[TJNDND9]

Hi All,

New to the forum.....I've searched for an answer to this question online to no avail...so figured I'd check here.

I'm looking at purchasing a 2017 Ford Explorer, 3.5 L AWD with the trailering package. I have a boat and trailer stored in Canada that I'm going to make a run up from Chicago and retrieve. The boat/trailer/motor has a combined total weight of around 1700 pounds - the trailer does not have brakes. I currently own a GMC Terrain, to which the manual states "for trailers without brakes, the maximum trailer weight should not exceed 1000 lbs".

Does anyone know if the Explorer has a similar restriction when towing a trailer without brakes? I checked the owner's manual and there doesn't look to be any specific verbiage that speaks to trailers without brakes and the weight capacity. Thanks for any input you can provide!

 

[jwrezz]

Hi All,

New to the forum.....I've searched for an answer to this question online to no avail...so figured I'd check here.

I'm looking at purchasing a 2017 Ford Explorer, 3.5 L AWD with the trailering package. I have a boat and trailer stored in Canada that I'm going to make a run up from Chicago and retrieve. The boat/trailer/motor has a combined total weight of around 1700 pounds - the trailer does not have brakes. I currently own a GMC Terrain, to which the manual states "for trailers without brakes, the maximum trailer weight should not exceed 1000 lbs".

Does anyone know if the Explorer has a similar restriction when towing a trailer without brakes? I checked the owner's manual and there doesn't look to be any specific verbiage that speaks to trailers without brakes and the weight capacity. Thanks for any input you can provide!

You're looking for trouble for sure. Don't mean that offensively, but a rowboat on a light weight trailer killed a friend of mine when it came around the side of his Jimmy. IMHO no trailer shouldn't have brakes. 1000 lbs for sure. Nearer to a ton just careless to everyone else on the road.

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[jwrezz]

That said in NJ you're "legal" up to 3000 or 40% of vehicle weight. A 2017 explorer is nearly 5000lbs so your max trailer weight without brakes is just under 2000lbs. That's legal, not necessarily safe. Now in Michigan you don't need brakes unless combined weight is over 15,000 or a 5th wheel/king pin setup is used. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

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[Ohio Snake]

From the 2018 Explorer Towing info:


Many states require a separate braking system on trailers with a loaded weight of more than 1,500 pounds. For your safety, Ford Motor Company recommends that a separate functional brake system be used on any towed vehicle, including those dolly-towed or towbar-towed. There are several basic types of brake systems designed to activate trailer brakes:
1. Electronically Controlled Brakes usually provide automatic and manual control of trailer brakes. They require that the tow vehicle be equipped with a controlling device and additional wiring for electrical power. These brakes typically have a control box installed within reach of
the driver and can be applied manually or
automatically.
2. Electric-Over-Hydraulic (EOH) Trailer Brakes are operated by an electrically powered pump that pressurizes a hydraulic fluid reservoir built into the trailer’s brake system. Many of
the available EOH trailer brake models are compatible with the Ford factory installed, dash- integrated Trailer Brake Controller (TBC).
3. Surge Brakes are independent hydraulic brakes activated by a master cylinder at the junction of the hitch and trailer tongue. They are not controlled by the hydraulic fluid in the tow vehicle’s brake system, and the tow vehicle’s hydraulic system should never be connected directly to the trailer’s hydraulic system.
Be sure your trailer brakes conform to all applicable state regulations. See Towing Safely for All Vehicles on the next page for additional braking information.

Betting 2017 would be similar.


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[Gencoupe]

Mine does very well stoping 4,000lb boat with trailer without hydraulic brakes functioning. (13 Explorer sport)
Need for brakes when towing over 1,000lb is idiotic lawyer fluff for US.

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[elyk864]

Hi All,

New to the forum.....I've searched for an answer to this question online to no avail...so figured I'd check here.

I'm looking at purchasing a 2017 Ford Explorer, 3.5 L AWD with the trailering package. I have a boat and trailer stored in Canada that I'm going to make a run up from Chicago and retrieve. The boat/trailer/motor has a combined total weight of around 1700 pounds - the trailer does not have brakes. I currently own a GMC Terrain, to which the manual states "for trailers without brakes, the maximum trailer weight should not exceed 1000 lbs".

Does anyone know if the Explorer has a similar restriction when towing a trailer without brakes? I checked the owner's manual and there doesn't look to be any specific verbiage that speaks to trailers without brakes and the weight capacity. Thanks for any input you can provide!

I tow an RV trailer that is right around the 4000lb range when loaded. It does have brakes but coming down a large hill when in tow mode I really don't even need them because of the engine braking. I tested the braking performance with and without the brakes on the trailer just to see a worse case scenario and it wasn't massively different. So for a 1700lb trailer you should be fine. I have a 2017 Ford Explorer Sport.

 

[rjlipscomb]

Use the tow mode and extra, extra caution. The concern is when you make an emergency stop, you have an additional 1700 lbs of mass that must be stopped by your brakes. Generally, stopping is within the limits. But an immediate, slam on the brakes stop adds quite a bit of extra force/load. Otherwise, you may not even know the boat is there.

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