What are you guys towing?

[TechnicallyReal]

As I posted, part of towing, aside from experience, is having the truck and trailer set up correctly. We can argue about trailer weight, tongue weight, empty and loaded weight for hours.
From my experience, I feel confident in the ability of the Ranger to tow what we are planning on buying, to do it safely, especially as I know what to do and how to set up loaded weights of a trailer, concerning tongue weights.
I am not going to get into a "pissing match" over what someone "thinks" I should do as opposed to what I am going to do. Lets just say I'm happy with my Ranger purchase for it's intended use.
There are several problems with towing a travel trailer that many of you might now be aware of, concerning, not the truck and its ability, but the trailer itself, and how it is outfitted at the factory.
Almost all travel trailer manufacturers use frames that are sourced, and many of them come with axles and tires that are barely adequate for the load. I have seen trailers with empty weights of a certain amount, say 6000 lbs as an example, be delivered with axles only rated for 6500 lbs, or tires that are rated for 7000 lbs.
Those of us who tow call them "china bombs" cause the majority of them are made overseas, and go "boom" when they explode.
I am much more concerned with that, than overloading a trailer by a few hundred lbs.
Thankfully, most of the larger trailer manufacturers, like Jayco, Coachman, Forrest River, buy and use components that are much more robust.
Again, I'm not just talking out of left field, but from 50 years of RV'ing and towing everything from a 16' camper to a 36' 3 axle 5th wheel, towing across the flats of Kansas, to the Rockies and Canadian Rockies.
To those of you who tow a certain limit based on your concerns, weather it be because of ability or concerns about what your truck can tow, I have no quarrel with...do what makes you feel comfortable and safe.
For me, when I'm done, the trailer will not be over what the Ranger can tow, and the tongue weight will not be over the limit.

No argument from me. Just wanted to point it out in case you weren't aware, and to help others who are looking at buying something themselves.

It's an issue I've run into myself twice because I would look at the manufacturer numbers and think everything was great, forgetting that the tongue weight not only increases with the cargo weight, but does so disproportionately, as most cargo ends up in the larger front storages areas of most trailers. The listing may or may not include propane or battery weight, either.

My trailer has a listed tongue weight of 475 lbs. It took nothing to get it right up to 750 lbs. All I've put in the front pass-through area of my trailer are camp chairs, wheel chocks, levelers, and a bin with some cords and hand tools in it. There's some clothing in the areas above the night stands. The area under the bed is completely empty. The rest of my cargo is over the wheels or in the rear.

I basically can't use the storage under the bed without going over the max tongue weight. Fortunately I haven't needed to.. but I did not expect a trailer listed at 475 lbs tongue to end up at 750 lbs with what I listed above.

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[Grumpaw]

I do agree that its very easy to load up the front and that increases tongue weight.
And no, most "dry" weights given for a new trailer do not include the battery or propane tanks, or even ac units unless their fitted at the factory.
Up until several years ago, travel trailers had multiple storage compartments located around the perimeter of the "box".
Almost all, now, have one big compartment across the very front of the rig almost forcing you to load everything up front, and pound for pound, you will increase tongue weight.
One must be very careful as to what goes in those compartments. Our heavy weight "stuff" will go in the truck bed, and yes, I realize that will decrease somewhat the load I can tow.
But I'd rather have it there than loading the tongue down.
Also, careful loading of supplies can add or decrease the weight on the front. We don't boondock, so we carry maybe a 1/4 tank of water, which cuts weight dramatically.
Also, over the many years we've been rv'ing we've been able to eliminate many items we used to carry for the "what if's". Anything we haven't used in 2 years goes out the door. Extra hoses, electric cords, extra cooking stuff, ect. 10 lbs here and 20 lbs there all adds up.

 

[paval3]

Now that I have 1300 miles on my Ranger, I used it for the first time to go for my bulk load of sawdust/shavings that I use for horse bedding instead of using the old Mountaineer. I have lots of experience hooking up & towing, parking, backing up with a trailer since I used to haul and show my horses. I really liked the trailer align feature on the Ranger.

 

[ctechbob]

Just something I'm going to tack on as an aside to all the RV conversations. It is oft repeated that UVW and tongue weight is without propane. At least in the case of Forest River products they DO include the propane and tanks in that calculation:

UVW (Unloaded Vehicle Weight)*- is the typical weight of the unit as manufactured at the factory. It includes all weight at the unit’s axle(s) and tongue or pin and LP Gas. The UVW does not include cargo, fresh potable water, additional optional equipment or dealer installed accessories.

Just something that bugs me when incorrect information continues to be preached as gospel when things have changed.

Granted, this also doesn't include the other manufacturers

Looks like at least Jayco (Thor) does not include propane:


Unloaded Vehicle Weight

Sometimes referred to as “Dry Weight,” UVW means the weight of an RV as built at the factory. The UVW, as used in Jayco product literature and other promotional materials, does not include cargo, fresh water, propane gas, occupants, options or dealer-installed accessories. It does include so-called “forced options”, like the Customer Value Package.

Basically, they're all over the map, but at least Forest River does closer to the right thing.

 

[TechnicallyReal]

Just something I'm going to tack on as an aside to all the RV conversations. It is oft repeated that UVW and tongue weight is without propane. At least in the case of Forest River products they DO include the propane and tanks in that calculation:

UVW (Unloaded Vehicle Weight)*- is the typical weight of the unit as manufactured at the factory. It includes all weight at the unit’s axle(s) and tongue or pin and LP Gas. The UVW does not include cargo, fresh potable water, additional optional equipment or dealer installed accessories.

Just something that bugs me when incorrect information continues to be preached as gospel when things have changed.

Granted, this also doesn't include the other manufacturers

Looks like at least Jayco (Thor) does not include propane:


Unloaded Vehicle Weight

Sometimes referred to as “Dry Weight,” UVW means the weight of an RV as built at the factory. The UVW, as used in Jayco product literature and other promotional materials, does not include cargo, fresh water, propane gas, occupants, options or dealer-installed accessories. It does include so-called “forced options”, like the Customer Value Package.

Basically, they're all over the map, but at least Forest River does closer to the right thing.

Making things even more messy is that the yellow sticker on the finished trailer does include propane and battery in the weight listed, but there's no mention of tongue weight on those stickers. If you're like me, you'd probably just assume that the tongue weight is the same percentage of trailer weight as it was in the marketing material. That's maybe true if the marketing material included propane & battery, but it often does not. The marketing material for mine showed a tongue weight of about ~12% UVW, so the tongue weight of the finished trailer should be ~12% of the weight printed on the sticker, right? Wrong, because in reality most of the difference between the weight in the marketing material and the weight printed on the sticker is probably the propane and battery which are placed right on the tongue. In other words the difference in weight between marketing material and sticker is mostly added tongue weight, in this case.

 

[amdu224]

Just wondering what everyone’s going to be towing with their new rangers? Post pictures too!!

Jake

Sundowner High Cube 2 Horse, a quarter horse, saddles, and tack trunk

aka the barn, the mare, the accessories and Mary Poppins purse

Scaled out and was somehow (barely) under GVWR with a full tank of gas

 

[Steve in CO]

Took out my side by side for the first time with the Ranger. Did awesome.

 

[Amsoil guy]

TheRanger

Sundowner High Cube 2 Horse, a quarter horse, saddles, and tack trunk

aka the barn, the mare, the accessories and Mary Poppins purse

Scaled out and was somehow (barely) under GVWR with a full tank of gas

Sundowner High Cube 2 Horse, a quarter horse, saddles, and tack trunk

aka the barn, the mare, the accessories and Mary Poppins purse

Scaled out and was somehow (barely) under GVWR with a full tank of gas

The Ranger had no issues pulling that? I will have the same set up , but going through some mountain passes.

 

[IdahoRanger]

Sundowner High Cube 2 Horse, a quarter horse, saddles, and tack trunk

aka the barn, the mare, the accessories and Mary Poppins purse

Scaled out and was somehow (barely) under GVWR with a full tank of gas

Is that how you gain one horsepower?

 

[amdu224]

Is that how you gain one horsepower?

That is how you gain a Quarter Horse power ?

 

[amdu224]

TheRanger


The Ranger had no issues pulling that? I will have the same set up , but going through some mountain passes.

Honestly it handles better than the 2016 F-150 XL equipped with the max tow package. Reasons being I have lane keep, blind spot, and 4 more gears which the F-150 doesn’t have (the 2016 that is). I did self install the “Ford” trailer brake controller which is really the ahem towpro but… it is a beast and I never have to second guess it. I have some relatively steep grades here in KY but nothing sustained like the Rockies. If your passes are comparable to to the WV Appalachians, the only thing that will flinch is your MPG.

This all said I cleared the scales by being the only human in the truck, dog was riding rear shotgun and no cargo (hay bales, bedding)

I still have to play around with the placement of these items if they are to ride with me etc.

My biggest concern was the frontal square footage area since it is literally a barn I’m dragging, but the lane keep on the thing is killer when it comes to wind gusts.

also to define “barely” I was 1k under on the steer, 30 pounds under on the drive and 3450 under on trailer weight.

Sorry for the info overload but hope it helps.

 

[Amsoil guy]

Honestly it handles better than the 2016 F-150 XL equipped with the max tow package. Reasons being I have lane keep, blind spot, and 4 more gears which the F-150 doesn’t have (the 2016 that is). I did self install the “Ford” trailer brake controller which is really the ahem towpro but… it is a beast and I never have to second guess it. I have some relatively steep grades here in KY but nothing sustained like the Rockies. If your passes are comparable to to the WV Appalachians, the only thing that will flinch is your MPG.

This all said I cleared the scales by being the only human in the truck, dog was riding rear shotgun and no cargo (hay bales, bedding)

I still have to play around with the placement of these items if they are to ride with me etc.

My biggest concern was the frontal square footage area since it is literally a barn I’m dragging, but the lane keep on the thing is killer when it comes to wind gusts.

also to define “barely” I was 1k under on the steer, 30 pounds under on the drive and 3450 under on trailer weight.

Sorry for the info overload but hope it helps.

Perfect, thanks for the info?. Much appreciated

 

[DT444T]

Sundowner High Cube 2 Horse, a quarter horse, saddles, and tack trunk

aka the barn, the mare, the accessories and Mary Poppins purse

Scaled out and was somehow (barely) under GVWR with a full tank of gas

This brought you to nearly max? That seems like it would be SO much lighter than 7000+ pounds. How much does the trailer and horse weigh?

 

[Big Blue]

also to define “barely” I was 1k under on the steer, 30 pounds under on the drive and 3450 under on trailer weight.

Sorry to question your numbers. I assume they are based on axle ratings. From the looks of them you are running a lot of tongue weight. That is a value you did not include. But is also a critical number. From these numbers I also assume you are not running a WDH. That would take some of the weight off the rear axle ang get it back on the front steering axle. I realize the trailer is not loaded fully in the picture but it looks to be nose high. Not good for sway control and definately not good on a tandem axle trailer. It unbalances the load on the trailer axles.

Don't mean to criticize your setup just pointing out some observations.

 

[Jedadiah]

Work stuff on my Aluma 548.

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