the moment

 

[peterk9]

I have a 24' snowmobile trailer that I have towed with, and its not terribly fun. I have electric drum brakes on both axles, so braking isnt the real concern as long as you plan ahead and drive smart. It weighs 3k lbs empty and 5k lbs loaded up.

The biggest issues I have is with steering and squat. With close to 5k pounds it squats the rear suspension ALOT, which made the steering noticeably lighter and it wandered quite a bit. Also, since my trailer is significantly taller and wider than the Explorer it caught a ton of wind and it moved the car around alot more than I liked. Because of these factors I only move it around town, no expressway speeds.

In my opinion if you wanted long distance towing confidence you'd have to invest in a weight distribution hitch, and probably heavier duty suspension pieces.

A weight distribution hitch is recommended for towing in excess of 2000 lb.

Peter

 

[94Eddie]

Also, remember that any weight you load into the Explorer takes away from the towing capacity. The rated maximum load rating is typically based on the vehicle being empty. If you add more people than the driver, camping gear, food, water, fuel, etc. then your towing capacity will drop by the amount of weight you add to the chassis.

 

[Joe 16 Sport]

You shouldn’t ever plan to tow the maximum weight regularly. If you’re maxing it out the towing you should move up a size vehicle, or downsize the trailer. These explorers aren’t exactly stout pulling themselves around, much less dragging the max they are allowed to carry.

Agreed. I'm likely downsizing the trailer, because getting a 1/2 ton pickup for 3-4 trips a year doesnt make alot of sense. Its my wife car and it works great for 99.9% of time time.

or maybe a larger truck if this is a regular tow... but used car prices are insane at the moment

Thats why I have a CTS right now instead of my F150. Just dumb prices for everything and I got a great deal after turning in my loaded F150. I do miss the utility and space, but dont miss the gas mileage.

A weight distribution hitch is recommended for towing in excess of 2000 lb.

Peter

I havent seen that specified anywhere, is that just rule of thimb or published for the Explorer somewhere?

 

[ExPlat]

Your 2018 Owners Manual has a Towing section starting on page 243 that has important info. Page 251 states that towing "For towing trailers up to 3500 lb (1588 kg), use a weight-carrying hitch and ball, which uniformly spreads the trailer tongue loads through your vehicle’s underbody structure. For towing trailers over 3500 lb (1588 kg), up to the maximum trailer weight, we recommend you use a weight-distributing hitch to increase front axle load when towing."

The PTU is one of the weak points on the Explorer Sport and Platinum drive train, I'd suggest changing the fluid in it before you tow anything. Mine failed at <29k miles with reasonable driving and without towing anything, here is a 33 page Thread about it --> PTU Problems

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Thats why I have a CTS right now instead of my F150. Just dumb prices for everything and I got a great deal after turning in my loaded F150. I do miss the utility and space, but dont miss the gas mileage.

if OP plans to tow once, maybe they can rent a uhaul truck? not sure where they are... but if they tow regularly, I occasionally see a good deal on a 1/2 or 1 ton on CL or FB MKT... maybe that could work if they plan to tow on a regular basis and it makes it worth it to purchase an older 1/2 ot 1 ton just for towing/hauling duties...

 

[peterk9]

I havent seen that specified anywhere, is that just rule of thimb or published for the Explorer somewhere?

In addition to what ExPlat mentioned about the manual, it is also shown here; https://www.ford.com/cmslibs/conten...ral/pdf/guides/18RV&TT_Ford_Explorer_Oct9.pdf

Peter

 

[funwithbono]

I have a 2018 Explorer Sport. I am looking at a 17' toy hauler with dual axles that would be 5000lbs loaded. Any advice from those that have towed with a Sport would be appreciated. This is the first time I would be towing with this vehicle but I have towed RV's in the past. Looking for general comments on how the vehicle performs towing at max rating and what to expect. Thanks

I have a 16 sport with almost 200K and regularly tow a 6x12 SA (all aluminum). I run anywhere from 2,500-4,000 gross with little effort (remembering to always put it in “tow mode”) and I service the tranny every 15,000/20,000 intervals with 5qt MOTORCRAFT MERCON LV drain and fills. I service the rear dif and PTU with Redline at similar intervals; I have Bilstein B6’s front and rear as well! Everything is still tight!
Towing a 17’ DA with a 5K Gross weight is not advisable long-term…this is a “tail wagging the dog” scenario as they say. You shouldn’t regularly tow with a payload greater than your vehicle curb weight or longer than your vehicle length consistently. You can do it, but it’ll be very taxing on your fragile Sport. If this toy-hauler is what you desire and you plant to tow regularly, I’d re-think your vehicle choice!

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I have a 16 sport with almost 200K and regularly tow a 6x12 SA (all aluminum). I run anywhere from 2,500-4,000 gross with little effort (remembering to always put it in “tow mode”) and I service the tranny every 15,000/20,000 intervals with 5qt MOTORCRAFT MERCON LV drain and fills. I service the rear dif and PTU with Redline at similar intervals; I have Bilstein B6’s front and rear as well! Everything is still tight!
Towing a 17’ DA with a 5K Gross weight is not advisable long-term…this is a “tail wagging the dog” scenario as they say. You shouldn’t regularly tow with a payload greater than your vehicle curb weight or longer than your vehicle length consistently. You can do it, but it’ll be very taxing on your fragile Sport. If this toy-hauler is what you desire and you plant to tow regularly, I’d re-think your vehicle choice!

imo going isnt the problem, if my 2nd gen can pull it off the line, a 5th gen can pull better, its handling and stopping... inspect trailer brakes, your brakes, weight distributing hitch, etc etc... make sure fluids are all good, and if its a one time deal, i say uhaul, but if you want to tow with the X just take it easy! watch temps etc, and it should be fine if you keep a large following distance... also, if you plan to travel with iceboxes full of soda/pop, maybe make it half full "lighten up while you still can, dont even try to understand" well... not the second part, do try to understand

 

[JAPeterson]

I can't add much than has already been said.

But I will wager that the trailer will weigh in a couple thousand more pounds once it is loaded with water, propane, food, and the rest of the junk that people put into one.

Have you actually loaded it up with everything that you plan to take with you along with full propane and water tanks along with all the bedding and food that you will take and headed to a certified scale to see just what your loaded trailer weights? Not just going by the name plate on the trailer or listing to the trailer salesman but actually taking it out and weighing it.

 

[gday]

I have a 2013 sport with the factory class III tow option. Have towed anything from a jet ski to cars loaded in a dual axle WellsCargo Auto wagon. Numerous times at or slightly above 5000lb. I've always used a weight distributing hitch along with upgraded front brakes (to slotted and vented) and have an electrical braking controller installed. I downsized from an Expedition and the Explorer really is really small for towing such large weight even with the addons, just have to be a little cautious.