If they towed 8000 lbs with an Explorer or Expedition they probably severely damaged those vehicles. In standard form I think the Explorer is good for 5000 lbs (maybe) and the Expedition is good for 7,000-7,500 lbs.

Obviously this is the reason they dont want people towing.

Back to what someone else said about having the wiring. To my knowledge any Ford with a factory tow package has the wiring connector next to the hitch, which isn't an issue. I've seen a couple of Hertz cars around here (Explorers and a Trailblazer) with tow packages. If I could consistently get an SUV with a hitch to tow my car to races I'd be a happy camper.