Stupid question about tongue weight

[Gil-galad]

It dosen't. A weight distributing set up only transfers weight toward the front of the tow vehicle so it rides level or close to level. If the front of the vehicle rides "front end high" it will have a serious effect on steering and braking...

Don't forget the WDH is also transferring weight to the trailer axle(s) in addition to the front of the tow vehicle. It could be a factor for someone who has loaded their trailer with payload to the point of maxing out their axle rating.

Sponsored

 

[THLONE]

I have an almost identical Ranger, xcept it's a Lariat, also 2 wheel drive.
He's still under Ford's criteria...
2 wheel drive has a GCWR of 12, 150 lbs
4 wheel drive has a GCWR of 12, 500 lbs.
Also, you forgot to add the 560 lb tongue weight to the total weight, and even with the added 560 lbs, he is still on the plus side.

You dont the tongue weight to the total but you do add the weight of the people, dogs, cats, packrats, etc. And you factor in the load of the air and wind. So, In my humble you are near maxed out with that type and weight of a load for a small truck with a 4cyl eng. Enter at your own and others risk.

 

[Grumpaw]

You dont the tongue weight to the total but you do add the weight of the people, dogs, cats, packrats, etc. And you factor in the load of the air and wind. So, In my humble you are near maxed out with that type and weight of a load for a small truck with a 4cyl eng. Enter at your own and others risk.

You do add the tonghe weight to the total...it goes toward the cargo capacity of the truck.
The Ranger is not a "small" truck !!! If you look up specifications of F-150 and F-250 fro the late 80's and early 90' yu will find that the Ranger is not much smaller than trucks of similar configurations. Ranger has more power, torque, handling, braking, and in some cases weighs more than some of them.
And, I have to ask...do you or what have you towed that you can say that a truck rated with a GCWR of 12,150 lbs should not tow when under that figure by 1500 lbs ? OP's running with around 10,700...why is that unsafe or unreasonable ?

 

[slowmachine]

You do add the tonghe weight to the total...it goes toward the cargo capacity of the truck.
The Ranger is not a "small" truck !!! If you look up specifications of F-150 and F-250 fro the late 80's and early 90' yu will find that the Ranger is not much smaller than trucks of similar configurations. Ranger has more power, torque, handling, braking, and in some cases weighs more than some of them.
And, I have to ask...do you or what have you towed that you can say that a truck rated with a GCWR of 12,150 lbs should not tow when under that figure by 1500 lbs ? OP's running with around 10,700...why is that unsafe or unreasonable ?

A large RV travel trailer is maybe the best example of something within the weight limits but very possible to lose control of. The bigger they are, the more problems with wind. You need a well-planted truck to control the load in bad weather.

 

[Grumpaw]

A large RV travel trailer is maybe the best example of something within the weight limits but very possible to lose control of. The bigger they are, the more problems with wind. You need a well-planted truck to control the load in bad weather.

You bring up the first argument point that I agree with. Big and bulky, even when light, can be hard to control under certain circumstances, like high wind and bad weather.
And there is my out...anyone who tows a travel trailer or 5th wheel of any size, who is experienced, will not tow under those conditions. In my many years of towing, there have been many times when we stayed over an extra day due to weather or wind, or even pulled off and hunkered down when going from one area to another, and got caught in bad weather. Most experienced rv'ers will do the same. Same as you would do in a boat...you wouldn't go out in bad weather, or go out with bad weather forecast.
My point is that many seem to think the Ranger is a "small" truck, when in reality it is within a few inches of a 1989 Ford F-250 I had in 1989-1990, and the Ranger actually weighs more than that truck did, has better braking, more power, much better safety equipment.
I will not, at any time, call myself an "expert", but in 50 years of towing numerous campers, travel trailers, 5th wheels, driving class a and class c motorhomes, have accumulated somewhere around 750,000 miles towing or driving an rv. I think that gives me some insight as to what is/isn't safe and/or proper, the equipment needed to outfit a truck for towing.
With everything said, even staying within the trucks limits, it is still up to the driver, his/her ability, experience, confidence level, to gage what they can comfortably tow.

 

[slowmachine]

You bring up the first argument point that I agree with. Big and bulky, even when light, can be hard to control under certain circumstances, like high wind and bad weather.
And there is my out...anyone who tows a travel trailer or 5th wheel of any size, who is experienced, will not tow under those conditions. In my many years of towing, there have been many times when we stayed over an extra day due to weather or wind, or even pulled off and hunkered down when going from one area to another, and got caught in bad weather. Most experienced rv'ers will do the same. Same as you would do in a boat...you wouldn't go out in bad weather, or go out with bad weather forecast.
My point is that many seem to think the Ranger is a "small" truck, when in reality it is within a few inches of a 1989 Ford F-250 I had in 1989-1900, and the Ranger actually weighs more than that truck did, has better braking, more power, much better safety equipment.
I will not, at any time, call myself an "expert", but in 50 years of towing numerous campers, travel trailers, 5th wheels, driving class a and class c motorhomes, have accumulated somewhere around 750,000 miles towing or driving an rv. I think that gives me some insight as to what is/isn't safe and/or proper, the equipment needed to outfit a truck for towing.

I agree that the Ranger is a very capable truck for its size. Good judgement, like you describe, mostly comes from experience. Experience, quite often, is gained by poor judgement, biting off a bit more than you can chew and surviving it. I’m lucky to be here, and you can be sure that, like yourself, I learned a bit along the way.

I wish safe travels for all, towing or not.

 

[Grumpaw]

We were towing a 29 foot Holiday Rambler Aluma Lite. F-250 Light Duty standard cab, long bed with 5.8 V-8. Around 200 hp, disk front/drum rear, and obviously no safety stuff other than seatbelts.
From there we went to a 32 foot Holiday Rambler and got a lightly used 1989 Ford F-350 Dually with the 460 V-8. Used that truck to then tow a 30 and 32 foot 5th wheel, and from there went into a class c, 2 class a's, another class c, and now to our on order Jayco (decided to downsize).
Started off in 1971 with a 16 foot camper towing it with a Buick wagon, went to a 19 footer, then a 23 footer, a 24 footer when I got the Ford F-250, a 28 footer, then to the Holday Rambler.
Been across the USA 8-9 times, to every state xcept Rhode Island and Hawaii, across Canada via Trans Canada Highway, Canadian Maritime area, Alaska twice via the Alcan Highway, and hundreds of one and two week trips, long weekends, ect.
Shortest trip was about 10 miles and overnight to try out a new camper. Longest was right at 15,000 miles zigzagging across the US, up into Canada to Alaska, and back across Canada...4 months on the road.
Got to add in trips I did towing trailers for delivery with the F-350. Got paid mileage/per diem...did it for awhile after I retired.

 

[drvred]

I have narrowed my camper down to a Coleman Light LX 1605fb that is listed as having a 368 lb dry hitch weight.
Will I have trouble towing it home with no WDH?
I hope to pick it up this weekend if it looks as good in person as it does on the net.
I have an old, rusty, Reese hitch with 750 lb bars, but I don't have the piece that goes on the trailer tongue

Sponsored