Cargo Carrying Options for a 2004 Ford Explorer Rear Wheel Drive with a 4.0 Liter V6  

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Cargo solutions for your 2004 Ford Explorer will include both hitch-mounted and roof-mounted carriers. Since you will be transporting a combination of hard goods and soft goods you may be able to handle all of your cargo with a combination of one hitch-mounted and one roof-mounted carrier. I can provide you with recommendations for both.

You will first want to verify the weight capacities of your hitch receiver and roof. All trailer hitches we offer for your Explorer are 2-inch Class III-rated and have a tongue weight capacity of 500 pounds. You can verify on your hitch warning label what its tongue weight rating is. Also you will want to verify in your owners manual what the roof weight carrying capacity is to ensure you do not exceed this. I was able to find an online copy of your manual which indicates the roof weight limit is 200 lbs. but you should confirm this in your manual if possible.

I have provided a link to our product page for Class III hitch-mount carriers where you can see a variety of open metal basket type carriers. These come in various sizes and configurations. Some can fold up when not in use and others can swing out of the way to provide access to the vehicle rear cargo area. You can select specific types you prefer using the filters on the left hand side of the page. I have also linked an article concerning hitch-mount carriers that may help you decide which is best for you.

As examples, etrailer offers 24 x 60-inch carrier # e98874. Itcarry up to 500 pounds (but remember you will need to account for the weight of the carrier itself, about 60 pounds). When hitched to your Explorer you will then have a remaining cargo weight capacity of about 440 lbs .

There are also enclosed-type carriers, such as the swinging Yakima # Y62VR. Note this type of carriers have lower weight ratings than the basket types referenced above. This one only holds 100 pounds.

Rooftop cargo products also come in several types: enclosed plastic boxes, open metal baskets and fabric bag varieties. Some require that your vehicle have a roof rack with crossbars while others do not. The fabric bag type can be mounted directly to a roof (or to factory roof side rails). These are offered in weather-proof versions that might be just right for transporting clothing, and they are also among the most cost-effective options. I have included a link to our product page for weather-resistant roof bags. Rightline offers the 18-cubic-foot # RL100S30, but smaller bags are available also.

With cargo bags we recommend a protective pad to help prevent scratches to your vehicle roof, such as the Rightline # RL100650 (and we suggest that the vehicle roof be free of dirt and grit before installing the bag). Another accessory we suggest for any rooftop carrier is a tire step, such as the HitchMate TireStep # HE4040, which makes accessing your cargo much easier.

expert reply by: Adam R

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