5.0 towing with ford ranger

[AuthorSP]

Hi Tom, We're excited, signed off on our build sheet and will be picking up in May.
As we plan our trip, we're looking at camp sites. I know the trailer is a bit under 22' long. Have you ever measured the full length when hitched up to your Ranger? Thanks!

[Tom&Joan]

Hi, I have measured before, but don't remember the number. The trailer is stored in the barn and the truck is outside. Right now we have rain and extreme wind. Whenever it abates I will measure individually and let you know.
Tom

[AuthorSP]

Originally Posted by Tom&Joan

Hi, I have measured before, but don't remember the number. The trailer is stored in the barn and the truck is outside. Right now we have rain and extreme wind. Whenever it abates I will measure individually and let you know.
Tom

Thanks! Rough estimate is probably fine. Just want to make sure what size lots we can fit into, for ferries, etc.

[Tom&Joan]

AuthorSP, I measured both truck and trailer as if they were hitched up, about 35'. Seems a good bit less the way it handles!
Tom

[AuthorSP]

Thanks much, Tom!

[CanTireGuy]

Hi. I have a 2018 F-150 with 5.5 box. Have been considering upgrading to a 6.5 box. Should I, or is a 5.5 box fine? Our build is or July. Any info on hitch placements/measurements/weblinks would be appreciated. Looks like you have an anderson with rails as your hitch. Mike

[sofmerc]

Originally Posted by CanTireGuy

Hi. I have a 2018 F-150 with 5.5 box. Have been considering upgrading to a 6.5 box. Should I, or is a 5.5 box fine? Our build is or July. Any info on hitch placements/measurements/weblinks would be appreciated. Looks like you have an anderson with rails as your hitch. Mike

5.5 box works well with the 5.0....Plenty of satisfied users out there with this setup. I wouldn't upgrade to 6.5' box unless you had other features you wanted besides longer bed

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by CanTireGuy

Hi. I have a 2018 F-150 with 5.5 box. Have been considering upgrading to a 6.5 box. Should I, or is a 5.5 box fine? Our build is or July. Any info on hitch placements/measurements/weblinks would be appreciated. Looks like you have an anderson with rails as your hitch. Mike

We have a 6.5 box F150 pulling a 5.0TA. I do like the setup and would probably stay with the 6.5 if given the choice of the 5.5 box. Our total rig length is ~41' Our previous rig was a Nissan Frontier 6' box pulling an Rpod 179 (20'). Total rig length for that rig was 38.5' and we were able to get into some really tight spaces, so I anticipate the F150 5.0 rig will perform equally as well.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by sofmerc

5.5 box works well with the 5.0....Plenty of satisfied users out there with this setup. I wouldn't upgrade to 6.5' box unless you had other features you wanted besides longer bed

Wholeheartedly agree

I happen to have the 6.5 box on my F150 SuperCab, but if I were driving a SuperCrew I'd more likely than not drop to the 5.5 box to keep the truck wheelbase and overall length equal to the SuperCab.

That ~145" wheelbase being the limit of the truck length I want to manage both towing and non-towing driving, IMO the bit gained by a 6.5 box isn't worth the additional truck length and all that brings with the ~154" wheelbase on a SuperCrew.

YMMV, as always

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by Centex

Wholeheartedly agree

I happen to have the 6.5 box on my F150 SuperCab, but if I were driving a SuperCrew I'd more likely than not drop to the 5.5 box to keep the truck wheelbase and overall length equal to the SuperCab.

That ~145" wheelbase being the limit of the truck length I want to manage both towing and non-towing driving, IMO the bit gained by a 6.5 box isn't worth the additional truck length and all that brings with the ~154" wheelbase on a SuperCrew.

YMMV, as always

Good point. We have the Super Crew and it takes up a lot of real estate. The good news is that we now have no problem getting our steps in since we park so far out in parking lots.

[sofmerc]

I agree! I have the 6.5' Bed with Crew Cab... I wish I had the super crew version. I did buy the truck used, with low miles and during Covid when no-one was buying.. I got a highly optioned truck for a good price.. Dumb luck on my part. The length of the truck is the only negative of the truck in my opinion

[land’SCAPE]

I read this thread with interest as I’ll be looking to upgrade my truck at some point. While I love my Tundra, the fuel ratings on some of the newer trucks is tempting. Beyond payload ratings & towing capacities the quality of the brakes on these newer, smaller trucks would be of interest. I guess one should assume that if the truck has been designed to accommodate your trailer weight, then it has been designed to stop it as well. I have to say that with some of the longer & steeper downhills here in the mountains of BC, on a few occasions, I have really appreciated the terrific brakes on my Tundra when a deer suddenly enters the road or someone cuts in front of you and then decides to stop rather quickly. Our 2013 Tundra had the largest front brake rotors in its class that year & the only 1/2-ton truck to offer 4-piston brake calipers. Be interested to hear some first hand experience in this regard.

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by land’SCAPE

...Our 2013 Tundra had the largest front brake rotors in its class that year & the only 1/2-ton truck to offer 4-piston brake calipers. Be interested to hear some first hand experience in this regard.

With a 5.0 attached and gain set at 3.5, the F150/5.0 rig stops well. I have never driven a Tundra under similar conditions so I really can't compare, but I know I have never been concerned about the stopping power of our combo.

[AuthorSP]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

With a 5.0 attached and gain set at 3.5, the F150/5.0 rig stops well. I have never driven a Tundra under similar conditions so I really can't compare, but I know I have never been concerned about the stopping power of our combo.

What is "gain"? Something to do with the break controller? We're having ours put in today and wondering how it works.

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by AuthorSP

What is "gain"? Something to do with the break controller? We're having ours put in today and wondering how it works.

Gain is the amount of power/electricity sent from the brake controller to the trailer brakes. More gain, more braking power exerted by the trailer's brakes. Some brake controllers, like the Pod I used on our Frontier when pulling our Rpod do not have a number displayed, only an LED that went from green to orange to red. Green was no gain and red was lots of gain and orange was something in between. As funky as that sounds it actually worked quite well.

On a F150 with the trailer package, the brake controller is integrated into the dash and it will remember the gain setting for the Escape once it is programmed in.

[splitting_lanes]

Originally Posted by AuthorSP

What is "gain"? Something to do with the break controller? We're having ours put in today and wondering how it works.

Gain is the setting for the ratio of vehicle brakes to trailer brakes.

It’s something you’ll experiment with a little, until it feels like everything is stopping together.