Towing a Micro lite 21 FBRS with a Ford Ranger

[floridacamper]

I have a Ford Ranger with a 7,500 pound towing capacity and provides a maximum best-in-class payload capacity of 1,860 pounds. Its now called a mid size truck.  It has the towing package as well. With that being said Im still not convinced that it can handle or how it would handle a Flagstaff Micro Lite 21 FBRS Dry Weight 4,171 lbs,  PayLoad capacity 1,521 and Hitch Weight 412lbs. It would be all Flat Land Florida camping. Whats your opinions, thank you in advance.

[floridacamper · Accepted solution]

Ok, the tongue weight of the trailer says 412 but I read where a guy said he loads his trailer to the maximum capacity and went and had it weighed. He had a picture of the results and his tongue weight fully loaded was 640 #, Hes a retired truck driver so I'll take him at his word that he knew what he was doing. And my sticker on my truck says the combined weight of the occupants or cargo should never exceed 1490 lbs.So I guess I subtract 640 from 1490 and that leaves me 850 lbs, I personally think that's manageable with it only being my wife and I. What you think.

[floridacamper]

Thanks

[Grit_dog]

 No problem in Flatlandistan for sure. I’d get a little cautious if it’s real windy though. 
Power for hitting the hills depends on which engine you have, although both (3 incl the raptor motor) have way more power than anything rated to tow 5-7k from a few decades ago. Great by those standards. “Ok” by todays standards. 
You’ll need to shore up the suspension or use a wdh though, regardless. 

[floridacamper]

Thank you for your help, safe travels

[bid_time]

The fully loaded tongue weight sounds about right, I would say you’re good to go and can still load a couple of hundred pounds in the truck.

[floridacamper]

Thank you for your opinion, safe travels

[StirCrazy]

you should be more than fine, the only issue you could have is if your like me and living in the mountians but its a newer truck that have more power than my ranger had and a better towing capacity so I would expect you will be fine.  

[floridacamper]

Thank you, safe travels

[bid_time]

Your truck tow ratings are per the SAE J2807 standards. Your truck is fully capable of towing up to 100% of those ratings without exceeding any rating. You need to fully understand exactly what those rating are, what they mean, and how they apply. If you don’t, I can direct you to some add’l info.

[Grit_dog]

What is it you’re alluding to the OP not understanding?  Or you just learned about trucks n trailers n stuff and eager to share your new found knowledge?

[floridacamper · Accepted solution]

Ok, the tongue weight of the trailer says 412 but I read where a guy said he loads his trailer to the maximum capacity and went and had it weighed. He had a picture of the results and his tongue weight fully loaded was 640 #, Hes a retired truck driver so I'll take him at his word that he knew what he was doing. And my sticker on my truck says the combined weight of the occupants or cargo should never exceed 1490 lbs.So I guess I subtract 640 from 1490 and that leaves me 850 lbs, I personally think that's manageable with it only being my wife and I. What you think.

[valhalla360 · Accepted solution]

412# is the theoretical empty tongue weight. It likely has little or nothing to do with the actual tongue weight.

Fully loaded the trailer will likely be around 5500-6000lb when actually heading out to camp. You should have around 12-15% of that on the tongue, so somewhere around 600-800lb is a rough estimate.

With a WDH, the truck is probably fine in terms of payload/towing but don't go crazy carrying a cord of wood in the truck bed.