Help with towing numbers

[Rviator]

I run 55-60 with load range e tires when towing. Max load for a tire is at max pressure. Advantages of higher psi are increased load, lower tire temps, better mpg and more stability (less sidewall flex). I drop them back down to 40 ish when not towing

You do you but my point was the stock Ranger tires the OP has on his truck are more than adequate for the task at the factory recommended psi. Overinflated tires can also contribute to trailer instability and do not increase the load carrying capability of the truck.

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[mikedrees]

You do you but my point was the stock Ranger tires the OP has on his truck are more than adequate for the task at the factory recommended psi. Overinflated tires can also contribute to trailer instability and do not increase the load carrying capability of the truck.

I would never over inflate max psi on mine are 80 psi. Increasing the stickers to thier max psi will improve towing feel. A little less "white knuckling" id only dvise the op to increase to max psi for a better towing, then back down to recommend to daily. Recommended psi is just that... Recommended. For a good ride and not too low for it payload. I say tire manufacturers would be the go to for info on towing.. they all say match psi to total weight per axle while towing. A trip to the cat scales would be beneficial. There is really no opions on this. Just numbers from manufacturers (tire and vehicle) to be adhered to. If 35 psi is sufficient for the weight on the axle, then that is fine. A weight distribution hitch adds weight to both the front and rear axles through the frame.

 

[Big Blue]

There was not any wind, but lots of big trucks the day I towed it home. I need to make sure the ball height and everything is correct before I tow again, and probably weight it with the WDH unlooked and then again with it set at various chain links... I don't know much about the brake controller, it just have a dial and button in the middle for manual braking of the trailer - it seems to work well as I have used it pulling a flat-bed trailer with a small tractor on it.

Your thoughts on weighting with and without the WDH hooked up is a good though. Be sure to weigh the truck without the trailer and get your axle weights do the same with the trailer hooked up. This will let you see the WDH setup affects the front to back weight distribution. You want to find a setup has roughly the same front to back weight distribution as when not towing. You never want to be lighter on the front.

As far as the brake controller goes. The Ford setup functions just like a normal Redarc unit. The extra module ties into the high mounted brake light for getting the brake signal instead of the brake pedal. This allows the trailer breaks to work with the emergency braking system and the adaptive cruise control. Hope helps

 

[Frenchy]

I have a 2020 Lariat with tow package and dealer installed Redarc brake controller. Planning to tow a Grand Designs Imagine 17 MKE (see attached sticker). I know I need to go the scales but just wanted everyone's opinion so as to make this as safe as possible. I have an Eaz-Lift Elite weight distribution hitch with a friction-type sway controller. I had a smaller camper that the WDH came off of and wondering if I need to upgrade to a better hitch with a better sway control system. When towing the new camper home it did seem to wobble somewhat, but only pulled it like 5 miles on the highway. Also considering adding a sway bar - recommendations? Ranger tires are Hancook Dynapro ATM (51 max psi) - I had them at 45 psi when towing. I've also attached a spreadsheet containing the weights of the Ranger and camper. Comments please!!!

Your truck will tow the trailer with no problems. Just do your self a favor and run the tires at the recommended tire pressure on the door placard!! Others may thing im stupid for saying such but if ford intented for a differnt pressure when towing then they would state it.

 

[ArkyRanger]

Thank you so much for all the comments - what a great why to get information from folks with much more experience than I have!

I am going to start another thread with a discussion on Weight Distribution Hitches, so please "weigh" in on that post if you can.

 

[LurchOR]

Your truck will tow the trailer with no problems. Just do your self a favor and run the tires at the recommended tire pressure on the door placard!! Others may thing im stupid for saying such but if ford intented for a differnt pressure when towing then they would state it.

No disrespect for those that trust Ford on this issue, but...Tire manufacturers seem to feel that the proper inflation of a tire is directly related to the load on said tire; hence the focus on contact patch deformation. Most of them will have a chart available with the recommended inflation for a given tire load.
My 2 cents: Load your truck and trailer for travel, setup your hitch for proper weight distribution, and then weigh your axles at a good scale - you probably already did this when setting up the WDH. Divide axle weights by 2, consult chart and you now know what PSI the company that made your tires thinks you should run. Not a bad idea to check the charts for the trailer tires too.
Anyone remember the Firestone/Ford scandal from years ago?

 

[Frenchy]

No disrespect for those that trust Ford on this issue, but...Tire manufacturers seem to feel that the proper inflation of a tire is directly related to the load on said tire; hence the focus on contact patch deformation. Most of them will have a chart available with the recommended inflation for a given tire load.
My 2 cents: Load your truck and trailer for travel, setup your hitch for proper weight distribution, and then weigh your axles at a good scale - you probably already did this when setting up the WDH. Divide axle weights by 2, consult chart and you now know what PSI the company that made your tires thinks you should run. Not a bad idea to check the charts for the trailer tires too.
Anyone remember the Firestone/Ford scandal from years ago?

Lol so the Firestone/Ford scandal you are talking about was with the lovely Exploders. I am very aware of that and how Ford messed up. It started with Ford lowering the tire PSI from the original setup because people were being stupid and tipping the SUV. Once they did that the tires were exploding making the SUV loose control and possibly flip. Is that a Firestone issue? No that is a Ford issue there. Also i can say with experience of my truck and other vehicles that i have not needed to increase the amount of air in the tire just for towing a trailer. When I towed my 280ZX on the Uhaul auto transport I keep the tires at 30 psi and it did just fine.

 

[LurchOR]

Lol so the Firestone/Ford scandal you are talking about was with the lovely Exploders. I am very aware of that and how Ford messed up. It started with Ford lowering the tire PSI from the original setup because people were being stupid and tipping the SUV. Once they did that the tires were exploding making the SUV loose control and possibly flip. Is that a Firestone issue? No that is a Ford issue there. Also i can say with experience of my truck and other vehicles that i have not needed to increase the amount of air in the tire just for towing a trailer. When I towed my 280ZX on the Uhaul auto transport I keep the tires at 30 psi and it did just fine.

You be you, I'll be me, no worries.

 

[Jdfielding]

Here’s my 2 cents... idk how many ppl on here tow and I didn’t read all the posts.

I tow a 24’ dual axle 200MBLE Surveyor by forest river. I have a stock crew cab XLT FX4. I left it stock bc I tow. I use a curt echo Bluetooth break controller and a weight distribution hitch. I keep the tires at max cold pressure in both trailer and the truck.

Does it get a little Bucky or side sway? YES ALL THE TIME. But it’s a big trailer and a small (shorter wheel base) truck. It’s the nature of the beast. I try to keep it as light as possible and it does just fine. I don’t think I’d be trying to tow this all around the country living on the road year round, but I do live in it and i tow it every few months. Most recently from So Cal to Nor Cal then to WA. It did fine on the mountain passes and in the wind/rain. You will get sway but it’s not that bad once you get use to it!

Things I’m considering
- Ford Tune
- Ford intake and exhaust upgrade

i like to off-road so I’m not into airbags or sway bars. But if you have good results let me know.

 

[Rviator]

I would never over inflate max psi on mine are 80 psi. Increasing the stickers to thier max psi will improve towing feel. A little less "white knuckling" id only dvise the op to increase to max psi for a better towing, then back down to recommend to daily. Recommended psi is just that... Recommended. For a good ride and not too low for it payload. I say tire manufacturers would be the go to for info on towing.. they all say match psi to total weight per axle while towing. A trip to the cat scales would be beneficial. There is really no opions on this. Just numbers from manufacturers (tire and vehicle) to be adhered to. If 35 psi is sufficient for the weight on the axle, then that is fine. A weight distribution hitch adds weight to both the front and rear axles through the frame.

Over inflate was a poor choice of words on my part. I should have stated, much higher inflation than recommended, which will decrease tire contact patch adversely affecting controllability. Apparently you feel that's not the case so we'll just have to agree to disagree on that point.

 

[DannyL]

Curious, What are you using for rear view mirrors? Can you see good with the stock mirrors?

 

[JimJa]

A point of reference. The max tire pressure on the sidewall is NOT the maximum pressure the tire can be inflated. The max pressure label is directly related to load. The load as noted on the sidewall is the maximum safe load the tire is rated for, regardless of the pressure equal to or above the max rating. That said, pressure below the max rating will result in a corresponding reduction in load.

 

[Montana Ranger]

Last year we did about 6,000 miles towing our 24ft (29 LOA) Jayco at about 6,000 lbs dry with my 2019 Lariat SuperCab with the Ford/Redarc controller and an Equalizer E2 WDH rated for 8,000. I don't raise the tire pressure on the stock Hancooks as they don't appear to be distorted at all under the load, but I do adjust the headlights down in the summer. We average 60 mph on the highway and never exceed 65, where handling starts to feel less confident. (The mileage/range goes to hell at speeds over 60)

Handling has been adequate. It's not a relaxing highway drive by any stretch of the imagination as you always have to be on alert for crosswinds and passing trucks. But that's the case for towing any travel trailer with anything less than a big rig. The Ranger has more than enough power; we're easily able to pass the big rigs going up the steep passes we have around here at any altitude. The transmission in tow mode works extremely well, automatically downshifting whenever you touch the brakes, although I do use sport mode when going down the steeper highway passes to keep the speed down around 55 and for lighter use of the brakes. You do notice the lack of compression braking with the small engine and it does make some noise as you go downhill at 55 in 3rd gear nearing the redline on the tach. The Ford/Redarc controller works perfectly, as expected. I've had only two occasions where an unexpected sway initiated, but I believe that the automatic sway control on the Ranger corrected it before I had a chance to do anything about it. After the first month/500 miles, I got pretty comfortable with it. Higher crosswinds just means we go slower.

I have been considering a Hensley-type anti-sway hitch. They are rather expensive and add more weight at the tongue. But being more relaxed driving long trips across the plains might be worth it.

 

[tfisher15]

A point of reference. The max tire pressure on the sidewall is NOT the maximum pressure the tire can be inflated. The max pressure label is directly related to load. The load as noted on the sidewall is the maximum safe load the tire is rated for, regardless of the pressure equal to or above the max rating. That said, pressure below the max rating will result in a corresponding reduction in load.

From the NHTSA:
Because tires are designed to be used on more than one type of vehicle, tire manufacturers list the “maximum permissible inflation pressure” on the tire sidewall. This number is the greatest amount of air pressure that should ever be put in the tire under normal driving conditions.

 

[Montana Ranger]

Curious, What are you using for rear view mirrors? Can you see good with the stock mirrors?

Relying on the stock mirrors is totally inadequate. You simply cannot see a meaningful distance behind a trailer that is nearly two feet wider than the truck is and only a few feet behind you. (Although the blind spot alerting does work very well in letting you know that something is there)

I've been using clip-on mirrors which are adequate at best. (Although I've lost a few due to the shock wave from trucks going the opposite way at highway speeds on two-lanes)

What I'd really like to see (and would have thought we'd see on the market by now) are the form-fitting type extension mirrors like those you can get for the F-series trucks that would be much more aerodynamic and less susceptible to getting blown off. They'd also would put less stress on the break-away & folding mechanism in the mirror body.

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