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Comments
I think if things go right we will simply trade it for a 2004 V8/4WD auto 4dr with the appropriate tow package.
Unfortunatly we have a lot of hills around here and that's what I'm most worried about.
The RV dealer is willing to let us take the trailer for a day to make sure it will work, but before I could do that I would have to spend the $1k + to get my truck ready to tow.
I love my Explorer, its a great truck and the thought of parting with it isn't a nice one. We are certain we want to buy a camper, but it seems we will have to figure out the tow vehicle thing first.
Like I said, I'm a GMC guy in enemy territory! :-)
An excellent brake controller is the Prodigy by Tekonsha. When set correctly, I cannot feel the trailer braking action, very smooth. For hitches, I don't know what is available in Alaska. Down here we have a company called Discount Hitch that does a good job and the hitch is the same as what U-Haul sells. All welded and custom fit to the vehicle. Valley Hitch is another good brand.
Jim
98k miles: 2nd A/C system dead. I just buy the refills for the summer
JBL Sub in rear blown
New tranny @ 97K ($2500) From what I've seen, unless you did a once a year service (15-25k) on the tranny, you're screwed. The trannys are only design to last 100K miles. I have 4 Fords in company truck fleet. all new trannys at or around 100k miles. 2nd tranny in truck with 210k miles.
Parking brake shoes crumbled apart. $100 a pair from Dealer only?!? Forget it. I'll turn the wheel to the curb on hills.
No dieseling or any engine leaks (thank Goodness)
Latest, Right side head lamp and fog lights out. 2 fuses for this system? Quoted @ $500 for module replacement under the dash.
Good Mileage though. 70 miles a day HWY/CITY average 19/gal.
Not for nothing but if Ford is going to advertise and give us the speal on these rigs, then they better last longer than 10 years. Just going to run it into the ground for now. No use selling or trading it in after a new tranny and lights.
Hubby is pretty certain he'll just trade the V6 for a V8, he wanted to do that a month ago anyway. Course we have to sell the cursed Chevy first.
Do a search on headlight problems. I ran into this with a 97 LTD, its the LOM in the message center that's the problem. I'll find the link and post it here later.
Anyway, check these out, hope it helps.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177839
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200312
recently it handled like a sports car. I had the chrome rims replaced and the passenger front tire because of a slice in the side wall. I didn't notice any handling problems until I took it on the highway. It just didn't feel right. One problem was a bad shock (driver's rear)which the dealer fixed. I asked for a 4 wheel alignment which he said was done and everything was in spec.
The truck still just doesn't feel like it did before, it feels loose. Its not fun to drive anymore, I don't feel that positive feedback with the wheel. The dealer looked the truck over and couldn't find anything wrong. I don't know whether to believe them because they said everything was fine before and I had to tell them about the bad shock. Does (or did) anybody else have any handling problems with their explorer 2002-2004? I have to drive from MA to Florida this July and I'm hoping to have what ever is wrong fixed by then. Any ideas??
sfox - Most aftermarket wheels are not round. Sad, but true, and they do change the handling charactistics of the car. Cars are engineered with very close tolerances for the wheels and tires they are made with. When you change the wheels and tires, you change the geometry of the whole car. It's going to handle differently. My guess is there's nothing wrong and if you put your original wheels and tires back on the truck, your old truck will be back.
I have a guy who works for me who did the same thing with his BMW. He's back to the factory wheels now.
The new V8's come in 2WD, Control trac 4WD, and AWD. I am shooting for 4WD.
My V6 is averaging 17 mpg in mixed driving and 19 mpg hwy.
I am learning to drive a lot less these days, so the mileage isn't a huge issue.
My salesman informed me today that they have a 2004 EB Explorer for $32k, MSRP $42k. Its the ad truck, loaded up, he said its nice and one of only a few V8's that they have left.
I'm in no hurry, we'll see. I love my little V6 Explorer.
I just made an appt for it at the Ford dealer next week, the rear hatch is leaking water and the truck is clicking and binding up when I turn right.
I agree, the tekonsha Prodigy controller is awesome. noplace really good to put in the dash area of the 95-2001 era exploders, so I put mine in with two 5/8-inch standoffs just right of the console, hanging under the dash. I got it within a few degrees of horizontal there, and it's not in my way, or in the passenger's way. wired all the current lines with 10-gauge back to the 7-pin socket, and fused both inputs (battery charge lead and trailer brake lead) at 20 amps. that ought to be good for five axles
WARNING, the prodigy can blow up if you get into a breakaway situation and the breakaway switch puts trailer +12 volts across the brake lead while you're still hooked up to the connector. if you were to put one of the old-time "safety charge diode" kits in the controlled brake lead from the prodigy, cathode to the trailer side, you would protect against that. those were sold to isolate the alternators from whatever might be behind the car, and you should still find some in dusty old trailer parts places. if you can't, an 80-amp pellet or stud diode, insulating kit, 4 degree per square inch heat sink, and a couple tubes of epoxy with some stainless bolts and some wax paper and cardboard so the middle of the heat sink where you mount the diode and wire out to the bolts as wiring studs can be potted in the epoxy. I did that for dad's old truck and never had to worry about it afterwards. I used a 400-volt 80-amp stud diode because it's enough overkill for the next world war.
the other way to fix it is to have a short trailer connector lead and size the pull wire for the breakaway switch so that the trailer connector is OK on even crabbed turns, but if you separate the trailer and pull forward an inch, it starts coming out. three inches, and the breakaway cable snaps that switch on.
or, alternatively, since your trip is basically over if you have a breakaway situation, buy another prodigy. everybody stocks 'em, and I got mine over Da ISH for $100, a 1/3 savings. but be aware that there is that one glitch in an otherwise perfect, PERFECT controller. even works proportionally backing up on uneven ground. can't recommend that unit enough.
Thanks, Ray
lol
Jim
jf.. i don't think the springs are any different with the towing package on an explorer. new ones have a 7 pin connecter.
it counts in the conditions where you might hook up a load, have the hitch come apart, say "oh, well," and go back to the shop for another one. stuff like construction, trailer jockeys shifting their U-Hauls from one storefront to another, and so on. Joe Average, if their Winnie breaks loose and turns into matchsticks in the median, doesn't really need another brake controller for a few months. but they ought to know that it is possible to blow up ANY electronic brake controller if the breakaway switch is activated. the prodigy just mentions it in the manual litter someplace.
and yes, I have not yet put a diode on mine. I will before long. just Because I Can....
He's only had one trailer (18' car hauler weighing 2500 lbs empty) come off the ball and that was his fault, he forgot to lock it down. Thankfully the chains held and the tongue went under the truck. Cars in the oncoming lane, he never lost control, even on the icy roads. Got the whole thing stopped with no real damage. Lesson learned, he triple checks and so do I.
these goodyears really build pressure when warm.
98k miles: 2nd A/C system dead. I just buy the refills for the summer
JBL Sub in rear blown
New tranny @ 97K ($2500) From what I've seen, unless you did a once a year service (15-25k) on the tranny, you're screwed. The trannys are only design to last 100K miles. I have 4 Fords in company truck fleet. all new trannys at or around 100k miles. 2nd tranny in truck with 210k miles.
Item # 1-If you are buying refills for the summer, your air conditioner is not "dead" it IS LEAKING.
Item #2 - Who turned the volume ALL THE WAY UP? With a CD heavy in bass?
Item#3- You have NO IDEA WHAT ABUSE YOUR COMPANY TRUCKS TAKE ONCE YOUR EMPLOYEES TURN THE CORNER!!!
Not trying to be negative.....but you need to put things in perspective!!!!
There seems to be a rattle somewhere underneath the dash of my 2002 Explorer XLT. It is on the DRIVERS SIDE. It seems to be when the SUV is cold? Anybody had this?
Thanks in advanced.
Chuck1
So. Cal
Traded it on Friday for a Nissan Titan. Hubby said if we were going to have a gas hog, might as well have a useful one. We were back down in the 14 mpg hwy range on the Explorer, transmission was acting up big time. The Titan hangs around 16ish. Can't say I miss the Explorer at all. Good luck to you guys.
I am curious about the Michelin model tires. Seems to me that there are different models of Michelin tires. I had some from NTB on my old '99 Explorer and they still have tread at almost 50,000 miles (I sold it to a friend). What are the Michelin choices for THIS vehicle...NTB says the tire I had for my old Explorer is not made in the 17 inch size for this vehicle. Or should I just buy 3 more Goodrich tires (plus the "free" spare) for about $300 versus probably double that for 4 Michelin.
I noticed that some (but not all) of the new '04 Mountaineers have Michelin Cross-Terrain tires. A friend bot some other Michelin make for his Mercedes SUV. Help me understand the choices.
Daryll40, Pittsburgh
Good Luck!
Chuck
So. Cal
We got our heads together the next day and remembered hearing that if the battery is disconnected for 20 min, that would turn off the lite and it did, which allowed her to pass the Ariz. emission test. At the test facility They don't use an exhaust probe on the later years(it's a 99.) They had previously failed it only because the lite was on.
Using the scan tool as you suggested would turn off the lite and eliminate having to re program the radio etc. I will find a scan tool next time and thanks again for the info.
you might have a few spark wires or a coil out, that is minor, and easy to fix.
if it's the 4 liter OHC engine, there was a period in which ford germany made the engines with nylon blocks at the end of the camshafts, held in place with metal clips. you can probably guess the rest, the nylon breaks, the camshafts slip back and off the center of the valves, and the car shakes and runs like an old, noisy, nasty diesel. there may be an extended warranty on the engine because of this, you'd have to check with the dealer. otherwise, if that's the issue, the valve covers have to come off, and the blocks have to be replaced.
timing chains might have slipped, that's a more detailed repair that might require removal of the engine. I have read on this board that there are several chains in a row as part of the design of that engine.
the check engine light is your friend now, get ahold of a scan tool and find out what the errors are that are stored in the computer, then bring them back to the engine codes forum here on edmunds. a number of pro mechanics look over stuff there and make recommendations. in those error codes is likely most of the diagnosis of your issues.
good luck.
Does anyone have any experience with the AWD V6 and what it can truly tow?
Bottom line - If you want to tow a travel trailer - get another vehicle.
Hate to say it, but odds are you will have to get a different vehicle in order to tow. Not only is the Explorer limited with its engine/drivetrain, but also its wheelbase. General rule of thumb is a 110" wheelbase gets you a 20' trailer, for every 4" of wheelbase you get another 1' of trailer. We looked at 20' and 22' trailers, way too small for our family. We are now looking at 26'-29' trailers, much bigger and much nicer for a family.
You can go to www.rv.com and go into the forums, this issue has been addressed many times regarding the Explorers.
I have yet to tow over 2600 pounds with it, and it handles, brakes, and steers well with that load and electric brakes.
dad had a series of tow vehicles, but the only ones that were worth a damn with the 17 foot forester trailer on were the chrysler newport wagon with big-[non-permissible content removed] mill and extra build-out on suspension and stuff, and the 6.2L 1976 suburban half-ton with towing package, XL tires, and a Hitch From Hell that could have towed freight trains. pity they were all RWD, we had a few rainy mornings in which having all wheels pulling would have helped a lot in getting out of our favored primitive forest service style campsites.
Thank you.