Observations From a Trip Towing.....

[Grumpaw]

Returned just this afternoon from a trip towing our travel trailer. Total towing was 1851 miles, and that was towing the trailer the entire time....no solo.
Met friends and were using their Toyo Crew Cab Tacoma as my Ranger is a Scab.
Overall, mileage was 9.8 mpg via the Rangers info and 9.7 via my installed Scan Gauge 3. This was using 91 and 93 octane, and running 60-65 mph on interstates and 50-55 on US highways.
Ran into lots of wind, rain, long grades, ect, and Truck never missed a beat.
Important info....ran mostly in 7th gear, keeping rpm's up around 2600-2700 at speed. Found this eliminated lugging and gave faster acceleration when needed, and mileage did not seem to be worse.
I found that via the Scan Gauge the coolant and tranny fluid temps were usually very close to each other, usually between 195 to 205 degrees. The temps were actually a bit cooler in 7th gear rather in the 10 th overdrive gears. I guess the low rpm's when towing a heavy trailer tend to heat the fluids more due to lugging.
Coolant temps never got above 205, but tranny temp did get up to 211 while running into a strong head wind going up a long grade.....but it comes down and cools to 200-205 quickly.
My trailer is right at 7000 lbs, and Truck did an admirable job towing , not one problem.
Just posting for those of you who tow a heavy trailer...once you set it up right the Ranger is a capable tow vehicle with no problems as far as overheating or trans fluid problems.

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[GhostStrykre]

I know you’ve shared what aftermarket parts you have on other threads, but I can’t remember: do you have and upgraded transmission pan? Or all stock there?

thanks for posting this!

 

[Grumpaw]

I know you’ve shared what aftermarket parts you have on other threads, but I can’t remember: do you have and upgraded transmission pan? Or all stock there?

thanks for posting this!

Don't have the pan yet...plans for it in future. Do have the B&M Trans Dipstick just to easily keep tabs on fluid.
Have done the following...
Roadmaster Active Suspension System
Sumo Blue Bump Stops
Up graded rear shocks
10 ply Yokohama Geolander G015 tires.
ClearView mirrors

Everything else stock 2 wheel drive.

 

[TJC]

If you are planning to upgrade to the PPE Pan, be sure to get the latest design. The older design apparently is a little too close to the oil pump. PPE has corrected the design. PPE stated they rec'd the design specs directly from Ford for the original pan. Read this thread over at the F150 Forum for details.

I have the pan but have not yet installed it. Was just getting ready to install when I found the thread. I contacted my supplier yesterday and will be calling them first thing in the AM tomorrow. I am seeking a replacement. Mine is still in the plastic. I hope PPE is open about the replacement.

- T

 

[Grumpaw]

If you are planning to upgrade to the PPE Pan, be sure to get the latest design. The older design apparently is a little too close to the oil pump. PPE has corrected the design. PPE stated they rec'd the design specs directly from Ford for the original pan. Read this thread over at the F150 Forum for details.

I have the pan but have not yet installed it. Was just getting ready to install when I found tthe thread. I contacted my supplier yesterday and will be calling them first thing in the AM tomorrow. I am seeking a replacement. Mine is still in the plastic. I hope PPE is open about the replacement.

- T

I plan to get one in the future, but after towing for the last 1 1/2 years and seeing that the temps don't really go up that much over driving solo I'll keep it in the planning stages.

For info, when I'm driving around solo ( no trailer ) my Scan Gauge reads the trans temps at 195-200 degrees....not too much lower than when towing. Ford may have done something right in the design of cooling the trans fluid and coolant .

 

[Big Blue]

If you are planning to upgrade to the PPE Pan, be sure to get the latest design. The older design apparently is a little too close to the oil pump. PPE has corrected the design. PPE stated they rec'd the design specs directly from Ford for the original pan. Read this thread over at the F150 Forum for details.

I have the pan but have not yet installed it. Was just getting ready to install when I found tthe thread. I contacted my supplier yesterday and will be calling them first thing in the AM tomorrow. I am seeking a replacement. Mine is still in the plastic. I hope PPE is open about the replacement.

- T

You have me worried now! Just recently received my pan and am waiting for @Fitzmotor to get his dipstick finished. I know several people on the forum have installed the pan and have not reported any issues. The PPE website does spec up to model year 2020 for the pan. Curious what the change was for MY 2021, if there was one and their site just hasn't been updated. But it sounds like they are making a new pan for MY 2021 and up with a deeper section. Again why the change. Would hate to tear it apart and find out there is interfierence.

@TJC , keep us in the loop on what you hear from PPE. Mine is still in the plastic also and I'm still within the return period.

 

[ctechbob]

Only reason I've planned on the pan is to make fluid changes easier. I've never seen anything in my data logs that would lead me to want more cooling. Ford did a pretty good job with the cooling stack they put in these trucks and keep the trans temp in a pretty narrow range.

But give me a drain plug on the pan, I'm willing to pay the $300 for that since I do a fairly agressive fluid change schedule.

 

[CB750F]

Tks for the info Steve. I appreciate the write up.

 

[Cabose-1]

I second grumpaw's evaluation of the ranger for towing. I dobstuff like this a lot. And my fathers small cubota (i know spelled wrong) tractor. Or im towing a car or other big junk with trailers. Id like to know what towing in soft dirt and mud do to temps. A lot of you here always tell me you would get a fullsize to tow 7k and so on and so on. But the full size i would buy only tows 800lbs more and regular cab xl model and same cargo. And cost 10k more!? Why when i can have a luxurious xlt fx2. And do the same work. Except for f#$%*&! Shovels dont fit in the bed. So yeah, ranger is a little dirty all the time, i tow regularly. It is an awesome truck! I am stuck in the mud in the pick by the way.

 

[importfighter01]

I have the first gen PPE pan and thankfully no issues on my 2020. Fluid temps did drop a solid 20 deg and having the drain plug is an awesome upgrade too.

 

[subquark]

I second grumpaw's evaluation of the ranger for towing. I dobstuff like this a lot. And my fathers small cubota (i know spelled wrong) tractor. Or im towing a car or other big junk with trailers. Id like to know what towing in soft dirt and mud do to temps. A lot of you here always tell me you would get a fullsize to tow 7k and so on and so on. But the full size i would buy only tows 800lbs more and regular cab xl model and same cargo. And cost 10k more!? Why when i can have a luxurious xlt fx2. And do the same work. Except for f#$%*&! Shovels dont fit in the bed. So yeah, ranger is a little dirty all the time, i tow regularly. It is an awesome truck! I am stuck in the mud in the pick by the way.

Towing around your own forest helps offset your carbon emissions. This is:

 

[TJC]

I just called my supplier and they are reaching out to PPE for clarification. I'll report back my findings.

 

[TJC]

I have the first gen PPE pan and thankfully no issues on my 2020. Fluid temps did drop a solid 20 deg and having the drain plug is an awesome upgrade too.

Have you noticed a difference in transmission performance? I am hoping that the additional cooling will result in smoother shifts. I have noticed that the transmission is smoother over winter.

 

[importfighter01]

Have you noticed a difference in transmission performance? I am hoping that the additional cooling will result in smoother shifts. I have noticed that the transmission is smoother over winter.

I have noticed that the cooler the transmission fluid has been the better the shifts.

 

[Fawnbuster]

Returned just this afternoon from a trip towing our travel trailer. Total towing was 1851 miles, and that was towing the trailer the entire time....no solo.
Met friends and were using their Toyo Crew Cab Tacoma as my Ranger is a Scab.
Overall, mileage was 9.8 mpg via the Rangers info and 9.7 via my installed Scan Gauge 3. This was using 91 and 93 octane, and running 60-65 mph on interstates and 50-55 on US highways.
Ran into lots of wind, rain, long grades, ect, and Truck never missed a beat.
Important info....ran mostly in 7th gear, keeping rpm's up around 2600-2700 at speed. Found this eliminated lugging and gave faster acceleration when needed, and mileage did not seem to be worse.
I found that via the Scan Gauge the coolant and tranny fluid temps were usually very close to each other, usually between 195 to 205 degrees. The temps were actually a bit cooler in 7th gear rather in the 10 th overdrive gears. I guess the low rpm's when towing a heavy trailer tend to heat the fluids more due to lugging.
Coolant temps never got above 205, but tranny temp did get up to 211 while running into a strong head wind going up a long grade.....but it comes down and cools to 200-205 quickly.
My trailer is right at 7000 lbs, and Truck did an admirable job towing , not one problem.
Just posting for those of you who tow a heavy trailer...once you set it up right the Ranger is a capable tow vehicle with no problems as far as overheating or trans fluid problems.

Great write up Grumpaw

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