2020 Ranger towing experience

[Totem Pole]

I recently purchased a new Ranger and a 2020 R-Pod R189 travel trailer to get back into rv travel. I picked the R-Pod because it is a narrow body and met the frontal area square foot limitations set by Ford. I searched for how the Ranger tows and couldn't find anything that seemed to give a definite opinion on towing an rv in the mountains. I've towed rv's big and small with big trucks gas and diesel for the last 25 years but wanted to down size to something easier to park and maneuver in tight campgrounds. I just completed the first trip going from close to sea level to 6000 feet with long stretches of grades between 5 and 7% and I'm extremely happy with the performance. The travel trailer and gear is about 4000 lbs loaded so well under the 7500 lb limit and it pulled the grades at 65 mph without feeling like I was pushing the truck hard. The turbo and 10 speed transmission technology is such a huge improvement. I pulled this route with the same trailer and my 2015 Chevy 2500 6.0 gas v8 a week before and the Ranger out performed it. I looked up the specs and the Ranger since it is much lighter has a higher HP and Torque to weight ratio than the big truck. I was worried I made a mistake but am glad I took the chance. If your on the fence and looking to tow a small rv around the same weight I would recommend the Ranger. I would add the sway bar because it is a light truck and you do feel the wind a bit more. I had Ford install the Ford RedArc brake controller just fyi.

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[Leftcoast]

How was your MPG?

 

[Totem Pole]

How was your MPG?

10.9 mpg which is better than I expected. I do wish the ranger had a larger gas tank but I will just bring an extra gas can if I'm going on a longer trip

 

[awd.nv]

I can't wait to tow our Geo Pro 19Bh with the Ranger. Until finding this forum I thought it would be too much of a lateral move from our 2016 Honda Pilot AWD Touring but we ended up buying the Ranger after seeing what people tow with it in here.

Glad to hear you like it.

 

[TJBarnes]

I see im a couple weeks late to the thread, but how long of a trip was it?

I'm on the fence between a ranger and waiting on a bronco, the main benefit to the ranger is camper towing. I would definitely need to be able to pull at least 450 miles across mainly flat land, but would prefer the option to drive 800 or so miles with the last 300 or so being hilly.

 

[TBR17]

Just towed the boat Saturday for the first time with the new truck which is a Tremor vs FX4 and got 2 mpg better towing with the new truck.

 

[Regnar]

My wife and I have an rpod 178, and I just bought a Ranger. I keep hearing great things about the engine and transmission. Thanks for reporting on your trip!

 

[Totem Pole]

I see im a couple weeks late to the thread, but how long of a trip was it?

I'm on the fence between a ranger and waiting on a bronco, the main benefit to the ranger is camper towing. I would definitely need to be able to pull at least 450 miles across mainly flat land, but would prefer the option to drive 800 or so miles with the last 300 or so being hilly.

I don't know about the Bronco but the Ranger was great with the load. Since then I had to use the Ranger to tow my 14' hydraulic dump trailer for a job because my Chevy 2500 was down. The dump trailer weighed just under 7000 lbs on the way to the landfill and the Ranger pulled it easily! I could definitely feel the trailer moving the truck a bit due to wind but I didn't have a sway control on it but the acceleration and power was very good. This was flat ground towing for the most part. I will be pulling the R-Pod to Telluride Colorado and doing the Million Dollar Highway fully loaded for a week long trip at the end of July so that will be the real test.

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