2019 Ranger recent real world towing experience.

[69/19Ranger]

Bought my 19 ranger April 30, 2020
In anticipation of current trip I added necessary additions for heavy towing use.

Red arc oem trailer brake controller and firestone air bag helper springs.

Installed ford performance M-9603-REB reprogramming 2 days before leaving at 12K miles.

29ft cruiser ultralite travel trailer
Bit over the 12250 GCVWR upon departure.

Ranger's performance was flawless throughout.

Naturally, due to frontal surface area, I was getting pushed around by the endless convoy of big trucks on I-10 between Houston and LA, but never anything I couldn't deal with or made me want to get off the interstate.

Though mostly flat Texas and most of New Mexico I averaged about 12MPG running in trailer mode and no higher than 8th gear at 2K to 2500 rpm and usually no faster than 60mph.

With the weight i was moving. I found 60mph at 2k - 2500rpm is the sweet spot on mostly flat terrain.

First big long incline was coming into Tucson from El Paso. Between Benson and Tucson I think. Ran quite a while in 6th at 3K to 3500 for 30 minutes at a time maintaining 50-60 mph without issue. When I filled up in Tucson it was 6mpg for that leg.

Most of the rest of the trip out was up and down to varying degrees and the ranger pulled it all like a champ all the way.

Real baptism by fire was right at the end. I knew I should have stayed to the interstate but there was a a short cut in blue on the Google maps.

Note to self: check the satellite view.

So I get off at Palm Desert and get on the 74.

For those who know, think about that.

I know the 74 but it's been about 20 years.

By the time I realized what I did, it was way too late to turn around and go back. No choice but to just go forward.

30 minutes straight uphill, 2nd gear 4K rpm unrelenting all the way up and the ranger basically charges up the hill like it's nothing. Temp gauge creeped up a bit as I went but never to the point of worrisome.

By the way, redarc brake controller works better than anything I have ever towed with before.

Switchback after Switchback it just goes flawlessly.

So I'm worried because I had never intended to work this engine like this.

I took I-10 just to avoid the grades coming up the 8 into san diego.

Coming down, the engine braking function of the trailer tow mode helped a lot and at this point I'm hypersensitive the the sounds of the engine but I don't hear anything I am worried about. Not too stressful a drive down the other side of the mountain and it all cooled down nicely. Sits for 2 days after that then move the rv to an rv park. Unload the extra weight to a storage, reload to just what we need and the ranger pulls it like its nothing. (Not very far or fast) Unhook it from the trailer for a grocery trip and it drives like it always has.

Personally, it's shocking yet not surprising that it pulled it like a champ the way it did.

Don't have a mpg figure for the last pull, filled up at the top of the mountain (lucky) and lost track. Before I found myself on the 74 my displayed avg was 12 and when gassing up it was 3 so I am guesstimating 4mpg up that grade.

Truly the best vehicle I have ever owned.

Prior to this trip I was averaging 22mpg

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[Big Blue]

Glad you made the trip safe. Just saw your post with picture of what you were towing. It was scary when I saw you didn't have a weight distribution hitch or any mirror extensions. The recommendation for a WDH is trailer weight over 50% of tow vehicle weight which you obviously were. Air bags will only level the truck not transfer any of the tongue weight onto the front axle. Being light in the front affects both steering and braking. And how did you see around that trailer. BLIS if you have it is little more than useless with a trailer that size.

Just some comments for the next time you tow.

 

[Frenchy]

Glad to hear your experience!!

The times I have towed with my truck have been nice as well. I think the most i have towed was my old 280ZX(unfortunately gone now) and it was roughly 5,500 lbs with the trailer. The truck handled it like it was nothing and keep going and I loved it for just that.

 

[Frenchy]

Glad you made the trip safe. Just saw your post with picture of what you were towing. It was scary when I saw you didn't have a weight distribution hitch or any mirror extensions. The recommendation for a WDH is trailer weight over 50% of tow vehicle weight which you obviously were. Air bags will only level the truck not transfer any of the tongue weight onto the front axle. Being light in the front affects both steering and braking. And how did you see around that trailer. BLIS if you have it is little more than useless with a trailer that size.

Just some comments for the next time you tow.

Most of what you say is correct. To my understanding a WDH is needed for 5,000 lbs and up. It does not mean a lower weight is a bad idea for a WDH but most manufacturers dont recommend until 5,000 lbs. Most being the key word.

 

[Arly]

We've towed with our 2019 ranger lots. Sometimes towing our big square camper at high interstate speeds in my home state at 80. (Yes, legal) We are quite happy with its ability to tow trailers.

 

[Energy1]

Bought my 19 ranger April 30, 2020
In anticipation of current trip I added necessary additions for heavy towing use.

Red arc oem trailer brake controller and firestone air bag helper springs.

Installed ford performance M-9603-REB reprogramming 2 days before leaving at 12K miles.

29ft cruiser ultralite travel trailer
Bit over the 12250 GCVWR upon departure.

Ranger's performance was flawless throughout.

Naturally, due to frontal surface area, I was getting pushed around by the endless convoy of big trucks on I-10 between Houston and LA, but never anything I couldn't deal with or made me want to get off the interstate.

Though mostly flat Texas and most of New Mexico I averaged about 12MPG running in trailer mode and no higher than 8th gear at 2K to 2500 rpm and usually no faster than 60mph.

With the weight i was moving. I found 60mph at 2k - 2500rpm is the sweet spot on mostly flat terrain.

First big long incline was coming into Tucson from El Paso. Between Benson and Tucson I think. Ran quite a while in 6th at 3K to 3500 for 30 minutes at a time maintaining 50-60 mph without issue. When I filled up in Tucson it was 6mpg for that leg.

Most of the rest of the trip out was up and down to varying degrees and the ranger pulled it all like a champ all the way.

Real baptism by fire was right at the end. I knew I should have stayed to the interstate but there was a a short cut in blue on the Google maps.

Note to self: check the satellite view.

So I get off at Palm Desert and get on the 74.

For those who know, think about that.

I know the 74 but it's been about 20 years.

By the time I realized what I did, it was way too late to turn around and go back. No choice but to just go forward.

30 minutes straight uphill, 2nd gear 4K rpm unrelenting all the way up and the ranger basically charges up the hill like it's nothing. Temp gauge creeped up a bit as I went but never to the point of worrisome.

By the way, redarc brake controller works better than anything I have ever towed with before.

Switchback after Switchback it just goes flawlessly.

So I'm worried because I had never intended to work this engine like this.

I took I-10 just to avoid the grades coming up the 8 into san diego.

Coming down, the engine braking function of the trailer tow mode helped a lot and at this point I'm hypersensitive the the sounds of the engine but I don't hear anything I am worried about. Not too stressful a drive down the other side of the mountain and it all cooled down nicely. Sits for 2 days after that then move the rv to an rv park. Unload the extra weight to a storage, reload to just what we need and the ranger pulls it like its nothing. (Not very far or fast) Unhook it from the trailer for a grocery trip and it drives like it always has.

Personally, it's shocking yet not surprising that it pulled it like a champ the way it did.

Don't have a mpg figure for the last pull, filled up at the top of the mountain (lucky) and lost track. Before I found myself on the 74 my displayed avg was 12 and when gassing up it was 3 so I am guesstimating 4mpg up that grade.

Truly the best vehicle I have ever owned.

Prior to this trip I was averaging 22mpg

Amazing. And I was worried about towing my Lance 2285. It too performed like a champ up grades. But according to the numbers, I was near the weight limit .

 

[Grumpaw]

Nice to here...
We are downsizing from a motor home back to a trailer, and bought the Ranger as a daily driver for me and to use to tow.
We were always impressed with the Lance...top of the line trailers, but there are no dealers within a 1000 miles of us. We settled on a Jayco 24RL, similar in size/weight/layout as the Lance 2375, but were able to upgrade to a 50 amp electric and stand alone dinette instead of a booth.
On order, coming in sometime in Jan.
Glad to here your good review of the Ranger for towing .

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