Just a simple question of "WHY?!"

[Frenchy]

As the title states, WHY?!

Why is it when people get ready to get a camper trailer that is well within the Towing Specifications of their Rangers(or other vehicle) that they have to get a second opinion from someone that thinks you shouldn't go more than half the Towing Capacity or better yet longer than 15 FT?

If there is anything I have learned over the years when it comes to Towing, first make sure that the Trailer you will be pulling is going to be withing your Tow Vehicles Manufacturers Rated Capacity. The next thing being to make sure you have the necessary equipment added(weight distribution hitch, trailer brake controller and other things that may apply). Nothing states that the trailer can only be so long on said vehicle. Even various Vehicle Manufacturers will state in the Owners Manual(even though it hardly ever gets looked at) on how one should operate the vehicle when Towing including on what the recommended top speed should be(not saying individuals will listen to that specific ruel).

Now with that said if one has never towed a trailer in their life and they want to start with a big camper trailer, I personally feel they should go through some kind of training course first so they know how to handle the load while driving so they can be safe on the road and have less chance of causing a potential accident of sorts. Simply one thing we just don't want happening if we can avoid.

A little EDIT here:
A while back before I got the Ranger I had a 2016 Nissan Frontier Desert Runner. In general it was a great Truck. If I remember correctly the Maximum Towing Capacity Rated for that Truck due to being a Crew Cab Short Bed 2WD, it was around 6,300 LBS. It might have been a little less, but not my much. I remember talking to a guy at U-Haul and he thought I was crazy for thinking that truck could do that. I looked at him and asked him "WHY?!". He said I should not go over the vehicles curb weight when towing. I simply just looked at him and laughed hysterically. I asked him after that "Then how come a Semi Truck is towing much more than it's weight which a fully loaded Trailer?!". He didn't seem to have an answer for that. Put simple I would have no problems going up to the max Towing Capacity set by Nissan for that Truck especially since it was setup well from the Factory to do so. Even the Ranger was setup well to do the same, just a bit better with the Turbocharger and the 10 speed Transmission(not going to lie, I kinda miss it in a way).

So again, WHY?!

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[Jhbryaniv]

As the title states, WHY?!

Why is it when people get ready to get a camper trailer that is well within the Towing Specifications of their Rangers(or other vehicle) that they have to get a second opinion from someone that thinks you shouldn't go more than half the Towing Capacity or better yet longer than 15 FT?

If there is anything I have learned over the years when it comes to Towing, first make sure that the Trailer you will be pulling is going to be withing your Tow Vehicles Manufacturers Rated Capacity. The next thing being to make sure you have the necessary equipment added(weight distribution hitch, trailer brake controller and other things that may apply). Nothing states that the trailer can only be so long on said vehicle. Even various Vehicle Manufacturers will state in the Owners Manual(even though it hardly ever gets looked at) on how one should operate the vehicle when Towing including on what the recommended top speed should be(not saying individuals will listen to that specific ruel).

Now with that said if one has never towed a trailer in their life and they want to start with a big camper trailer, I personally feel they should go through some kind of training course first so they know how to handle the load while driving so they can be safe on the road and have less chance of causing a potential accident of sorts. Simply one thing we just don't want happening if we can avoid.

So again, WHY?!

I think the first thing people should consider is, should I be towing a trailer of this size.

I'm not supportive of anyone going out (ranger or other vehicle) and buying a trailer that's at the top end of the capacity if they aren't experienced at towing.

Common sense isn't a gene and way to many people lack it.

Knowing YOUR limitations is so important, but many see others doing something and think they can do it to. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

If someone has to be reassured that a trailer isn't to much for them, they may want to rethink their plans.... Because that self doubt will creep back in at the worst possible moments and could kill them, someone they love or an innocent...

 

[db_tanker]

Jhbryaniv nailed it it .

I see too many folks hauling camper trailers / caravans on the interstate...in the FAST LANE...with nothing in the other lanes.

Common sense isn't a gene. And it sure as hell isn't common.

Plus one other thing...folks will get a camper that is near the max limit of their vehicle and not take into account all the ancillaries that go into the camper...food, dinnerware, bedding/clothing, etc. That stuff adds up QUICK.

I don't haul a huge trailer - just a little 2500 lb Carry-on so no worries on my part with my little 4 wheeler as I am WELL below 2k combined trailer and load. But some folks have a hard enough time driving without aa attached item to the back of their truck.

D

 

[Grumpaw]

Jhbryaniv nailed it it .

I see too many folks hauling camper trailers / caravans on the interstate...in the FAST LANE...with nothing in the other lanes.

Common sense isn't a gene. And it sure as hell isn't common.

Plus one other thing...folks will get a camper that is near the max limit of their vehicle and not take into account all the ancillaries that go into the camper...food, dinnerware, bedding/clothing, etc. That stuff adds up QUICK.

I don't haul a huge trailer - just a little 2500 lb Carry-on so no worries on my part with my little 4 wheeler as I am WELL below 2k combined trailer and load. But some folks have a hard enough time driving without aa attached item to the back of their truck.

D

Please do not lump all of us into one of your categories.
Those of us who do tow large, heavy campers are well aware of how to gauge the trailers weight when empty and when adding belongings. We know what stuff weighs, how to load our rigs, and how to set the rig up for proper, safe towing.
Yes, I have seen other rigs go by me in the left lane as if they trying to attain a mach l limit, but that is not the norm, but the exception.
And, just because your not comfortable towing more than you are, do not try to claim you know better and that we should all conform to your standards. Just because I tow a trailer near the limit does not make me a hazard to others or a dangerous driver/tow'er.
If your satisified towing your 2500 lbs, fine, but do not berate those of us who tow 7000 lb trailers just because "YOU" think its unsafe.

This topic is one of those that's gonna get sucked into that Black Hole that ends up as more of a pissing match than an information thread....here we go again !!!

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

There are those who say, WHY NOT?

Chooooo chooooo!

 

[Frenchy]

Jhbryaniv nailed it it .

I see too many folks hauling camper trailers / caravans on the interstate...in the FAST LANE...with nothing in the other lanes.

Common sense isn't a gene. And it sure as hell isn't common.

Plus one other thing...folks will get a camper that is near the max limit of their vehicle and not take into account all the ancillaries that go into the camper...food, dinnerware, bedding/clothing, etc. That stuff adds up QUICK.

I don't haul a huge trailer - just a little 2500 lb Carry-on so no worries on my part with my little 4 wheeler as I am WELL below 2k combined trailer and load. But some folks have a hard enough time driving without aa attached item to the back of their truck.

D

Ummm...... Did you read my initial post? This is about a trailer that would be well within limits when loaded that is still close to the max. Not about a empty trailer that weighs more that the max capacity empty.

As @Grumpaw stated above, if you are not comfortable towing that much that is ok. Just don't berate those that tow near the Safe Rated Limit of their Tow Vehicle.

 

[Frenchy]

There are those who say, WHY NOT?

Chooooo chooooo!

Not going to lie, even a setup like that would worry me. But then again I am sure that there are plenty of safe steps to take in order to operate one of those

 

[MountainGoat]

Some people just need someone else to tell them what to do, or what their doing is OK. If random internet person says tow 15k lbs they'll do it. How many threads have been started on here about something that can easily be found in the manual?

I remember talking to a guy at U-Haul and he thought I was crazy for thinking that truck could do that. I looked at him and asked him "WHY?!". He said I should not go over the vehicles curb weight when towing. I simply just looked at him and laughed hysterically.

These big companies don't hire people based on intelligence or subject matter knowledge.

 

[Frenchy]

Some people just need someone else to tell them what to do, or what their doing is OK. If random internet person says tow 15k lbs they'll do it. How many threads have been started on here about something that can easily be found in the manual?

These big companies don't hire people based on intelligence or subject matter knowledge.

Honestly I have lost count on how many threads we have when it comes to people asking the question. I even remember one person here trying to state not to tow more than half the rated capacity due to a bad experience(or better yet many bad experiences) with a Ford AeroStar van.

Also U-Haul trains their employees that particular way believe it or not.

 

[Canadian Ranger]

Why?
There's soooo many factors involved with trailers, that a person can't comprehend them all.
For example....A strong crosswind blowing against a 3000 lb 40' camper being towed by Ranger is vastly different than the same wind blowing against 1000lb empty 20' utility trailer being towed with a F-250.
The UHaul guy was correct in saying what he did to you. But also keep in mind, UHaul likely gets sued on a daily basis by people by people renting their 2-wheeled car dollies and towing a '78 Cadillac with their Mini Cooper after they end up driving over the edge of a bridge.

 

[Frenchy]

Why?
There's soooo many factors involved with trailers, that a person can't comprehend them all.
For example....A strong crosswind blowing against a 3000 lb 40' camper being towed by Ranger is vastly different than the same wind blowing against 1000lb empty 20' utility trailer being towed with a F-250.
The UHaul guy was correct in saying what he did to you. But also keep in mind, UHaul likely gets sued on a daily basis by people by people renting their 2-wheeled car dollies and towing a '78 Cadillac with their Mini Cooper after they end up driving over the edge of a bridge.

I'm curious as to why you decided to change the Tow Vehicle in your little Scenario? All you have to do is change the trailer in the Scenario.

Also how was the guy at U-Haul correct with what he told me? Do you think the people at U-Haul have way more knowledge and training than the Engineers that have set the Towing Specifications of any vehicle on the market out there? I can promise you that the Engineers at Nissan and Ford make more money and spent way more money than what the guy at U-Haul makes trying to figure out and set the Maximum Safe Tow Rating for their Vehicles.

 

[Jhbryaniv]

Jhbryaniv nailed it it .

I see too many folks hauling camper trailers / caravans on the interstate...in the FAST LANE...with nothing in the other lanes.

Common sense isn't a gene. And it sure as hell isn't common.

Plus one other thing...folks will get a camper that is near the max limit of their vehicle and not take into account all the ancillaries that go into the camper...food, dinnerware, bedding/clothing, etc. That stuff adds up QUICK.

I don't haul a huge trailer - just a little 2500 lb Carry-on so no worries on my part with my little 4 wheeler as I am WELL below 2k combined trailer and load. But some folks have a hard enough time driving without aa attached item to the back of their truck.

D

I think all of this goes to inexperienced people who shouldn't be doing something looking for reassurance that it's OK.

Hell a cousin of ours went out and bought his first TT because he wanted to get into RV life. He and his family went to an RV show, he found a camper he liked that was at the limit of his vehicles capacity, dry weight. He went online bought a weight distributing hitch, and said Ohh I'm good.

He had never towed a trailer before and they would tow that thing all over the state of Florida with bikes, wagons every kids toy possible stuffed in it, plus pots, pans, clothes and food.

I recognize that this is probably an exception vs a rule, but I can't help but think of him Everytime I see a TT being towed behind a vehicle it dwarfs sprinting in the left lane.

When I would talk to him about it his response was always, well I read about this guy on a forum who said weight distro hitches make it ok, and another guy who tows this size trailer and a another guy who tows a bigger trailer. He never could quite tell me those peoples experience that made it ok to tow that load...

Was it here or on one of those Facebook groups where a guy posted towing something like a 10k trailer with his ranger and said it was OK because he was a truck driver. ? It's people like that who give rv owners (like @Grumpaw) a bad rap.

Anyway, I gotta make coffee it's back into the low 30's here this morning.

 

[bbeverag]

My opinion is the ranger is capable of towing a lot more than 7500 lbs, and doing it safely. However, it can't do it AS safely once you exceed 7500 lbs. Since it says 7500 lbs in the manual, my insurance will pay out in an accident if I am towing less than that, but might not pay out if i was towing more than that.

 

[Frenchy]

My opinion is the ranger is capable of towing a lot more than 7500 lbs, and doing it safely. However, it can't do it AS safely once you exceed 7500 lbs. Since it says 7500 lbs in the manual, my insurance will pay out in an accident if I am towing less than that, but might not pay out if i was towing more than that.

The fact that insurance will not pay and leave you stranded if you are towing more than the Safe Rated Limit is another thing to consider. I don't care if one things it is safe to tow more than the Maximum Rated Capacity for any vehicle. If it is Rated for a Maximum Limit then it should not be exceeded.

Could the Ranger tow More than 7,500 LBS? Maybe, but I would not take the chance as it is not rated for such. Same thing goes for my 2012 Nissan Frontier that is rated for 6,100 LBS. Yeah It might be able to technically tow more, but I would not do it simply for the fact that it is not Rated for such.

 

[Canadian Ranger]

I'm curious as to why you decided to change the Tow Vehicle in your little Scenario? All you have to do is change the trailer in the Scenario.

Also how was the guy at U-Haul correct with what he told me? Do you think the people at U-Haul have way more knowledge and training than the Engineers that have set the Towing Specifications of any vehicle on the market out there? I can promise you that the Engineers at Nissan and Ford make more money and spent way more money than what the guy at U-Haul makes trying to figure out and set the Maximum Safe Tow Rating for their Vehicles.

I changed the tow vehicle to an F-250 to better paint the picture for you, that the stronger the vehicle, the less impact all those variables have while you're towing.
I explained why the guy at UHaul was correct. They rent trailers to people who show up to rent a trailer thinking their dishwasher, love seat, and bed frame weighs 20lbs. They actually weight 200lbs, and when they get home with the empty trailer they decide to move the ride-on lawnmower along with the dishwasher, love seat, and bed frame. Then, when their transmission blows apart, they blame UHaul.

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