Towing 4 Down

[JesseS]

I don't know if this would show a problem or not; we always start out after hooking up the toad with my wife outside, making sure all four wheels are rolling smoothly. If the tranny was having an issue, would the tires drag like they would if it was in park or if you left the brake on? Or, would the power of the RV simply pull the toad along and you wouldn't realize that things were being damaged inside? If that is the case, I'm not too sure how much good it is to verify that the wheels are turning at startup. (?)

We are only verifing that the tranny is disconnected from the transfer by it rolling in park. It would still roll (with resistance) if it was not in tow mode, but without a fluid pump it would burn up.

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[RV Tony]

John and Phil let me get this right after you go to tow mode you push/pull the Ranger in Park then you put your transmission into neutral and off you go. I just finished my tow package (blue ox) and did a test run I followed the owners manual. going to park after going into tow mode doesn't do anything to the truck sequence?

 

[TimmyB]

John and Phil let me get this right after you go to tow mode you push/pull the Ranger in Park then you put your transmission into neutral and off you go. I just finished my tow package (blue ox) and did a test run I followed the owners manual. going to park after going into tow mode doesn't do anything to the truck sequence?

Hey, Tony.

I just went out and experimented with this, because I had the same question. I parked on a hill in my campground so I wouldn't have to push the vehicle. I pulled the handbrake up and then went into the vehicle settings to enable neutral-tow. Once it said it was enabled (safe to tow), I gently let off the hand brake; being in neutral, obviously the vehicle started rolling backward. I then pulled the brake back up to stop the vehicle, then I put the transmission selector in Park. The neutral-tow message did NOT change (which surprised me) and when I let off the handbrake, the vehicle rolled down the hill some more, until I stopped it with the brake. I then shifted back to neutral and still, the message did not change.

Apparently, once this thing is in neutral-tow, it doesn't really give a darn where the transmission selector is pointing because it has done its job in making sure it's ready to tow! Maybe Phil, John, or others could chime in, here.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Hey, Tony.

I just went out and experimented with this, because I had the same question. I parked on a hill in my campground so I wouldn't have to push the vehicle. I pulled the handbrake up and then went into the vehicle settings to enable neutral-tow. Once it said it was enabled (safe to tow), I gently let off the hand brake; being in neutral, obviously the vehicle started rolling backward. I then pulled the brake back up to stop the vehicle, then I put the transmission selector in Park. The neutral-tow message did NOT change (which surprised me) and when I let off the handbrake, the vehicle rolled down the hill some more, until I stopped it with the brake. I then shifted back to neutral and still, the message did not change.

Apparently, once this thing is in neutral-tow, it doesn't really give a darn where the transmission selector is pointing because it has done its job in making sure it's ready to tow! Maybe Phil, John, or others could chime in, here.

When you did your test, was the ignition switch on or off. It should have been off for your test?

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[TimmyB]

When you did your test, was the ignition switch on or off. It should have been off for your test?

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

I believe I had it "on" still. So, I went out and tried it again. Same results but I did have to cycle the ignition on and off to get the transmission to move from P back to N after my trial. The display never changed from "Neutral Tow Enabled". Is this what you would expect?

 

[TimmyB]

When you did your test, was the ignition switch on or off. It should have been off for your test?

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Also, I remember a couple years ago reading in a different forum that some Jeep owners would test their transmissions by actually starting the engine and placing the tranny in R or D. Since it was all disconnected, obviously they'd go nowhere and they'd know they were safe to tow. Would this method work for us Ranger owners or is there some great difference between these two types of systems where this would not be advisable?

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Also, I remember a couple years ago reading in a different forum that some Jeep owners would test their transmissions by actually starting the engine and placing the tranny in R or D. Since it was all disconnected, obviously they'd go nowhere and they'd know they were safe to tow. Would this method work for us Ranger owners or is there some great difference between these two types of systems where this would not be advisable?

Good question, Jeep in mechanical to place the T/C in Neutral. I think our electronic might hickup. Do not know... I use the non start and cycle the key to ensure it is in the state like it is ready to be towed. JMO

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[TimmyB]

Good question, Jeep in mechanical to place the T/C in Neutral. I think our electronic might hickup. Do not know... I use the non start and cycle the key to ensure it is in the state like it is ready to be towed. JMO

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Well, I'M not gonna be the guinea pig! I'll just do it the Ford way. So, in my post above, was the sequence as you would have expected (with regards to having to cycle the key on and off to move the tranny back into N after testing)?

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Well, I'M not gonna be the guinea pig! I'll just do it the Ford way. So, in my post above, was the sequence as you would have expected (with regards to having to cycle the key on and off to move the tranny back into N after testing)?

HI Timmy,

Yes!

 

[RV Tony]

Tim and Phil thanks for your input on this matter.

 

[towpro]

I just read on another forum someone said
"I have an issue with the transmission slipping out of neutral tow after verifying neutral tow was activated. What causes this? ?
someone replied
"If its a 2019 to 2021 Ranger then its a known issue, but Ford doesn't have a fix yet "
but I can't find any other data on this. anybody hear about this problem.?
I have also read about if the battery goes dead it will come out of neutral tow? could these be related?
I have also read about on this thread about a trains failure towing (less than month ago).
related?

Reading the directions, they tell you to leave the trans in Neutral. BUT if your switching the transfer case to Neutral the output shaft of the trans should not be spinning so why would you not put the transmission in park to prevent trans failure?
a: Because of neutral tow fails (its a software switch) your truck transfer case will go into gear and wheels will lock up or parking paw will destroy transmission?
b: Because if you put selector in park it might allow you to turn key off and that would cause the steering column anti theft lock to apply which could destroy things in the column as the front wheels try to turn while towing?

I am buying (special order) this to replace a 2006 Jeep liberty. with that setup I would tow in transfer N and transmission P.

Ford does have a checkered past with towing 4 down and problems. there was an escape (around 2010 vintage) that said "yes you can tow it", than they said "you have to change the trans fluid levels before you tow it" than they said "no you can't flat tow it" and there have been others I seem to recall.

 

[Bsenecal]

Have most of you spliced into your Ranger wiring or are you running lights that just attach to the Ranger and have their own wiring?
I am a little hesitant to tie into the factory wiring for fear of voiding the warranty. Any input welcome. Thank you.

Brian

 

[RoadtripsOfUnusualSize]

Have most of you spliced into your Ranger wiring or are you running lights that just attach to the Ranger and have their own wiring?

My Blue Ox LED lighting kit just sort of connected into the factory harness. But, I was glad to have an experienced auto mechanic helping me. I found the whole wiring process to be confusing. Luckily, my B-I-L thought it was no big deal.

 

[Bsenecal]

My Blue Ox LED lighting kit just sort of connected into the factory harness. But, I was glad to have an experienced auto mechanic helping me. I found the whole wiring process to be confusing. Luckily, my B-I-L thought it was no big deal.

Thanks for the quick response. My plan is to have it installed if I go that way verses me installing.
Brian

 

[RV Tony]

I am like John, But I did the RM kit # 154 LED and had to splice in had the diodes, also there is new update from RM you need to splice a relay kit 88400 to the brake pedal switch. That was for if you had a turn signal on and the truck brakes come on they would override the turn signal.

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