Maximum towing capacity questions.

[pannwfn]

Oh you can't stop HMM don't go fast and anticipate whats up ahead. Better yet get a class A cdl and then you are qualified to drive and not endanger the rest of us because you can't pull a little itty bitty trailer. That's just my rant and I may be wrong?

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[StAugKid]

Honestly, any towing with a midsized truck is like a plus. If you have any real trailer or weight that you are looking to tow on a regular basis, then you really should be looking at a full sized truck. They are more designed for that. I feel a truck in the class like a Ranger or a Tacoma is more for off road/trail, lifestyle, urban or toy/fun use. It's smaller footprint is good for getting through tighter trails or navigating a parking lot but you need the size and stability of a full sized truck to tow safely.

 

[pannwfn]

Honestly, any towing with a midsized truck is like a plus. If you have any real trailer or weight that you are looking to tow on a regular basis, then you really should be looking at a full sized truck. They are more designed for that. I feel a truck in the class like a Ranger or a Tacoma is more for off road/trail, lifestyle, urban or toy/fun use. It's smaller footprint is good for getting through tighter trails or navigating a parking lot but you need the size and stability of a full sized truck to tow safely.

Yes I couldn't agree more. If you tow it go about half the weight it's rated for. Pay attention and put your plastic penis in the glove box and leave it alone.

 

[WXman]

SAE spec J2807 section 4.5.1 requires a stop from 20 mph within 35'. Ford has determined that the max trailer that can be braked in that distance is 1,650 lbs.

This new spec is dramatically reducing everyone's unbraked trailer maximum.

You beat me to it. A lot of guys don't realize that NEW trucks sold today are being tested and labeled per this new specification. It took a while to get all the automakers to agree to use it, but it seems almost all of them are on board now.

 

[don4331]

You beat me to it. A lot of guys don't realize that NEW trucks sold today are being tested and labeled per this new specification. It took a while to get all the automakers to agree to use it, but it seems almost all of them are on board now.

J2807 is also why the "maximum" trailer for mid-size trucks is 7,700lbs (OK, the '19 Ranger is currently 200lbs shy, but that may very well get a small boost in coming months given the Gladiator limit of 7,650).

The J2807 spec has break points of C class (5k lbs/40ft^2 frontal area), D class (7.7k lbs/55ft^2 frontal area) & E class (10k lbs/60ft^2 frontal area). Stepping up to next division adds significant frontal area. Until someone crosses the line, there will be a "soft" limit on the maximum trailer towing for mid-size.

Aside: The J2807 "exemplar" trailer for class E has the same frontal area as the trailer used for the max rating for the F-150. That gives you an idea how big a step the next rating up is.

p.s. J2807 applies to all personal/light commercial vehicles (cars, suvs, trucks, etc).

p.p.s. The ink wasn't dry on the J2807 spec when the engineers began working out ways to get "better marks" for marketing; with the result being, it is next to impossible to achieve the rating in practice...

 

[Pinecrestjim]

I find it extremely interesting that the larger, heavier F-150 is rated for towing only 1,500# unbraked compared to the Ranger at 1,650#.

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/F...&div=f&vFilteringEnabled=False&userMarket=USA Scroll down to the section labeled "Trailer Brakes", about half way down this particular page.

 

[Fahon]

The manual states that the max towing capacity WITHOUT trailer brakes is 1650#. In most states anything being towed over 3000 to 3500# requires trailer brakes by law. In response to that most trailer manufacturers do NOT build their under 3500# trailers with brakes. I own 3 trailers all under the 3500# gvwr limit. One of which would definitely be under Fords limit. One would be questionable. One is 2500# gwvr. Why did Ford rate the Ranger so low without trailer brakes? Is it a braking capacity of the truck itself? Even the lowly Tacoma 4 cylinder can tow up to 3500# with no limitations. The Ranger checks all the right boxes for me except for this. Any insight on this? Thanks.

It's definitely possible that the Ranger's braking capacity for towing is lower than other trucks on the market, which could explain why Ford has set the towing limit at 1650 lbs without trailer brakes. However, it's also possible that there are other factors at play, such as the stability of the Ranger when towing a heavier load. In any case, it's always best to err on the side of caution and follow Ford's recommended towing limit to avoid any potential accidents or damage to your truck. Thanks for your question!

 

[brroberts]

All those periodic comments about buy a full size if you want to tow are wrong. I have a C2500, and a Ranger. I bought the Ranger specifically for towing. It does a great job towing. Almost all of my Ranger miles are towing. I’ve pulled 2500 lbs many times without trailer brakes. Just pay attention. Braked, I routinely tow 5000. I’m very happy with how it tows. If I need to carry 4000lbs, that’s when the 1826lbs payload won’t cut it. Sometimes I need a bigger truck, but not because the Ranger tows poorly. I understand why Ford would want to publish standard specs given the liabilities involved.

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