varmint

Here's another testimonial for ford edge towing. I own a 2013 Edge SE with the 3.5l engine and 2WD. I added a hitch rated for 4000 lbs and tongue wt of 350 lbs or 400 lbs with a WDH. Added the 7 pin plug and the kit to power it. I also installed a trailer brake controller. I swapped out the radiator for the towing unit which has the 1" core replacing the old 5/8" core. last I installed a "doggle" which sends the ECM information to my phone with a Torque app. I tow a 2019 R-Pod 179 that I had weighed at a gravel yard with all camping supplies, empty tanks but no food or clothing. The trailer weighed 3,000 lbs with 350 lbs tongue weight. That's 2,650 on the trailer axle. I have towed the trailer about 5,000 mi. Longest trip was MI to SW Texas. I run about 65 on freeways. The sway bar is a help above 55. I have experienced mountain driving with no problems. Power is never a problem. I have real time monitoring and engine temp is in the 200 to 220 range with the trans at about 200 to 215. I run synthetic oil which can handle much higher temps. Every other oil change I drop and replace 5 qts of trans fluid and it always comes out pretty pink without any odor to indicate excess heat. I get 12.5 -14.5 mpg. Wind has a large effect. So that's my experience and I am well pleased. I have decided to add air bags to see if it reduces the "sway". The car and trailer sit pretty level as it is and the sway is minimal with the bar. I have read posts of others that claim air bags have pretty much eliminated their sway. Previously I pulled a 16' Scamp and hardly knew it was there. I hope the air bags will put me closer to that experience. The Edge is an excellent tow vehicle within it's limits.

This is an update as I have now swapped the standard radiator for the larger 1" core radiator. It bolted right in and the standard fans installed with no problems. I now have the improved cooling by going from the standard 5/8" core to the 1". The stronger fans would have been nice but would probably only have come into play if I was towing steep grades at very slow speeds. The fans kick in at about 210 degrees. I'll be leaving for a 5,000 mile trip in about 3 weeks which will include some mountain driving. I expect to maintain 50 mph or more in the mountains excluding switchbacks. Come spring I'll post the results as relates to cooling.

My 2013 Edge does not have the tow package. I bought the car new and have pulled a 16' Scamp some 40,000 miles through the rockies and 2/3 of the USA. The scamp weighed 2500 lbs loaded. I have recently changed trailers and now own a 20' rpod that weighs 3,000 lbs on the yard scales and has a tongue wt of 350 lbs. I've pulled the rpod 200 miles on the freeway at 60mph on a 75 degree day with the trans temp at 202 to 205 and engine temp at 195-200. I now have 95,000 miles on the edge and will soon change the spark plugs and clean the K&N air filter. I would like to swap the radiator at the same time to move up to the larger 1" core of the towing radiator. The standard radiator is a 5/8" core which is 60% more material to exchange heat. I would like to stay with the same fans. Will the standard fans mount up ok with the tow radiator? Externally the radiators appear to be the same in the pictures with both cores being 28.75" x 17.57". Has anyone done this swap?