XLT w/out Tow Package question

[1995E]

An aftermarket hitch would only allow you to tow up to 2,000 pounds. You need the factory hitch and oil cooler to get to 5,000 pounds of towing. Also, if I were you, I would not go for a 2011 used Explorer and if you do, do a car history on it or make sure it will come with a warranty. 2011 Explorers are widely known for their issues as I have one with more than 10 trips to the dealer for various problems.

 

[roamingphantom]

My thoughts are:

- Mass means you will need 4wd for snow so thats the way to go. Tow hitch just happens to be in the deal.

You are going to need 4wd more than you think in Mass so forget the 2wd. Remember once you go 2wd it cant be upgraded.

http://weather-warehouse.com/WeatherHistory/PastWeatherData_BostonLoganIntLArpt_Boston_MA_March.html

 

[peterk9]

Hi everyone,

We are currently in the market for a new-to-us car and we've narrowed it down to the Ford Explorer.

In our price range, there are several 2011 Ford Explorer XLT's that we are interested in. However, the one we drove today did not have a tow hitch on it.

Now, towing is *NOT* going to be something that we do all the time. However, we are in the military and are getting ready to move from Texas to Massachusetts this summer. It would be really great to have an extra trailer behind us to pack some items in that our movers will generally not move (firearms, paperwork, etc.) We have three small dogs that will be occupying the backseat, so the cargo area in the back with the third row folded down would basically just be for some dog food and our suitcases for the driving trip.

From what I can tell, the tow package option also adds an oil cooler to the car to assist in towing, so if I got a simple hitch installed, I would not be able to tow the total of 5000 lbs. However, if I do get a hitch/wiring installed, I could tow maybe 2000 lbs?

The uhaul trailer I have been looking at is a 4x8 and weighs about 800 pounds, so that would leave me with about 1000 pounds left to tow. We will be nowhere near that weight limit. I would estimate maybe another 300-400 pounds worth of items in the trailer and maybe 200 pounds in the rear cargo space.

The dealership we were just at said they could install a trailer hitch no problem and it would be fine with hitching a trailer onto it and making the drive. However, they are salesman and I wanted to get other's thoughts on this.

With that being said, we are wondering about the following:

1) How much would it cost to install a trailer hitch/tow package on a 2011 XLT?
2) Would this be adequate to tow a trailer with maybe 1300 pounds TOTAL (including trailer weight) from Texas to Massachusetts?

Right now, we've got two cars in mind at different dealerships. One is 4wd with the tow hitch for $30k, and the other is a 2wd without tow hitch for 26k. I just don't want to spend money on things I don't need.

Welcome to the Forum nwin.:wavey:
As indicated in my message, I have merged your thread with this one. You may also want to check out the following thread inthe 'Modified' forum;
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328221&highlight=tow+package

Peter

 

[Project X]

,,

 

[alexk]

Hi everyone,

We are currently in the market for a new-to-us car and we've narrowed it down to the Ford Explorer.

In our price range, there are several 2011 Ford Explorer XLT's that we are interested in. However, the one we drove today did not have a tow hitch on it.

Now, towing is *NOT* going to be something that we do all the time. However, we are in the military and are getting ready to move from Texas to Massachusetts this summer. It would be really great to have an extra trailer behind us to pack some items in that our movers will generally not move (firearms, paperwork, etc.) We have three small dogs that will be occupying the backseat, so the cargo area in the back with the third row folded down would basically just be for some dog food and our suitcases for the driving trip.

From what I can tell, the tow package option also adds an oil cooler to the car to assist in towing, so if I got a simple hitch installed, I would not be able to tow the total of 5000 lbs. However, if I do get a hitch/wiring installed, I could tow maybe 2000 lbs?

The uhaul trailer I have been looking at is a 4x8 and weighs about 800 pounds, so that would leave me with about 1000 pounds left to tow. We will be nowhere near that weight limit. I would estimate maybe another 300-400 pounds worth of items in the trailer and maybe 200 pounds in the rear cargo space.

The dealership we were just at said they could install a trailer hitch no problem and it would be fine with hitching a trailer onto it and making the drive. However, they are salesman and I wanted to get other's thoughts on this.

With that being said, we are wondering about the following:

1) How much would it cost to install a trailer hitch/tow package on a 2011 XLT?
2) Would this be adequate to tow a trailer with maybe 1300 pounds TOTAL (including trailer weight) from Texas to Massachusetts?

Right now, we've got two cars in mind at different dealerships. One is 4wd with the tow hitch for $30k, and the other is a 2wd without tow hitch for 26k. I just don't want to spend money on things I don't need.

Your going to be in Massachusetts, get the 4x4. You'll end up kicking yourself the first winter without it, the fact that the two package is on there already is a plus. Those prices seem to be a little on the high side, not sure what these things sell for in Texas, but you should be able to get a limited for those prices.

 

[PlatinumSport14]

Does anyone know what "heavy duty brakes" are on the Explorer. I've searched for brake parts as I like to have an idea how expensive maintenance items are before buying. I find that there are brake rotors for "standard" and "heavy duty" brake packages available, trying to find out if there really is a difference, such as size or just specifications.

 

[gomli]

I've had the factory hitch installed on my non-towing package XLT. I towed a 4500 lbs boom with no problems whatsoever.

Keep an eye on your Overdrive, if you feel like it's not shifting right, put in manual mode and you can function just like the tow button.

Unless you tow over 2500lbs on a daily commute, I would not worry about it.

The frame/brakes and engine are all the same. Just keep an eye on the rev's.

Note : This is just my opinion, I am by far an expert lol

Cheers

 

[londo M.]

I know this is an old tread but I just added a hitch to use a flat platform which has brake lights on it. I do not like running the wires under the hatch. There are several foam and rubber grommets on the d/s corner where the harness plugs in but I can not find the correct path to run the harness to the under carriage from inside. my hitch goes under the bumper.

 

[xAnarChisTx]

I know this is an old tread but I just added a hitch to use a flat platform which has brake lights on it. I do not like running the wires under the hatch. There are several foam and rubber grommets on the d/s corner where the harness plugs in but I can not find the correct path to run the harness to the under carriage from inside. my hitch goes under the bumper.

If you are talking about the 4-pin trailer wire, maybe this is what you are looking for:

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/ford_content/catalog/accessory_files/sk-bb5j-15a416-aa--all.pdf

 

[182RG]

but I can not find the correct path to run the harness to the under carriage from inside.

Buy this. It connects to the factory harness under the vehicle, not inside. No splicing - it's plug and play.

http://www.etrailer.com/Custom-Fit-...plorer/2011/118540.html?vehicleid=20111171941

 

[londo M.]

My harness came with the hitch. it was designed to be wired inside. I will do some more exploratory surgery on it this weekend.