7 pin trailer connector

[craw169]

Here is the Redarc Brake controller testing procedure.

big thank you!

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[Cabose-1]

2022 jayco jay flight slx 8. 29 feet long 5k lbs. 600lb tongue.
Get your weights and the wdh set up right and care free towing.
I do lots of towing with this ranger. Tow much heavier weights with cars and equipment.
Travel trailers are big giant wind sails.
Tow safe, keep the rubber side down.
Have my redarc at about 4 to 4.5 on the brake setting

 

[mtbikernate]

range and frequency of stops aren't really a big deal for me....i usually need a bathroom break every 1.5-2 hours

it's a factor for me when I'm doing long road trips. It eats into how far I can get in a day. Yeah, sometimes I need to stop and hit the head that frequently (sometimes, frustratingly, more). I'd rather not stop to fuel up every time I stop to pee. My goal is to combine fuel stops with food stops.

In the past, I've mathed out how much extra fuel stops add to a trip, and it's definitely significant. Consequently, the amount I'm willing to tow differs based on the length of the drive I intend to do. For a long drive, I prefer less weight. for shorter drives, I'll happily max out the truck

 

[craw169]

it's a factor for me when I'm doing long road trips. It eats into how far I can get in a day. Yeah, sometimes I need to stop and hit the head that frequently (sometimes, frustratingly, more). I'd rather not stop to fuel up every time I stop to pee. My goal is to combine fuel stops with food stops.

In the past, I've mathed out how much extra fuel stops add to a trip, and it's definitely significant. Consequently, the amount I'm willing to tow differs based on the length of the drive I intend to do. For a long drive, I prefer less weight. for shorter drives, I'll happily max out the truck

you make very good points!

we recently took a pretty long trip without towing anything. we drove from ontario to my home in newfoundland. we needed 2 8 hour driving days, a 16 hour long ferry ride and finally a short 1.5 hour drive once on the island. we did manage a couple pretty long stints with no bathroom breaks. i do tend to get a little sleepy when i drive (ranger has very comfy seats!) so every stop also includes getting coffee so that makes the bathroom problem worse. apart from the couple long times in between stops we mostly had to stop around the 2 hour mark for stretch, bathroom and more coffee. so that makes me worry less about the range when towing but i do have concerns about getting on a stretch of highway with no gas nearby. i saw others say they carry a gas can for back up....if i was towing something i think i would have that backup just for peace of mind. i do agree though that the gas tank size is a major disadvantage of the ranger. i wonder if the made it bigger for the 2024s.

 

[Grumpaw]

you make very good points!

we recently took a pretty long trip without towing anything. we drove from ontario to my home in newfoundland. we needed 2 8 hour driving days, a 16 hour long ferry ride and finally a short 1.5 hour drive once on the island. we did manage a couple pretty long stints with no bathroom breaks. i do tend to get a little sleepy when i drive (ranger has very comfy seats!) so every stop also includes getting coffee so that makes the bathroom problem worse. apart from the couple long times in between stops we mostly had to stop around the 2 hour mark for stretch, bathroom and more coffee. so that makes me worry less about the range when towing but i do have concerns about getting on a stretch of highway with no gas nearby. i saw others say they carry a gas can for back up....if i was towing something i think i would have that backup just for peace of mind. i do agree though that the gas tank size is a major disadvantage of the ranger. i wonder if the made it bigger for the 2024s.

Yes, mpg with the Ranger when towing a decant size trailer....Sucks !!! No getting around it, and really nothing you can do mod wise to get better mpg. There are aftermarket larger capacity tanks available for the Ranger, but $$$$$.
Of course mpg will vary depending on roadway, grades, speed, wind, traffic, ect, but figure at 60-65 mph you will get around 10 mpg average...this towing your estimated 5000 lb rig. Below that as in some back roads like our US and State roads where you average 50-55 mph the mileage will bump up to 12-14.
When traveling I do carry a small Wavian gas can for those "Oh Sh-t" times, but it's always wise to travel on the top 2/3 tank when fuel is readily available, and the top half when stations are fewer.

 

[GreyAreaRanger]

When you go to an RV show, leave your money, checkbook, and credit cards at home !!!.The sales people at these shows are worse than used car salesman, and the majority of them don't even own an rv, much less how they operate or what is the proper equipment to tow one (if a trailer). They will do everything in their power to get you to buy one....especially a "show rig" that has had hundreds of lookers walk thru, pull on everything, and generally destroy it.
But, do take a careful look at how these rigs are constructed....better known manufacturers will have a bit more quality than the off brands, but don't expect great quality or construction even from "top brand expensive" rigs....they are likely to have as many problems as a cheap entry level rig.
First and most important tp I can give you....you MUST be a do-it-yourselfer to get into and own an RV......it not, you will be taking your rig to the dealer for very minor items and repairs that he may take weeks to fix. Think of the routine repairs you do around your home....now think of your home bouncing down the road at 60 mph....and rv's are nowhere as quality constructed as your home.
Both of you lie down on the bed, sit on the pottie, stand and move around in the shower....make sure there is enough room for you......we once bought a class c motorhome that only had a few hundred miles on it and was used once, for half the price cause the two people could not/would not fit into the bed and couldn't fit in the shower....they just got caught up in the buying frenzy of "camping under the stars".
If looking at a new rig, NEVER EVER pay retail or sticker....offer at least 25% less than sticker and negotiate from there....if they won't talk, than walk. A used rig on a dealer lot...figure they paid half of what their asking for it.
And, most rv's only come with a one year warranty on the body...appliances may have up to a 2 year. But take that into consideration as to what time of year you buy....if you buy one at the end of fall, or when it starts to get cold, you may not be using it until early spring, maybe 3-5 months, and that much of your warranty will be lost, and you won't know if everything is good until you've taken a few trips.
Not trying to scare you away from RV'ing....just be aware that there is a lot involved as far as maintaince, upkeep, repairs. I've owned around a dozen over the 50 years we have been owners, and I'm still out weekly fuddling around with our present rig, modding, upkeep, ect.

Thank you for this input. I'm not OP but have been looking into small travel trailers as a graduation present to myself for finishing nursing school (soon). Looking to make a purchase next summer and hope to try and rent a couple different sizes beforehand to see what I am comfortable with in the Ranger as I plan on keeping this truck for as long as I can.

 

[craw169]

Here is the Redarc Brake controller testing procedure.

thank you for the test procedure. i did it this morning and everything is working as it should. i think the pins aren't correct in the instructions though...at first i couldn't get the bulb to light....but then i saw a different 7 pin diagram where the trailer brakes and ground are on opposite side of the notch (more like pins 1 and 2 or 1 and 6 on the diagram). when i connected my bulb this way, i was able to switch into manual mode, and could see that the connected globe got brighter as i increased the brake level on the controller. i am very happy now that i could test that things i working properly before i hook up a trailer and thank you for putting the instructions here!

 

[RangerBill]

thank you for the test procedure. i did it this morning and everything is working as it should. i think the pins aren't correct in the instructions though...at first i couldn't get the bulb to light....but then i saw a different 7 pin diagram where the trailer brakes and ground are on opposite side of the notch (more like pins 1 and 2 or 1 and 6 on the diagram). when i connected my bulb this way, i was able to switch into manual mode, and could see that the connected globe got brighter as i increased the brake level on the controller. i am very happy now that i could test that things i working properly before i hook up a trailer and thank you for putting the instructions here!

Glad to hear it is working.

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