towing a travel trailer,

[BillyB]

thinking of towing a travel trailer, looking for what size/weight i could safely tow. i have seen a lot of of information posted on facebook and it makes me nervous. hopefully someone with experience towing with the ranger and guide me. I have a 2020 ranger. Bill

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[awd.nv]

Well, the "what are you guys towing" sticky thread will bracket the size of trailer you can tow. I personally have been towing our Geo Pro 19BH which is 3200lbs dry but is a 19ft travel trailer. Power is NOT an issue at all in the Ranger with this combination. I have done Vegas to Utah, AZ and CA with no issues. It can easily maintain 65mph in headwinds (at least the ones I have been in). I usually do 70mph in 75/80mph zones as MPG starts to really fall off above that. If I was more concerned with MPG I would go slower though.

I am guessing the 24ft ~5500lbs is the most I would want to try with the Ranger in my side of the country. I just hope my wife doesn't get the itch to upgrade any time soon as this combination is matched so darn well. I am guessing I would need to lower my speeds a little too depending on where the wind is coming from.

I am dealing with summers in the 110F range and there are some hills. None of our trips have been perfectly flat. Climbing to Utah or going down into AZ it seems so one way is always slightly uphill to some degree. Very few actual climbs, but I can for sure maintain 70mph on the ones I do experience.

Only thing, because of the +100F temps, I do want to upgrade the radiator.

 

[janitorjim]

Would I be okay towing this RV? | 2019+ Ford Ranger and Raptor Forum (5th Generation) - Ranger5G.com
2020 Ford Ranger Specific Towing Guide - PDF | 2019+ Ford Ranger and Raptor Forum (5th Generation) - Ranger5G.com

 

[mtbikernate]

where and how far? under what conditions?

You'll find folks pushing the limits of their Ranger, and those who want extra safety margin.

I don't tow a lot, but when I do, I like to do longer trips and occasionally under more difficult conditions. I keep an eye on safety margin, but even more important to me is how fuel economy suffers. Right now, I tow a teardrop and get 20+ mpg when towing. That keeps the fuel stops down. I hate feeling like I'm stopping all the time for fuel.

I think the closest I'd want to go to the Ranger's max towing for the conditions I tow under would be about 50% of the max. It's also worth paying attention to the frontal area of the trailer. I looked at one last year that fit into the weight limits I liked, but it had a HUGE frontal area and I wasn't pleased with how that would hit the Ranger's fuel economy.

I'm willing to push the limits only for short trips and very occasional use. Which isn't really how I prefer to use my camper most of the time.

 

[Grumpaw]

Welcome to the forum. Lot of good info, and a lot of friendly jibs n jabs.
Your asking a very open question, with a lot of possible answers
First, does your Ranger have the factory tow package ? If yes then there are several possibilities, if no, it becomes a bit more complicated.
What, if any towing experience do you have, or are you a newbie looking to start rv'ing ?
While some may feel comfortable with a small 16 foot trailer, a larger one might intimidate them. Then there are those of us who feel at ease towing a 24, 26, 28 footer.
How big is your family and how large a rig are you thinking about ?
Without getting into a lot of numbers, a Ranger with a tow package can tow around 6000 lbs, which leaves room for the load in the truck, tongue weight, odds n ends. 5000-5500 lbs will get you into the 24-28 foot range of trailer depending on the model, options, ect.
I suggest you look at the dedicated Towing forum...lots of info, opinions, photos of what we are towing, and equipment used/needed.

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