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Towing question.

Hi have a 2002 V8 mountaineer {same as explorer, but uglier......some may comment] Anyhow....I should have bought the optional tow package when I bought the vehicle. Its rated to tow 7200 LBs.. It comes with a reciever hitch with a 2x2 reciever. My truck didn't come with the tow package and only came with an 11/4 x 11/4 reciever. I want to maximize the towing capacity of this truck. First, I need to replace the reciever with a 2x2 reciever rated to 7200 lbs . Question 1 - I have only found a reciever from ford rateed to 7200 lbs,. no aftermarket seems to be available I'm looking for a cheaper alternitive to a $350 reciever from ford, Is one availabe? Question 2 - To swap out the reciever I'm told the rear bumper cover must be removed, not something I want to do. ford says the'll do it for about $400.00 also something I don't want to do. Any comments or experience? Question

3 - are there any other modification [tranny cooler?} made to the truck when a tow package is installed from the factory? Question 4 - have I overlooked anything? Final comment - I just don't want to pay ford about $700. to swap a class II hitch to a class III / IV and maybe not get all the work required to get it to Its max capacity.

------------ towing a large boat 24' / 6500lb total - short distances.

Reply to
Robert DeSimone
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Have you checked out Reese and DSP?

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and
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repsectively. I haveinstalled DSP for many years and find the quality to be equal to Reese butat a reasonable price. YMMV.

-- Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net

Reply to
Jim Warman

I tow a 20' travel trailer with a 2000 V8 XLT. That Explorer has a rating of 6600lbs with the towing package. My trailer is about 4000lbs and I use a weight distributing hitch. I've been satisfied with the handling and performance but I can definitely say I wouldn't want to tow anything up near the rated weight. The power just isn't there to comfortably do it. The newer Explorers are a little bit bigger and a bit more powerful than mine but I strongly suspect you'd never want to tow anything up near the tow rating. Think about the extra money you have to spend to get up near that limit which may be unrealistic anyways. It may not be worth it. I'm sure the Explorer can handle it but don't expect to be going 60-70mph on the interstate unless it's downhill with a tailwind.

- Scott

Reply to
Scott

Robert DeSimone wrote in news:JGXYa.18184$ snipped-for-privacy@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net:

I have the same car with the factory tow package. Other differences include pre-wired trailer light plug and 3.73 limited slip differential gear set. A trany cooler is never mentioned and I wouldn't add one. The transmission is sealed and the fluid is good for 150K miles. Opening it up could contaminate it. Here's some info I found on the web about the trany at

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"Another major change is in what cannot be found under the hood - a dipstick. The new transmission is sealed at the factory with 11 quarts of a semi-synthetic blend of specially formulated fluid that does not require service for 150,000 miles. This is an advantage to owner convenience and the environment.

Because Mountaineer and Explorer are the first Ford Motor Company SUVs with sealed transmissions they were subjected to a series of brutal lab and real-world tests. Some tests were conducted at Ford's Research and Engineering Center in Dearborn, Mich., where the transmissions were run for

50,000 miles at speeds of 115-120 mph on a dynamometer. Real-world tests took place at Ford's Arizona Proving Grounds, where trailer pulling, mud baths and steep hill-climbs were standard daily fare."
Reply to
akheel

Something to keep in mind depending on how long you are going to keep your 02. Most, if not all, after market warranty companies will not honor their warranty if you have added an after market tow bar and package to your vehicle.

Michael J. MacMahon Captain (ret.) KCPD

Golf is not a matter of Life or Death; it is MUCH more important than that.

Reply to
Michael MacMahon

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