Community Forums

10Boomer · 05-28-2012, 08:03 PM

We have a 2012 Explorer, Limited w/tow package, in the process of purchasing a Rookwood 2109s, Mini Lite TT. Does anyone in the forum have the next Generation Explorer and do you tow a TT? Any assistance would helpful, thanks..

CoachDJS · 05-28-2012, 08:21 PM

To small a tow vehicle for me. I like my Excursion with the 7.3 diesel.

10Boomer · 05-29-2012, 03:34 AM

Understand you concerns, but that's what I have, just seeing if someone in the forum has a current combo. I agree sold my F250, tailoring down to one car household. Thanks for the comments.

JohnBoyToo · 06-01-2012, 08:07 AM

When the new explorers came out, we liked the looks of them and actually went to test drive one, but opted for the 2011 Audi Q5 since it is my wife's daily driver - and got the 12 250 for our tow duties...

as with any towing,
the quick and dirty approach is to look at your trailers GVWR (4724 lb?) and
ensure it is less than the tow rating on your explorer (5000 lb?)...

My WAG? you will be right at or over the limit when you add all your gear...
not to mention your 200 hp engine will be pushed hard if any hills challenge you.

the only way to tell is to weigh your fully loaded combination.... good luck.

on edit never mind --> http://www.irv2.com/forums/f50/new-ride-125607.html

Go Dawgs · 06-01-2012, 05:23 PM

You will be close or over max. Before you sign for the TT look at the sticker on the trailer and see what its GVWR is if it is around 3500 to 3800 you might be OK. Some will say you can't but you will have to keep the gear under 700 pounds and will be a good WDH and sway control. You also need to know the hitch rating of your tow system. See if it can handle around 700 lbs or so. That will probably be you hitch weight.

Good Luck
Arnold

CoachDJS · 06-01-2012, 09:58 PM

Down in Lawrence KS last year saw a Explorer pulling what appeared to be about a 22 ft ultra light. He said it did fine as long as he went easy. I prefer my Excursion, but apparently it worked for them. Said they had been all over US.

10Boomer · 06-02-2012, 05:32 AM

Appreciate all the comments, it helped before purchasing the wrong model. The dry weight of TT with all the options was 3625, I'm figuring about 450- 500 pounds of supplies/ equipment should place us at 4100 to 4200 lbs. Checked total GVW and combo, well under. Pulling back from Napa RV were we purchased it pull very well, yes I wish I had the V8 power, but the V6 with the next generation transmissions did very well, the tow button takes the OD out of the system, pulls at 1800 to 2500 rpms depending on grade, uphill heavy she's at 3000.
We will just take it easy, no rush right, it's suppose to be relaxing and fun!

P n J

JohnBoyToo · 06-04-2012, 06:40 AM

You might check on your explorer forums...
but on the many towing fords I've had(I lost count at 6

, but no explorer ),
I rarely towed in tow/haul or disabled overdrive...

As long as your tranny is not 'hunting' for the right gear or
tranny temps are not climbing too high, you are good...

in one gear and with the torque convertor locked is the best method...
good luck with it and make some memories !

TXiceman · 06-04-2012, 06:43 AM

The explorer will work OK with your 19' trailer. I would add an external transmission cooler and transmission temperature gauge.

Go to the severe or extreme service maintenance schedule for the engine and transmission. I would also add HD shocks to the mini-truck as well.

Get a good weight distribution hitch with sway control and set it up properly. I like the Reese Dual Cam Straight line. It is a well proven design and the cost is reasonable. It is bit more trouble to install and set up initally, but worth the effort. Lots of dealers do not like to sell it, becaus it is harder to install properly, but can be easily done by most owners.

Ken

10Boomer · 06-05-2012, 04:51 AM

Appreciate the help, Tx, JohnB, yes i have lived on the explorer forum, while thinking of purchasing the new EX, the tow package is very aggressive, especially in the Limited, 4WD model, slightly different transmission package, which includes dual transmission coolers, ( but no temp gauge), might install one! The 4WD model does come with heavier suspension, with tow packages installed.
Funny you mentioned the WDH, with the sway control, the dealer and I researched this issue and ended up calling the factory rep.. The a explorer with tow packages, has electronic sway control, and do not recommend the sway control added to WDH, they say it will counter the vehicles computer sway control. I must say the vehicles sway control is very good, even with windy conditions. When towing home which was about 47 miles over some hilly terrain, I tried the not using the OD lock out, but it was searching when terrain changed, use the TOW button, and it worked much better, it also activates Hill descent mode, which is like an electronic jake brake, that was a surprise. I'll keep you posted on the Explorer towing escapades of the future, but the trailer is light enough, just weighed the trailer loaded, with minimal water 1/4 full, 4,114lbs, not to bad, oh tongue weight on the scale, 326lbs. Thanks for all the help.
P n J

10Boomer · 06-05-2012, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoachDJS

Down in Lawrence KS last year saw a Explorer pulling what appeared to be about a 22 ft ultra light. He said it did fine as long as he went easy. I prefer my Excursion, but apparently it worked for them. Said they had been all over US.

Was it a new generation of Explorer? 2011 - 2012

TXiceman · 06-05-2012, 06:19 AM

10boomer, I just do not believe the "integral sway control" Ford has will do what you wnat it to. All they are doing is trying to control sway through braking. It will still need a W/D hitch to level the load. A W/D hitch transfers some of the weigh from the ball back onto the front suspension so that it will ride and drive properly.

It sounds as the dealer does not know beans about towing a trailer.

The Explorer has pretty soft suspension and if you dump the 12% tongue weight of the trailer on the rear bumper, it will squat the rear and raise the front. Even with a load leveling suspension, it will raise the rear to level, but all of the laod is still on the back and the steering will be light.

We towed a few years with an older Explorer and it can be used to tow, but it has it''s limits. All I would wnat to tow with an Explorer is a max of 21'. Beyound that you will have the tail wagging the dog.

Ken

10Boomer · 06-05-2012, 11:07 PM

I agree tx, the WD hitch helps a lot, also adjusted weight. I think I'm owing up to the dealer this week to add the sway components back on the trailer, in winds she moves around a bit.

SmokeyWren · 06-06-2012, 07:31 AM

It sounds like you did a good job of matching tow vehicle to trailer. You'll probably be right up against the weight limits, but not overloaded, if you use your head when loading the trailer.

The Ford 2012 RV and Trailer Towing Guide says the 2012 Explorer with 3.5L V-6 engine and AWD requires both the factory heavy duty towing pkg and an aftermarket weight distributing hitch to tow more than 2,000 pounds. So ignore any idiot that claims you don't need a weight-distributing hitch.

My 2012 F-150 has that build-in electronic trailer sway control. I just returned from a 4,000-mile trip to eastern Tennesee, southern Ontario and northwestern Michigan, dragging my 5,000 pound TT with a Reese Strait-Line dual-cam WD hitch with sway control. Towed like a dream. Absolutely no problems with sway or anything else. No apparent conflict between the electronic sway control and the real thing built into the hitch.

GCWR on your Exploere with the HD tranny cooler and WD hitch is 10,125 pounds. To determine if you're overloaded, fill up with gas and weigh the wet and loaded rig on a CAT scale. (Wet and loaded means a tank full of gas and all the passengers normally in the car when on the road.) If your gross weight is less than 10,125 pounds, then you should be good to go. However, you must also be aware of the weight limits inside the SUV. You cannot haul a car full of linebackers and tow a 5,000 pound trailer at the same time without exceeding the GVWR. Your Explorer has two weight limits you must worry about.

The GCWR tells you how much weight you can pull, including the wet and loaded weight of the trailer, without overheating the drivetrain.

The GVWR tells you how much weight you can haul, including the hitch weight of the trailer, without exceeding the capability of the suspension.

When loaded with a family and stuff, your limiter will probably be the GVWR instead of the GCWR of the tow vehicle.

So when you weigh the wet and loaded rig, add the weights on the front and rear axles of the SUV, and compare the total to the GVWR of the Explorer.

My 2012 F-150 Lariat with the tow pkg includes a digital transmission temp gauge in the "guages" mode of the info center on the dash. Doesn't your Explorer Limited have that gauge too? If it has the gauge, then the red line is about 235°. If it doesn't have the gauge then I would add a tranny temp gauge before I towed a TT over any mountain ranges.