Howdy Folks ... I have heard nothing but cons about towing anything behind an Explorer. Previous Explorer owners tell me stories of exploding transmissions and over-heating. They say you can't pull anything - not even an unloaded utilty trailer without causing some sort of damage. Now my question is this: if that is so then why did my Explorer ('99 4x4 XLT 4-door, 4.0 SOHC) come with the 'trailer towing package' (trans cooler, class III hitch, wiring, etc.) if a person can't tow anything? I plan to tow a small pop-up camper (around 2000 lbs. loaded). If I do, will my Explorer self-destruct as everyone tells me it will? Anyone have any experiences to confirm/counter this claim? Thanks in advance! PigHead P.S. I have also heard that U-Haul will no longer rent a trailer to anyone with an Explorer due to their propensity to flip-over - obviously referencing the Firestone fiasco. Any truth to that as well?

well if it makes anyone feel better

i moved a 6,000lb forklift and trailer a good 60 miles and back with no ill effects to date.

i do happen to have goodyear tires on mytruck but that is about the only change

this was about a year ago so that would put be at the 148,000 mile marker as i am at the 164,000 mile mark now, in a 97 sport.

i'd say just make sur eyou have the proper tires and true towing equipment ie. hitches, whatever sway bars and cooling require ments

now youarent gonna move a 26ft sea ray up the colorado mountains in themiddle of summer to well but for avaerage towing  our trucks do quite well

i am a car dealer (ironically for chevy) and i have a wholesaler who tows cars and trucks with his every day  and he has had no problems

so a pop up should be no big deal at hall

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I've been towing light loads with mine occasionally for most of the time I've had it--about 2 years, with no problems to date. I installed a class III receiver the first summer I had it. I've pulled my dad's pop-up camper, I have a 6x10 utility trailer that I use for firewood & hauling junk around, and I've pulled my Fiero & Escort on a tow dolly numerous times, including a couple of trips of about 150 miles. Never overheated (or come close) and to date, I have had no tranny problems. I've got about 132k on the clock now, and am due for a tranny fluid change. If I were towing larger loads than that, I'd get a bigger tow vehicle. 1996 4 Door XLT, 4.0 Auto Andy P.S. FWIW, U-Haul will not rent a tow dolly either if you tell them it's for a fiero because it's RWD. Kind of like a "zero tolerance" corporate policy. Write a policy that makes some sense on paper, regardless of real world facts. Probably an attempt to avoid a liability issue, I guess. We all know Explorers just flip over all the time. :-)

Thanks for the feedback. I bought my Explorer new in '99 with the trailer towing option just so I could tow stuff. Doesn't make sense that you couldn't. I feel better now. PigHead BTW - Only 23,000 miles on it ... I know, I know. Drive it more - but that's what my Harleys are for ;-)

For what it's worth I havn't towed with mine, but I had the transmission serviced just for preventative measures  between 75k-80k miles and the mechanic went out of his way to note that it was exceptionaly clean and in good shape especially at that mileage. I am under the impression, due to expierence, that american made cars rarely can go over 100k miles without having transmission replaced/serviced. I've kinda wondered if the good condition of the transmission could be due to having the towing package w/tranny cooler.   Maybe that will make you feel better about having the towing package.   '00 4door XLT, 5.0 auto

Hey PH, I have made an art form of abusing my 93 Explorer on very rough roads and by pulling overloaded trailers with it. I have pulled nearly 5k pounds with it (very carefully) as well regularly (5-10 times a month) pulling a light motorcycle trailer with it. The Explorer has hauled all the trees, wood, concrete, rebar and straw (straw bale construction) that has gone into the several structures we have built at our acreage. As well as several cords of wood each fall for the fire. I have professionally driven long haul, buses and tons of farm equipment so I have been around trailers a lot but anyone with a little respect and common sense should be able to pull a light trailer under any conditions with no problem IMHO. I also believe that most trailer towing accidents occur due to loose interface in the seat to steering wheel connection. Jerry > Howdy Folks ... > > I have heard nothing but cons about towing anything behind an > Explorer. Previous Explorer owners tell me stories of exploding > transmissions and over-heating. They say you can't pull anything - > not even an unloaded utilty trailer without causing some sort of > damage. Now my question is this: if that is so then why did my > Explorer ('99 4x4 XLT 4-door, 4.0 SOHC) come with the 'trailer > towing package' (trans cooler, class III hitch, wiring, etc.) if a > person can't tow anything? I plan to tow a small pop-up camper > (around 2000 lbs. loaded). If I do, will my Explorer self-destruct > as everyone tells me it will? Anyone have any experiences to > confirm/counter this claim? > > Thanks in advance! > PigHead > > P.S. I have also heard that U-Haul will no longer rent a trailer to > anyone with an Explorer due to their propensity to flip-over - > obviously referencing the Firestone fiasco. Any truth to that as > well?

Keith,   We have 1998 with the 5.0 in it......We have trailered our 1988 Fourwinns 21 foot boat appx 5000 miles with it over the years and now have a smaller 18 foot trailer we tow also. we have NEVER had any problems towing either.   Scott
"Keith (aka

Thanks again for the replies. Question for those who have hauled a trailer - do you leave tranny in overdrive - or disengage while pulling? TIA! PigHead

PigHead: A few weeks out of date on my email.  I saw your earlier post reagrding towing, and all the replies, but I didn't see a reply to this one. If you're hauling with a trailer - take it out of overdrive.  The gas mileage will go down - but you'll save a lot of wear and tear on your tranny.  The load will keep shifting it out of OD.   I've got a 99 4.0L SOHC.  Packed a 6x10 cargo trailer full - heavy load - and drove it 1400 miles from VA to TX earlier this year.  Only thing I did was have the trans fluid flush done before I left - cause I knew it would take a bit of a beating.  I killed the rear shocks on the trip due to the load and some shitty roads along the way (interstate believe it or not), but I had no problem with the trans.  A year ago I hauled my bike from VA to Daytona (800 miles each way) - not a bit of trouble on the trip or since.   Tow away - you should be fine.  Just use common sense.   Ralf  

Gracias! Thanks for the info! PH P.S. So you moved to Texas? If so, where?. I'm just north of Dallas.

No. I'm in VA. Moved my old man down to Houston (brother's place). My brother and I keep talking about getting together and riding the bikes around Texas for a week - but schedules haven't worked out. Good luck w/trailer. >harley89xl writes: > Gracias! Thanks for the info! > PH > P.S. So you moved to Texas? If so, where?. I'm just north of Dallas. >

I've never had any problems and I've hauld cars on a car hauler, ditchwitches and a trailor and I don't even have an additional cooler. Of course, I change the fluid regularly, which I believe had a lot to do with it. If I get the least hesitation between gears or from reverse to drive, I change the fluid and it goes away. It is really an easy process. Take off the tranny pressure line from the tranny cooler, have a empty jug ready and run the vehicle. Pour fluid in as it comes out. Takes about 3 gallon jugs last time until it came out nice and red.   Christopher

Len

I've put about 38K on mine while hauling a pop-up camping trailer, a 6x10 utility trailer with various junk and firewood, and various cars on a dolly, with no ill effects. The X had about 100K on it before I bought it. BTW...Chris, I was thinking about flushing my tranny. I have not looked, but which line is the one coming *from* the cooler, and do you disconnect it at the transmission end? I realize it probably doesn't matter where exactly you do this, but it would be nice to know which way the fluid is flowing before disconnecting lines. Mine is a 96 XLT with 4L 6 cyl. Andy

hehe, I wish I could tell you off hand, but I just pulled the left one and started the truck and watched the fluid fly! It is the one comming of the bottom most part of the tranny, which is hard to tell right now.   I really said that wrong, because someone already corrected me about that a while back. It is better to flush from the RETURN line, comming from the cooler. This removes the fluid from the cooler too!   Chris

Andy