Rate my rig - newbie

[Persistent]

My take on the numbers so far, is you have the necessary towing capacity in the Ford Ranger. Kudos to Ford for improving the towing capacity of the Ranger.

2020 Ford Ranger
We got sway bars, electronic braking
2020 Ford Ranger 7500# max towing (Please verify this is from driver’s door sticker!)
Payload on the Ranger is 1428lb (Please verify this is from driver’s door sticker!)
Dry weight or unloaded weight ???? (get from door sticker)
5680 CAT – ???? Dry = ???? actual payload
Max Pay 1428 – ???? act payload = ???? remaining cap
MGVW ???? (get from door sticker)
MGVW ???? – 5680 CAT = ???? (remaining capacity)
Max front axle weight ???? (get from door sticker)
MFAW ???? – 2840 from CAT = ???? remaining cap
Frnt Axl w/o TT 2840, w TT 2720 = 120 negative from CAT scale
Decrease this number if necessary by adjusting WDH. See WDH instructions.)
Max rear axle weight ???? (get from door sticker)
MRAW ???? – 2960 CAT = ???? remaining capacity
Drv Axl with TT 2960 - w/o TT 2200 - = 760 positive from CAT scale
MCGVW ???? (get from door sticker)
MCGVW ???? - 10600 from CAT scale = ????
factory rear receiver hitch (sticker says max 750lb tongue, 7500 tow).
Tow V with TT 5680 – Tow V w/o TT 5040, = 640 positive from CAT scale
Tongue weight is 640 from CAT, (640/750) x 100% = 85% of hitch capacity


2021 Keystone Bullet 243BHS.
MGVW 6500 from sticker on TT
TT Axles 4920 from CAT scale + 640 tongue weight = 5560 GVW
TT MGVW 6500 sticker – 5560 CAT = 940 remaining (86% of capacity)
GAW 3500 each
.. 3500 x 2 = 7500 GAW combined
This number may need to be decreased a little because capacity may need to be de-rated when combined.
7500 sticker - 4920 from CAT = 2580 remaining
Cargo Capacity 1230 from TT tire sticker
Dry wt 5100#, 29ft. (This wt you provided in post above appears to be wrong)
Dry wt 5230 from TT weight sticker
5560 CAT – 5230 sticker = 330 cargo weight
330 / 1230 x 100 = 27%

All calculations I can make say your requirements have been met. However, you should get the Ranger’s driver’s door sticker values and finish the calculations above. See “????” above. So far I see no reason you cannot safely tow your new TT.

You may wish to have a more powerful or heavy duty tow vehicle for personal preference reasons. That is a different issue.

“drive home from the dealer seemed OK.”
“all my people, and got weighed. Looks like my tongue wt is 640. Trailer weight comes in at 5,560. I'm wondering if I need air suspension - with 240lbs more on the drive axle? “

Air bags are not the best device for a travel trailer rig. They may be useful for utility trailers that carry widely different loads from time to time. Bags will not change tow vehicle capacity. They only level the tow vehicle. WDH is a better tool. Adjust it if necessary. It will shift weight from rear axle to front axle for better stability.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

[tuffr2]

You pull the bars up 1 more notch before you put the pins in to take more weight off the front axle.

Actually you are looking pretty good on the weight slips. I would meause the front fender wheelwell. Then add another notch on your WD hitch to see if the front fender comes close to original fender hight. That is the overall goal but to me, not 100% neccessary.

[epeddy1]

Originally Posted by Persistent

My take on the numbers so far, is you have the necessary towing capacity in the Ford Ranger. Kudos to Ford for improving the towing capacity of the Ranger.

2020 Ford Ranger
We got sway bars, electronic braking
2020 Ford Ranger 7500# max towing (Please verify this is from driver’s door sticker!)
Payload on the Ranger is 1428lb (Please verify this is from driver’s door sticker!)
Dry weight or unloaded weight ???? (get from door sticker)
5680 CAT – ???? Dry = ???? actual payload
Max Pay 1428 – ???? act payload = ???? remaining cap
MGVW ???? (get from door sticker)
MGVW ???? – 5680 CAT = ???? (remaining capacity)
Max front axle weight ???? (get from door sticker)
MFAW ???? – 2840 from CAT = ???? remaining cap
Frnt Axl w/o TT 2840, w TT 2720 = 120 negative from CAT scale
Decrease this number if necessary by adjusting WDH. See WDH instructions.)
Max rear axle weight ???? (get from door sticker)
MRAW ???? – 2960 CAT = ???? remaining capacity
Drv Axl with TT 2960 - w/o TT 2200 - = 760 positive from CAT scale
MCGVW ???? (get from door sticker)
MCGVW ???? - 10600 from CAT scale = ????
factory rear receiver hitch (sticker says max 750lb tongue, 7500 tow).
Tow V with TT 5680 – Tow V w/o TT 5040, = 640 positive from CAT scale
Tongue weight is 640 from CAT, (640/750) x 100% = 85% of hitch capacity


2021 Keystone Bullet 243BHS.
MGVW 6500 from sticker on TT
TT Axles 4920 from CAT scale + 640 tongue weight = 5560 GVW
TT MGVW 6500 sticker – 5560 CAT = 940 remaining (86% of capacity)
GAW 3500 each
.. 3500 x 2 = 7500 GAW combined
This number may need to be decreased a little because capacity may need to be de-rated when combined.
7500 sticker - 4920 from CAT = 2580 remaining
Cargo Capacity 1230 from TT tire sticker
Dry wt 5100#, 29ft. (This wt you provided in post above appears to be wrong)
Dry wt 5230 from TT weight sticker
5560 CAT – 5230 sticker = 330 cargo weight
330 / 1230 x 100 = 27%

All calculations I can make say your requirements have been met. However, you should get the Ranger’s driver’s door sticker values and finish the calculations above. See “????” above. So far I see no reason you cannot safely tow your new TT.

You may wish to have a more powerful or heavy duty tow vehicle for personal preference reasons. That is a different issue.

“drive home from the dealer seemed OK.”
“all my people, and got weighed. Looks like my tongue wt is 640. Trailer weight comes in at 5,560. I'm wondering if I need air suspension - with 240lbs more on the drive axle? “

Air bags are not the best device for a travel trailer rig. They may be useful for utility trailers that carry widely different loads from time to time. Bags will not change tow vehicle capacity. They only level the tow vehicle. WDH is a better tool. Adjust it if necessary. It will shift weight from rear axle to front axle for better stability.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

Wow, I really appreciate you taking the time to write all that out. This community is great! So glad everyone is so helpful. Not all hobby communities are so gracious to help newbies (lots of snobbery out there with some hobbies), it is very refreshing. I think I'm going to like this, and look forward to a time when I can pay it forward and help some newbies.

I couldn't find curb wt explicitly on the label, but wouldn't that be the same as GVWR - payload from the stickers?

I attached the ???? calcs filled in (I like pen and paper, call me an old fashioned Millennial). And also the door stickers.

So I'm thinking I won't be getting any fines at least.

Thinking about my WDH more, I'm wondering if I slide the brackets that are attached to the trailer, where the friction bars are anchored, if that would be how I adjust. I just need to find the manual in my mountain of paperwork, if the dealer even handed it off.

[epeddy1]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

You pull the bars up 1 more notch before you put the pins in to take more weight off the front axle.

Actually you are looking pretty good on the weight slips. I would meause the front fender wheelwell. Then add another notch on your WD hitch to see if the front fender comes close to original fender hight. That is the overall goal but to me, not 100% neccessary.

Thanks for the feedback! I'm not yet sure if my WDH can be adjusted, but I'll definitely take a look this weekend on our trip. Say it can't be adjusted, should I look into swapping it out, or am I close enough?

We also talked about packing some stuff in the bathtub & bunkhouse of the rear of the TT, mainly the clothes and stuff that don't stay in the camper between trips. Is that a technique people use? Seems like net wt it would double - taking the wt off the rear axle of the truck and then lifting it by weighing down the rear of the TT.

[tuffr2]

It is a balancing act on to how pack stuff. Too little weight on the tongue is really bad and will cause sway. I would pack stuff where you want to and see how that goes before you start packing special. You can always slow down to gain control. I would use YouTube to gain knowledge on how to adjust your WD hitch.

Enjoy your trip and have fun is the goal.

[jergle]

I pulled a similar size trailer for years with a Dodge 1500 4x4, which has plenty mass to hold the road and no problems braking, but it only had the 4.7l engine, not the hemi. It was a struggle to run 55 going up any significant grade. It was never "relaxing" to tow the camper, and we always avoided interstates or the mountains. Last year, I moved up to an F250, and the difference is night and day. I guess my point is you might be ok with the Ranger if you keep your trips close to home, avoid the interstate, and avoid the mountains, but you will definitely be limited. If you like the camper, then camp on, but maybe keep your eyes out for a used full size truck to use as a tow vehicle, and keep the Ranger as your daily driver.

[CIDE]

Originally Posted by epeddy1

I did notice that. My first thought was that I could maybe use an air suspension. The tow expert family member brought up the air suspension at the beginning predicting that I'd need that. I don't think the WDH has anything that is adjustable. It's supposed to be automatic. Given I already have the WDH, would it make more sense to spend the money on bags?

No - air bags simply raise the rear of the truck to level the vehicle, they don't transfer weight forward to the front axle. A properly adjusted WDH acts as a truss between the Ranger and trailer, in effect putting more weight on the truck's front axle and the trailer axle(s), thereby unweighting the truck's rear axle 'some'.

Automatically leveling airbags are controlled by an onboard air compressor which are notoriously unreliable. Nice when new and working but a potential maintenance headache.

[jjackrash]

Originally Posted by epeddy1

I'm not yet sure if my WDH can be adjusted, but I'll definitely take a look this weekend on our trip.

I have never seen a WDH that can't adjust the amount of weight being distributed. You generally use the trailer jack to take weight off the hitch and then adjust the bar tension by moving the chains a link one way or the other, or some similar method to adjust the amount of weight being distributed. You just need to figure out how your specific hitch works.

[epeddy1]

Originally Posted by jjackrash

I have never seen a WDH that can't adjust the amount of weight being distributed. You generally use the trailer jack to take weight off the hitch and then adjust the bar tension by moving the chains a link one way or the other, or some similar method to adjust the amount of weight being distributed. You just need to figure out how your specific hitch works.

Thanks. Yep, I found the manual and I can adjust with spacer washers. Another task to complete. And I though pitching a tent was work!

FYI, the manual says this is a trunnion style WDH, if that means anything to you.

[ThePlumber]

Originally Posted by laj

what brand, size, any other particulars.

Want a F250
maybe ram
not a chevy guy.
Had a new gmc blow up on me in my younger years. It was cool. I was accelerating on the freeway, then all of a sudden the truck started to take off like it had a rocket booster in it, then 100 more feet. BLAM.

[epeddy1]

I'm back. I've seen some conflicting advice but have already learned to trust this forum. Tire pressure. I've heard maxing PSI makes the ride rougher and can lead to bouncing. But I've also heard that avg PSI is worse for handling. What's the consensus on this one, and specifically my temporary situation with the Ranger?

[jjackrash]

The tire-load rating is based on and tied to inflation pressure. I would leave the tire inflated to the amount necessary to meet the tire-load rating, especially if you are towing heavy.

[Reevesfamily]

Lots of good input here. Your challenge will be to take what others have shared and not be defensive but learn from others experience that they are sharing willingly. You can parse the numbers six ways from Sunday and there will be opinions that you won’t like. But at the end of the day, based on experience, you don’t have enough truck to be safe at highway speeds in traffic. You will be overloaded very quickly. Not enough wheelbase or weight in your tow vehicle. All that said, if you feel you are ok go for it! Just be very careful. Most of us have learned that in this game there is safety in margin. The others will learn one way or the other!

[Gforceone]

I don't want to appear negative, however I will just give you my experience. I purchased a 2019 Ford F150 Lariat with the “MAX” tow package. If memory serves me right around 10,600#. Then purchased a Lance 2019, model 2375. Per there specs, dry weight of 5040# and hitch at 600#. 28’ long. When said and done hitch was 850/900 # Depending on how I loaded things. Had a Blue Ox hitch, then upgraded to. ProPride hitch. Both towed fine, but ProPride was much easier to hook and unhook. At highway speeds on an Interstate it still was not a relaxing experience. Drove Iowa to Texas. On local 50 trips. No big deal. I have since traded for a Class C Motorhome. Just was not a big tow fan. I would have even considered upgrading to an F250 if wanted to continue towing. With all that being said, you have a dangerous towing package, in my mind, and will be very unhappy with your towing experience . Best of luck in your choices.