Yet another newbie towing question

[Deeman]

First off..awsome posting board..found my way here from TrailerLife Forum.  Looking for a couple of answers.. I have a 2000 Ford Explorer Limited, with the V8.  According to what I have read online all 2000 V8 came factory with tow package.  Mine however does not have the hitch part, trans cooler..oil cooler are there, haven't checked for the red button underneath, for the wiring yet.  Anyway, I have looked at the web paged ETRAILER, hitch doesn't look to be to hard to install, but the wiring kinda puzzles me.  If I buy a PU with electric brakes, will I need the 7 pin, and if so is there much extra wiring, and I assume that I will need a brake controller.  Probably the first of many questions to come as looking earnestly in the next couple of weeks for new to us PU.

[Gone-Camping]

Wiring a 7 pin is easy enough, they come in kits, and they plug right into the existing wiring harness....you just unplug behind your bumper, place the kit inbetween the two plugs, and push the whole thing together!!

A hitch may not look hard, but getting it done right so that it will not fall off, and will meet DOT safety requirements will depend on your level of skill. Some people are best off leaving things to those that are more experienced, others can handle the load. Only you know the answer to that one!! Good luck...
 
Brake controller will be required for most trailers, though there are some out there with surge brakes and no controller is required for that. The vast majority use electric brakes though. That too is easy enough to install, and again, if you buy the Tekonsha Prodigy and get the 'Ford' plug then wiring that up will be a breeze too!

[tknick]

Not sure what you mean about the red button.  I have a 99 Explorer with a V6 and the factory tow package.  I am pretty sure Ford didn't start installing bargman (7 pin round plugs versus 4 pin flat) plugs on the Explorers until the next body style after yours.  I think the 99 and 00's are the same.

My factory tow package came with a oil and tranny cooler as well as a specific rear end gear ratio which I couldn't tell you what that was.  The 4 pin wiring was already installed and visible on a bracket under the left side of the bumper.  If you have the tow package and do not have the plug, you should already pre-wired for the 4 pin plug.  The pigtail may have been included when you bought the car.  Check where the jack and the lug wrench are.  If you don't have the pigtail, it would simply be a matter of buying the appropriate pig tail and plugging it into the connector under the bumper.

If you needed to convert that 4 pin flat to a 7 pin round bargman style plug, as already mentioned, that can be done relatively easily with a kit.  The kit would include 4 wires that you would need to hook up in addition to plugging your 4 pin connector into the adapter.  Check out this link at etrailer.com Wiring Adapter

Wiring the brake controller is a little harder because your Explorer probably did not come with a brake controller hook up under the dash.  If you have a test light, some patience and a little time, you can hook up the brake controller using the instructions that come with whichever one you buy.

I added a class III hitch to my explorer.  Almost every manufacturer makes one that will bolt up to existing holes in the frame.  All you will have to do is lift it in place and attach the 4 bolts that come with it.  A floor jack is a big help when doing this because although the hitch isn't really that heavy, its hard to keep it up high enough to get the bolts in with only two hands.

If you have basic how to skills you should be able to install the plug, the hitch and the brake controller.  If you've never done anything like that before, I would expect to spend a day, maybe two completing the projects.  If you don't feel comfortable with it have a shop do it.  It'll cost you more obviously, but the peace of mind it would give you would probably be worth it.

hope this helps

[Deeman]

Pretty much awsome answers.  Exactly what I was hoping for.  I am pretty sure I can handle the hitch part, wiring...I will have to check out more detail.  Thanks to both again for answers..