Watch the 2019 Ranger tow 15 campers, at same time!

Administrator

Administrator
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Threads
191
Messages
357
Reaction score
973
Great ad :)

Via Automobile Magazine:

We’ve seen a Toyota Tundra tow a space shuttle, but smaller pickups have quite a bit of towing power, too. In a new video, Ford’s European division shows the new Ranger towing 15 camper trailers at the same time.

The Ranger towed a convoy weighing a total of 20 metric tons, or 44,093 pounds—more than five times the official tow rating for the pickup. The Euro-spec Ranger has a 2.0-liter diesel engine and a towing capacity of up to 3,500 kg (7,716 pounds). For the experiment, Ford reinforced the campers (or caravans, as they’re called in the U.K.) with steel frames and put tow bars in the front and rear. Even going beyond the weight, the sheer length of the convoy is pretty extraordinary. The video shows an Audi passing the near-328-foot convoy on a two-lane road, although we’re not sure why they didn’t use a Mondeo or something, aside from the chance to make Audi drivers look like impatient jackasses. For obvious safety reasons, the film was shot on a closed circuit at the Millbrook Proving Ground in the U.K.

U.S. customers get a turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder gas engine as the only option; the diesel shown in this video won’t be available. Our Ranger has a maximum towing capacity of 7,500 pounds, putting it ahead of other midsize competitors save for the upcoming Jeep Gladiator. See the Euro-spec Ford Ranger pull off an impressive towing stunt:

Sponsored

 
Last edited:

Lloyd C

Well-Known Member
First Name
Lloyd
Joined
Jan 13, 2019
Threads
14
Messages
90
Reaction score
51
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2016 Lexus RX350
Great ad :)

Via Automobile Magazine:

We’ve seen a Toyota Tundra tow a space shuttle, but smaller pickups have quite a bit of towing power, too. In a new video, Ford’s European division shows the new Ranger towing 15 camper trailers at the same time.

The Ranger towed a convoy weighing a total of 20 metric tons, or 44,093 pounds—more than five times the official tow rating for the pickup. The Euro-spec Ranger has a 2.0-liter diesel engine and a towing capacity of up to 3,500 kg (7,716 pounds). For the experiment, Ford reinforced the campers (or caravans, as they’re called in the U.K.) with steel frames and put tow bars in the front and rear. Even going beyond the weight, the sheer length of the convoy is pretty extraordinary. The video shows an Audi passing the near-328-foot convoy on a two-lane road, although we’re not sure why they didn’t use a Mondeo or something, aside from the chance to make Audi drivers look like impatient jackasses. For obvious safety reasons, the film was shot on a closed circuit at the Millbrook Proving Ground in the U.K.

U.S. customers get a turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder gas engine as the only option; the diesel shown in this video won’t be available. Our Ranger has a maximum towing capacity of 7,500 pounds, putting it ahead of other midsize competitors save for the upcoming Jeep Gladiator. See the Euro-spec Ford Ranger pull off an impressive towing stunt:

And all without a break controller or tech. Support to put one in. Shame on Ford!!!!!!!!
 

RodSlinger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Threads
1
Messages
135
Reaction score
132
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle(s)
2011 Dakota
And all without a break controller or tech. Support to put one in. Shame on Ford!!!!!!!!

UK tow restrictions are a lot different than ours and speed limits for tow vehicles are heavily enforced. Their drivers are far better trained before getting licensed also.
 

ZanS

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
21
Reaction score
13
Location
EU
Vehicle(s)
Ranger Limited
We don't have brake controllers here, trailers brake the same as vehicles.

This video pretty much explains how it operates, except I've never seen two cable plugs in my life. Must be British thing.
 
Last edited:

Lloyd C

Well-Known Member
First Name
Lloyd
Joined
Jan 13, 2019
Threads
14
Messages
90
Reaction score
51
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2016 Lexus RX350
UK tow restrictions are a lot different than ours and speed limits for tow vehicles are heavily enforced. Their drivers are far better trained before getting licensed also.
Please explained? Someone sits in the trailer and manually applies the brakes when the tow driver waves at him?I think I prefer our way with an integrated system.
 


Floyd

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2019
Threads
38
Messages
2,064
Reaction score
3,113
Location
illinois
Vehicle(s)
'19 Ranger SCab,'16 Connect,'95 MustangGT,'50 Ford
If that's in the UK why are they driving on the right side of the road?
 

RodSlinger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Threads
1
Messages
135
Reaction score
132
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle(s)
2011 Dakota
If that's in the UK why are they driving on the right side of the road?
Probably so that the rest of the world watching the AD wouldn't be confused and freaking out if it were driving on the "wrong" side of the road.
 

RodSlinger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Threads
1
Messages
135
Reaction score
132
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle(s)
2011 Dakota
Please explained? Someone sits in the trailer and manually applies the brakes when the tow driver waves at him?I think I prefer our way with an integrated system.
No. They use surge brakes like a lot of boat or U-Haul trailers in the US have.
 

Lloyd C

Well-Known Member
First Name
Lloyd
Joined
Jan 13, 2019
Threads
14
Messages
90
Reaction score
51
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Vehicle(s)
2016 Lexus RX350
No. They use surge brakes like a lot of boat or U-Haul trailers in the US have.
OK but then the surge systems that I have seen in the US require Power to the rear of the tow vehicle which to my knowlege Ford has not provided.
 

RodSlinger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Threads
1
Messages
135
Reaction score
132
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle(s)
2011 Dakota
OK but then the surge systems that I have seen in the US require Power to the rear of the tow vehicle which to my knowlege Ford has not provided.
You mean power for the lights?

Even if the truck isn't prewired for trailer it is usually a zero issue tapping a 4-pin harness into the rear lamps for trailer wiring. You will probably find a plug in t-harness that will do this already.

This is no different than ANY vehicle not prewired for trailer lights. Want to drag your 500lb junk trailer behind your Corolla? Bolt on a draw-tire, splice the pigtail and go.
 

Pinecrestjim

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jim
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Threads
4
Messages
294
Reaction score
173
Location
Pinecrest, FL
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger, 2018 F-150, 2016 Escape
OK but then the surge systems that I have seen in the US require Power to the rear of the tow vehicle which to my knowlege Ford has not provided.
No power, completely self contained hydraulic system - see short video on their operation. Like Rodslinger stated, you only need power for the required trailer lights.
 

Geoff

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
705
Reaction score
493
Location
NYS
Vehicle(s)
'19 Ranger 1943 Willys Jeep
Occupation
Retired Engineer
No power, completely self contained hydraulic system - see short video on their operation. Like Rodslinger stated, you only need power for the required trailer lights.
Some [SOME] surge brakes have an electrically operated brake release (my boat used a 5 pin flat plug similar to the universal 4 pin plug). If so equipped the trailer needs a backup signal to release the surge brake to allow you to backup. Some surge brakes are not powered and to backup the trailer a "key" needs to be in place prevent the surge coupler from activating the brakes -- My Tow Dolly is like this.

The Ford 7 pin connector should be wired for this and they do make a 7 Pin to 5 pin adapter for just this purpose ( https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Optronics/A75TB.html ).
 
Last edited:

Bubbabiker

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
130
Reaction score
89
Location
Texas
Vehicle(s)
Ford F150 Supercrew FX4
Some [SOME] surge brakes have an electrically operated brake release (my boat used a 5 pin flat plug similar to the universal 4 pin plug). If so equipped the trailer needs a backup signal to release the surge brake to allow you to backup. (Some surge brakes are not powered and to backup the trailer a "key" needs to be in place prevent the surge coupler from activating the brakes -- My Tow Dolly is like this)

The Ford 7 pin connector should be wired for this and they do make a 7 Pin to 5 pin adapter for just this purpose.

^ This. We have had utility trailers using surge brakes with and without electric lockouts. Since then we have switched out to all electric or electrics over hydraulics brakes.
 

J Haggerty (RADAR1)

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
Nov 29, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
78
Reaction score
117
Location
Sharpsburg, GA
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger XLT Supercrew I4, 2017 Dodge Durango SXT V6, 2004 Dodge Dakota SLT V8
Occupation
Retired USAF Air Traffic Controller
I had surge brakes on the "Caravan" we owned in England, first time I ever used them. You do not need any 12 volt power from the tow vehicle to activate the brakes, so a 4 pin with just the ground, left turn, right turn, and park lights would suffice.
First time I bought the camper home I parked on the dead end next to our house facing downhill, which required backing up to get out. I wasn't aware at that time that in order to back up, you need to disable (lock out) the surge brake, since they can't tell if the compression on the tongue is from hard braking (activating the trailer brakes) or is from backing up into the tongue (activating the brakes).
Once I figured that part out the rest was easy. No extra wiring to worry about (or corrode due to the wet British weather), no settings to adjust, but no capability to activate them remotely. I learned to park facing uphill so I didn't have to lock out the hydraulic surge brake when moving the camper.
All the campers (caravans) in that video would have had surge brakes.
 

Texasota

Well-Known Member
First Name
Al
Joined
Jan 27, 2019
Threads
1
Messages
933
Reaction score
2,964
Location
Rochester, MN
Vehicle(s)
2020 Ranger XLT, 2023 Escape PHEV
I had surge brakes on the "Caravan" we owned in England, first time I ever used them. You do not need any 12 volt power from the tow vehicle to activate the brakes, so a 4 pin with just the ground, left turn, right turn, and park lights would suffice.
First time I bought the camper home I parked on the dead end next to our house facing downhill, which required backing up to get out. I wasn't aware at that time that in order to back up, you need to disable (lock out) the surge brake, since they can't tell if the compression on the tongue is from hard braking (activating the trailer brakes) or is from backing up into the tongue (activating the brakes).
Once I figured that part out the rest was easy. No extra wiring to worry about (or corrode due to the wet British weather), no settings to adjust, but no capability to activate them remotely. I learned to park facing uphill so I didn't have to lock out the hydraulic surge brake when moving the camper.
All the campers (caravans) in that video would have had surge brakes.
I pulled my boat with surge breaks on the trailer for many years and because it had drum brakes backing up was never a problem even when backing up a hill. After many years of use the trailer's drum brakes were in need of significant work and I decided to replace them with disc brakes. At that time I had to start using a five-flat wiring setup because you could not backup even on level ground without disabling the surge brakes. Disc brakes work equally well in forward and reverse but drum brakes are very ineffective when in reverse.
Sponsored

 
 



Top