New Jayco potential purchase for the Ranger to pull, Advice needed!!

[Strobes]

Hey guys, me and the wife are considering buying a Jayco 212 QBW or 184BS.

The 184 is smaller 21.7 ft compared to 25.8, both are under 7,500. Questions I have from you armchair and real experts is this:
1. Is the 212 legit too big to realistically pull with the Ranger vs the 184?
It is much nicer so that’s the route we want to go, but it is bigger so I need to know if the Ranger is fully capable of pulling this regularly during the summer/fall months.

2. Also. I have a 2020 XLT with the towing package. They asked over the phone if I have an integrated brake controller? I have the tow package, is that all I need? Does that assume my rig has the integrated break controller?

Another difference in these jayco models is that the 184 is single axle and the 212 is a double axle. I’m going to get a W/D hitch either way, are these tongue weights okay for the Ranger? Yes I’m going to look in the manual and find out more (for those who will recommend it, talking to you Colorado guy) but any and all advice or things I should know are appreciated. I’m green to towing and want to make sure I’m doing this right before such a large investment in toys.

Stats on these model

Thank you for helping.
Andrew

The 212

The 184:

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[Strobes]

Here is the towing hookups on the back.

 

[EJH]

Either trailer will be fine. If you are new to towing, maybe get the smaller one, but if not, you will learn quick and be fine.

You will need a trailer brake controller installed. We don't get one with the tow package. I highly suggest the Ford version, which is a Redarc Tow Pro with an additional module to pull the brake signal from the center high mounted brake light. Read the towing section here. There is a huge amount of detail there.

 

[Strobes]

Either trailer will be fine. If you are new to towing, maybe get the smaller one, but if not, you will learn quick and be fine.

You will need a trailer brake controller installed. We don't get one with the tow package. I highly suggest the Ford version, which is a Redarc Tow Pro with an additional module to pull the brake signal from the center high mounted brake light. Read the towing section here. There is a huge amount of detail there.

How about rear suspension? I have Bilstein 5100s in back, does that need to be beefed up?

 

[EJH]

How about rear suspension? I have Bilstein 5100s in back, does that need to be beefed up?

You should be great there. I have Fox rears but Bilstein is stiffer. You will be less wobbly in the rear than I am, and I do fine.

 

[Grumpaw]

As EJH posted, you will need a controller. Your tow package is the hitch and wiring/plug.
Bot trailers are fairly close to overall weight and tongue weight, and both are well within the Rangers capacity.
As to which one...choice is based on your needs, # of people, and your plans for camping. Just short trips for a few days, the smaller of the 2. Longer trips for longer durations, the larger...more room, more fluid capacity, probably more storage.
As posted, go to the Towing section....all of us who tow, especially travel trailers, have posted numerous times, with advice and our experiences.
This is our rig...

 

[Big Blue]

First of all, neither on of these trainers are too big for the Ranger to tow if properly equipped. The bigger question is, is the 212 too big for you to tow, being a novice to towing. I cannot answer that.

Your second question. No, your truck does not have an integrated trailer brake controller. You need to add one. The Ford kit is the only one that is Ford approve and ties into the automated emergency braking system. Yes, the Curt Echo works with the system, but I don't recommend it for towing the type of trailer your looking at. Many of use use either the Redarc or other aftermarket controller without the extra module, and get along just fine.

Yes most definitely get a WDH. Get one with built in sway control, the add on friction sway bars are junk. They also need to be removed to backup. I run a Husky Centerline, but there are several good brands out there. Just don't let a salesman sell you too heavy of bars. I run about 500 lbs tongue weight and run 800 lb max bars. Biggest thing is getting it setup right. Most dealers will do what ever it takes to get you off the lot. The best maybe to get a friend who tows a TT to help you get the distribution a levels setup right.

The tongue weights shown are probably dry weights. The loaded tongue weight should be between 10 and 15 percent of the total trailer weight. So the tongue weight for the 212 is going to be close to the max of 750 for the ranger.

All this said @Grumpaw is another good source here for towing. His rig runs close to the max for our Rangers and he has tons of experience. Listen and follow his advice

 

[dtech]

Yeah lots of helpful advice on here , I also downloaded RV Tow check from playstore ($2) and you can plug in vehicle and trailer specs and it will give you a yay or nay plus shows a visual based on cargo wt a range of very safe to barely legal , derived mainlyfrom the TW loading. It's conservative, I'll be towing a 4174 lbs UVW and the app says around 1400 lbs is a safe cargo weight, I believe that is for the truck and trailer.

 

[Grumpaw]

Has Lee posted, there are things/equipment you will need to get to tow properly, but you really shouldn't but "stuff" until you know which trailer you will get.
Have to ask, how many people will be in the rig...asking as one of the trailers is a bunk bed....so are there kids involved ? Do you plan on spending a lot of time outside, or inside....asking because a smaller trailer, with 3-4 people inside, like in bad weather, will become cramped in a very short time, and there isn't much "individual room" in the smaller rig. And, the smaller rig has much less water and holding tank capacity for 3-4 people.
If kids are involved, than, even if it's heavier, and larger, it might be a better choice as there's more room and more fluid capacity.
There are just too many variables involved that you have to consider before making a purchase.
Anything I posted is based on my experience, both with kids, and as now, empty nesters.
There is a current thread in the towing section about Towing a New Trailer...check it out and take the time to read other camper towing threads.

 

[Strobes]

You should be great there. I have Fox rears but Bilstein is stiffer. You will be less wobbly in the rear than I am, and I do fine.

As EJH posted, you will need a controller. Your tow package is the hitch and wiring/plug.
Bot trailers are fairly close to overall weight and tongue weight, and both are well within the Rangers capacity.
As to which one...choice is based on your needs, # of people, and your plans for camping. Just short trips for a few days, the smaller of the 2. Longer trips for longer durations, the larger...more room, more fluid capacity, probably more storage.
As posted, go to the Towing section....all of us who tow, especially travel trailers, have posted numerous times, with advice and our experiences.
This is our rig...

awesome, after doing some more research we are going to go with the 184, for the reasons you mentioned. Smaller, lighter and suits our needs for 3-5 day trips throughout the summer. Going to get the Redarc tow package and the built in sway control. All that said, after talking to the wife we are going to wait until the spring. Gives us time to save more and time for me to get all the add one for the truck. We’re getting from a dealer in Idaho so all said and done it’s going to take 20ish days to get here and the brake people can’t even get me in for 3 weeks. I’ll go to the towing section when time gets closer, thanks again for all the advice. I love this forum.

 

[dtech]

awesome, after doing some more research we are going to go with the 184, for the reasons you mentioned. Smaller, lighter and suits our needs for 3-5 day trips throughout the summer. Going to get the Redarc tow package and the built in sway control. All that said, after talking to the wife we are going to wait until the spring. Gives us time to save more and time for me to get all the add one for the truck. We’re getting from a dealer in Idaho so all said and done it’s going to take 20ish days to get here and the brake people can’t even get me in for 3 weeks. I’ll go to the towing section when time gets closer, thanks again for all the advice. I love this forum.

84 gal fresh water tank on the bigger trailer - wonder what that weighs. Then the smaller one has 20 gal ? the one I bought has 30 gal , 40 or 50 would have been nice.

 

[EJH]

84 gal fresh water tank on the bigger trailer - wonder what that weighs. Then the smaller one has 20 gal ? the one I bought has 30 gal , 40 or 50 would have been nice.

We have a 50 gallon fresh tank. It is as nice as you think it is. Our rig is 16 ft living space, 20 ft trailer.

 

[Strobes]

84 gal fresh water tank on the bigger trailer - wonder what that weighs. Then the smaller one has 20 gal ? the one I bought has 30 gal , 40 or 50 would have been nice.

84 gal fresh water tank on the bigger trailer - wonder what that weighs. Then the smaller one has 20 gal ? the one I bought has 30 gal , 40 or 50 would have been nice.

700 lbs of water (84 gallons) that’s wild.

 

[dtech]

We have a 50 gallon fresh tank. It is as nice as you think it is. Our rig is 18 ft living space, 20 ft trailer.

Do you have a bathtub, I was surprised to find bathtubs and good sized bathrooms in some smaller rvs, but then again after weeks of rv shopping not much is a surprise anymore except that I finally bought one

 

[Frenchy]

Is the total weight of the trailer at gross within the Rangers Capacity? If so then you are ok. If not then probably not.

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