Parts Needed to Flat Tow 2017 Ford Explorer  

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Expert Reply:

According to the owner's manual I looked up online, your 2017 Ford Explorer can indeed be flat towed, and in order to do this there are a number of parts you'll need, which I'll go ahead and list out for you to make it simple to order:

- Base Plate Kit: Demco Tabless Base Plate Kit # DM9519329

- Tow Bar: Demco Commander II Non-Binding Tow Bar # DM9511012

- Wiring Kit: Roadmaster Diode 7-Wire to 6-Wire Flexo-Coil Wiring Kit # RM-15267

- Roadmaster Automatic Battery Disconnect # RM-766

- Supplemental Braking System: Demco SBS Stay-IN-Play DUO Supplemental Braking System # DM86VR
OR
- For a motorhome with air brakes: Demco SBS Air Force One Supplemental Braking System # DM26VR

The Demco Tabless Base Plates are the best option because they don't have protruding tabs, which means your Explorer is going to keep its clean look. The Commander tow bar is great because it has long arms which make it easier to maneuver when towing, along with integrated safety cables and an adjustable tilting head so a high-low adapter won't be needed. Having these features on a tow bar means you won't have to purchase them separately, saving you additional expenses.

The Flexo-Coil wiring kit is designed to prevent any type of electrical feedback to keep your Explorer's electrical system safe, and both the Stay-IN-Play DUO and Air Force One are highly recommended because they are one-time installs which will never require any type of removal or reactivation, and give you braking proportional to that of your motorhome. This results in much smoother braking than most systems which send out a pre-set amount of braking power and thus are more rigid.

The only other thing I recommend considering is a rock guard to keep debris like small rocks from hitting your Explorer while it's being towed, and the compatible option for the Demco tow bar is the Sentry Deflector # DM9523135.

I have added links below to a number of video reviews for you to check out as well.

expert reply by: Kyle S

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