How big is too big?

[Juany118]

Hey all. Right now I am towing a Forest River Salem FSX 178bhsk with zero problems., it's 23" long and max 5000lbs real weight, the GVWR of the trailer is ~5200. It tows this like a champ across the entire state of PA, over the Appalachians, etc.

In a few years when our kid heads off to college my wife and I are planning on trading this bunk house in for a larger, rear kitchen, couples model so we can snowbird. All of the options we are looking at are between 25-28ft long and a max GVWR of 6995. Is going to this a bit of a stretch for the Ranger? Now in a few years designs, and materials, may have brought the weights down, but just planning based on today's tech. The stats for the couples trailers are from Flagstaff and Grand Designs so I believe them.to be reliable.

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[ctechbob]

I wouldn't go any longer than what I already tow, although very slightly heavier wouldn't be a problem. @Grumpaw is about the same length as me, but heavier.

My opinion is that we are both at the max length for the truck.

26DJSE - 26' box 29' tip to tail

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

I wouldn't go any longer than what I already tow, although very slightly heavier wouldn't be a problem. @Grumpaw is about the same length as me, but heavier.

My opinion is that we are both at the max length for the truck.

26DJSE - 26' box 29' tip to tail

Just curious Shawn. I’m sure other TT owners have commented on the size of your trailer.

Have you ever been pulled over by highway enforcement officers because they thought you might be overweight?

 

[Grumpaw]

I definitely agree with Shawn....I'm towing a Jayco 24RL, slightly shorter but heavier than his....anything larger/heavier and I'd have to go with an F-150 or even an F-250.
You will be stressing the Ranger's ability....

 

[Juany118]

I wouldn't go any longer than what I already tow, although very slightly heavier wouldn't be a problem. @Grumpaw is about the same length as me, but heavier.

My opinion is that we are both at the max length for the truck.

26DJSE - 26' box 29' tip to tail

Right now I am 22'11" tip to tail. The longest of the top 3 of our options for the couples trailer replacement, in a few years, is 28.5.

https://www.granddesignrv.com/travel-trailers/imagine-xls/23lde

I have an email into Grand Design to see if that length is tip-tail or not. Your trailer seems like a pretty good comparison when it comes to length and weight. Thanks!!! @Grumpaw tagging you so you can see what we are considering

 

[Grumpaw]

Right now I am 22'11" tip to tail. The longest of the top 3 of our options for the couples trailer replacement, in a few years, is 28.5.

https://www.granddesignrv.com/travel-trailers/imagine-xls/23lde

I have an email into Grand Design to see if that length is tip-tail or not. Your trailer seems like a pretty good comparison when it comes to length and weight. Thanks!!! @Grumpaw tagging you so you can see what we are considering

Usually the length advertised is tip of front coupler to back of rear bumper or box if no bumper attached.
The GD weight and tongue weight has advertised is just about what our Jayco 24RL was listed at, but add at least 100 lbs to the tongue weight for the battery and two 20 lb filled propane tanks.
Then add your "stuff" and you will quickly approach the Rangers rating.
Not saying you shouldn't get it (we actually looked at that rig when we were shopping....but no GD dealers in our area) but it will depend on your experience and needs.

 

[RangerTX]

I wouldn't do 6995 with a Ranger for a travel trailer. No way.

I have towed travel trailers with a 150 and a 2500... Always go bigger for safety. Don't ever tow right at the limit. When doing so, you have no room for unusual situations where you need more power , breaking, or maneuverability. Just how I do things, your mileage may vary.

 

[Grumpaw]

That 23DLE will have a box that is 23 feet, but the brochure states 28.5 which is usually the added 5 feet for the front a-frame coupler and the rear bumper added....their both "correct"....just depends on who is measuring.

 

[Juany118]

Usually the length advertised is tip of front coupler to back of rear bumper or box if no bumper attached.
The GD weight and tongue weight has advertised is just about what our Jayco 24RL was listed at, but add at least 100 lbs to the tongue weight for the battery and two 20 lb filled propane tanks.
Then add your "stuff" and you will quickly approach the Rangers rating.
Not saying you shouldn't get it (we actually looked at that rig when we were shopping....but no GD dealers in our area) but it will depend on your experience and needs.

Well for our needs that will be perfect. Insofar as experience, I will be building it before we make the purchase. My wife and I are very much about long term planning. So we got the Forest River Salem FSX 178bhsk since it was smaller and lighter, plus had a bunk house for a 5th grader and friend/cousin etc. I am in a DROP (retirement program) so will be out the door after 29 years in '27 and my wife's business should be largely self managing shortly after that. So transitioning to the GD, or similar, is our plan to snowbird from Pennsylvania from January 1 to March 30.

We're lucky in that within 45 minutes of our house there are multiple dealers that carry Salem, Vibe, Fleetwood, and Grand Design, all of which have some version of a rear or front kitchen couples trailer. I do most of the cooking and I just find that layout very attractive.

 

[Juany118]

I wouldn't do 6995 with a Ranger for a travel trailer. No way.

I have towed travel trailers with a 150 and a 2500... Always go bigger for safety. Don't ever tow right at the limit. When doing so, you have no room for unusual situations where you need more power , breaking, or maneuverability. Just how I do things, your mileage may vary.

I would never come close to the GVWR. Our kit is the same kit we used out of the back (and roof) of a Subie Outback for tent car camping. We just want space for "US", and two dogs, not "stuff".

I always find how people think breaking is massively different interesting. Let's assume that the trailer brakes fail (that's always what seems to be said when I ask about braking). Unless you are in a perfectly straight line, and the trailer is perfectly balanced, the trailer will swing left, or right, and try to wrap around you, Ford Ranger, or Ford F350. The model of truck doesn't change Newton's first law when it comes to braking, trailer brakes compensate for that.

The points regarding emergency acceleration however is well taken. That said when it's time to retire the Ranger, we're definitely upgrading the size of the truck, like I said elsewhere in this thread this is more of a long-term plan so if we end up getting a deal that we can't refuse on a trailer I'm just trying to see where the limit lies between, "it'll work but not be ideal," and "hard no".

Note: My experience regarding the breaking of trucks is largely based on accident investigations that I performed over the last 26 years. So it's about studying and analyzing the dynamics of the crash, from the outside looking in, so to speak, not being in the crash itself.

 

[ctechbob]

Just curious Shawn. I’m sure other TT owners have commented on the size of your trailer.

Have you ever been pulled over by highway enforcement officers because they thought you might be overweight?

Uhh, no.

Can't see any officer giving a toss about that..

I've never heard of an RV'er being pulled over for that in my 48 years.

My scale numbers are posted here if anyone is curious:

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/grey-wolf-26djse-and-a-ranger.25650/#post-587978

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

Uhh, no.

Can't see any officer giving a toss about that..

I've never heard of an RV'er being pulled over for that in my 48 years.

My scale numbers are posted here if anyone is curious:

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/grey-wolf-26djse-and-a-ranger.25650/#post-587978

Good to know!

 

[Grumpaw]

I would never come close to the GVWR. Our kit is the same kit we used out of the back (and roof) of a Subie Outback for tent car camping. We just want space for "US", and two dogs, not "stuff".

I always find how people think breaking is massively different interesting. Let's assume that the trailer brakes fail (that's always what seems to be said when I ask about braking). Unless you are in a perfectly straight line, and the trailer is perfectly balanced, the trailer will swing left, or right, and try to wrap around you, Ford Ranger, or Ford F350. The model of truck doesn't change Newton's first law when it comes to braking, trailer brakes compensate for that.

The points regarding emergency acceleration however is well taken. That said when it's time to retire the Ranger, we're definitely upgrading the size of the truck, like I said elsewhere in this thread this is more of a long-term plan so if we end up getting a deal that we can't refuse on a trailer I'm just trying to see where the limit lies between, "it'll work but not be ideal," and "hard no".

Note: My experience regarding the breaking of trucks is largely based on accident investigations that I performed over the last 26 years. So it's about studying and analyzing the dynamics of the crash, from the outside looking in, so to speak, not being in the crash itself.

I will tell you that accelerating with the Ranger is no problem at all. Towing my rig, I use tow mode 100% of the time, and when you hit the go pedal. the Ranger does not disappoint, even with my trailer, approaching 7000 lbs.
I do not have a "tune", but have never had a problem passing, breaking, and have negotiated mountains in Vt, N.H., upstate N.Y., No. Carolina, Mass. and here in Va. If needed, easy to drop to a lower gear, and truck perks right up.
And, kudos to you...for many years I was an accident re-constructionist working accidents that involved fatalities, many that involved tractor/trailer rigs with weight transfer/distribution, fluid transfer, ect !!!

 

[Juany118]

I will tell you that accelerating with the Ranger is no problem at all. Towing my rig, I use tow mode 100% of the time, and when you hit the go pedal. the Ranger does not disappoint, even with my trailer, approaching 7000 lbs.
I do not have a "tune", but have never had a problem passing, breaking, and have negotiated mountains in Vt, N.H., upstate N.Y., No. Carolina, Mass. and here in Va. If needed, easy to drop to a lower gear, and truck perks right up.
And, kudos to you...for many years I was an accident re-constructionist working accidents that involved fatalities, many that involved tractor/trailer rigs with weight transfer/distribution, fluid transfer, ect !!!

Yep that tow mode definitely makes a difference. I forgot to turn it on after fueling on my trip to see the eclipse earlier this month and could definitely tell I had forgotten. 600+ miles round trip and never felt like I needed more power, though I do drive sensibly.

Kudos to you as well. I am just glad working accidents has never been my primary duty. The math makes my head ache lol.

 

[RangerPNW]

I wouldn't do 6995 with a Ranger for a travel trailer. No way.

I have towed travel trailers with a 150 and a 2500... Always go bigger for safety. Don't ever tow right at the limit. When doing so, you have no room for unusual situations where you need more power , breaking, or maneuverability. Just how I do things, your mileage may vary.

I'm with you here, that seems like you're pushing your luck. If it was staying local that would be one thing, but proper road-tripping with that much trailer on that small of a truck sounds like an accident waiting to happen...

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