2019 Ford Ranger towing performance

[BDempski]

I pull a 21 foot - 4000 lb empty trailer. I am looking to replace my current vehicle (Jeep Grand Cherokee). I'd like to get a small pickup as my garage is a little too small for a full size truck. Looking at the 2019 Ranger, the towing capacity is listed as 7200 lb. I am wondering if anyone out there has used a similar setup and towed up large gradients. If so - how did it do? I plan to travel to the Smokey Mountains and Rockies. But I am worried about using a 4 cylinder.

[TXiceman]

First thing is you do not use the dry weight of the trailer. Look at the GVWR of the trailer. I would not think you will be happy with the performance of a 4 cylinder truck pulling a trailer in excess of 4000#.

The 7200# tow rating is probably for a truck equipped with a larger engine and a towing package. Years ago, we had a Ford Explorer with the 4.0L V-6, 3.73 rear axle and towing package. Towing a 5000# trailer in the hills of central Texas, it struggled.

Can you look at a smaller lighter weight trailer like a Casita?

Ken

[tuffr2]

They use a 2.3 Eco-boost (turbo) engine. Turbo engines are better in high elevations as they compress thin air.

A normal engine will lose 3% of its power per every 1,000 feet of elevation. A turbo engine loses about 1.5% per every 1,000 feet of elevation.

I would look hard at a F-150 with the 2.7 Eco-Boost vs the Ranger. Leave it parked outside.

You can not compare those old 5.4 Triton or 4.0 Ford engines to todays engines. That old 4.0 engine was a dog. It made way more noise than acceleration.

[kylemcmahon1]

The 4.0 engine was 160 horsepower. I know it was my first truck when I was 16. As powerful as it was for the time it was a dog compared to now. My 3/4 gas f250 gets better gas mileage then my first truck. Lol. But. The newer engines, done being over 300 horsepower in a 4 cylinder are double or almost triple the power of the same size trucks from the 90’s. With that said. You have to consider the size of what you are towing. Not just weight. The profile of a camper can put a lot of stress on a truck from wind. I agree with previous post an 150 would do wonders for towing. You would never feel it and you would not have to ever worry about sway with a good wdh.

Good luck in your thoughts. Lots to think about and take into account.

[TXiceman]

Just a note, Torque is what tows a trailer, not horsepower.

Ken

[tuffr2]

Those little trucks really can not tow 5,000lbs comfortably IMHO. I have a friend with a late model taco towing a Winnebago Micro Mini. He says that makes his truck struggle and he will not buy a bigger trailer unless he also buys s bigger truck.

The dry weight of your trailer of 4,000lbs, does that include battery and propane? You plan to carry water? A WD hitch will weigh 75 lbs. It will be easy for your trailer to weight 5,000 - 5,500lbs. I think that will be too heavy to tow comfortably with a mid sized truck. The Ranger with a wheelbase of 126.5" is kinda short.

You can Google 'trailer length to wheelbase length'...that will give you an idea of what length.

[mrgrayaz]

He's already towing it with a Jeep.

I would hazard to guess a midsize truck like the Ford Ranger with a 300HP turbo motor and a suspension better setup to carry loads would be a significant improvement over a midsize SUV.

[tuffr2]

You are correct, I forgot he was towing with a SUV. A mid sized truck would be better.

[Mike M.]

I tow a Flagstaff TT that is about identical in size to your TT, and I tow it with a Jeep GC with a V6 (2016). I've studied, read about, and test driven a Ford Ranger as my candidate for my next tow vehicle. Towing with the Jeep is easy, and I go all over the mountain west. My worst grade is a 8% for about 5 miles going from Tucson to Globe. Pulling my trailer at 50mph is easy. I tow at just over 60 mph on my trips and get 12 mpg doing it.



The misinformation you are getting about the new ranger is abundant. It has a 127 inch wheelbase, 12" longer than the Jeep. Yes, it has a whimpy 4 cyl turbo engine that puts out 270 hp and 310 TQ. One person said, accurately, that you tow with torque. A more complete statement is that you tow with torque at a low RPM. That is what makes a diesel the best tow engine. The Ranger makes full torque at under 3000 RPM. Our Jeeps make 260 TQ at about 4500 rpm. That makes the 2.3 I4 Turbo a much better towing engine than the 3.6 V6 of the Jeep. One minor mistale in your post - - The Ranger is rated at 7500 lbs.


I did not test drive the Ranger with a 5000 pound load of my TT. I just kicked it hard getting onto a freeway. It moves when that turbo kicks in. I think it would leave the Jeep in the dust.



So for those of us who are relatively well satisfied with a JGC, the Ranger with be an excellent TV for the size we like to pull.

[Finance]

Of the midsize trucks, I’d choose either the turbo Ranger or a diesel Colorado. Either will be an upgrade from a V6 JGC. Now if you have the hemi Jeep that’s another story.

We towed a 24’ trailer all over the lower 48 using several midsized SUVs and a Taco as well as full sized trucks. That’s my experience.

[Fast0ne]

I have a 2016 GMC Canyon long box crew cab with the 2.8 Duramax and out trailer is 20ft and about 3500 pounds loaded.

The Duramax is not a high horsepower motor at 180 Hp but the 370 ft pounds of torque starting at 2000 rpm is fantastic.

So far towing is great set the cruise control at 60 mph sit at 2000 rpm and goes up all the mountains in my area with no issue holding speed in cruise control.

My truck is 7600 pounds towing capacity and if you went to a short bed it goes up to 7700 pounds.

Best of luck on your search but I found the GMC Canyon to be a better fit for me.

[BDempski]

Thanks Mike - Our setup sounds very similar. We pull the Flagstaff Microlite 21FBRS with that exact same vehicle. We haven't had any issues - but we haven't been over the Rockies with it. Your thoughts on the Ranger are the same as mine - but I wanted to get other peoples inputs. Much appreciated.

[BDempski]

Thanks FastOne - I am adding the Canyon to the list of vehicles to consider.

[Dropthejacks]

Looks like the Jeep outweighs the Ranger by about 1K lbs curb weight. My opinion is when the wind slaps the sides of that TT, the Ranger is going to get shoved around much more than the JGC, and the ride will be exhilarating to say the least. In other words, the Ranger will be mighty fine for towing a John boat or a utility trailer, but it doesn't have the a$$ to be towing a 21', 5500 lb loaded TT.