Towing Package: worth it or no?

[RoLyMa27]

All I'm going to say is...This debate + Campfire + Alcohol = Shenanigans I would pay good money to see!!!

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[Dads_bronze_bronco]

Seems like that combination could, maybe, possibly, support a 5,000 lbs tow rating [INSERT LEGAL DISCLAIMER HERE]. The structural stress on the frame rails vs the crossmember should be much better.

Coming soon, the all new, upgraded tow rating for the 2022 Bronco.

As for me, that panhard rod is going to get upgraded to something beefier, and I am hoping for a Ford big brake kit and maybe heavier springs in back. Also thinking about converting my trailer from surge disc brakes (even though they work really well) to electric over hydrualic disc brakes and putting a controller on the Bronco.

 

[vrtical]

I have towed heavy stuff for a while, the 2" receiver is more of a industry standard now making it easier than having to deal with the smaller initial Class II. On the 21 Bronco, the design IMO is a bit on the small side (frame mount area) for supporting true class III weights, but its fine I dont see the Bronco moving more past 5-6k range anyways. As others have stated, All of the Ford trucks that I have bought (3) have had the tow package and integrated wiring for adding a brake controller plug and play. If others like wiring that stuff thats on you.

 

[LSBronco13]

This makes zero sense. If I can get equivalent hardware for, say, $300 and install it in an hour, I am literally saving $300 for an hour of my time. Tax free. How many people would sneer at $300 tax free for an hour of their time? What is this, a Ferrari forum?

Your time is not free.

 

[djp]

Last question before I place my order (Black Diamond) this week: is the common consensus that the Towing Capability is not worth the $600 asking price as it is merely a hitch and a wiring harness? No transmission cooler/etc. that you may get with other vehicles' tow packages?

I decided to save money with my tow package on my 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

I bought the factory mopar tow hitch and saved myself about $300 and installed it myself. however....

With the installation I had to remove the entire rear bumper and then cut out the port for the hitch. Then I had to buy a wiring harness...which if found out I didnt need as they pre-ran the wire, so I just got an adapter. Then I had to take it to dealer to "activate" the tow hitch wires that was $150, but i talked them down to $75. Then the blinkers didnt work. I later found out that I needed the factory mopar wiring plug as it had some sort of smart chip in it that the computer required.

So all in all i saved about $100 and about 3 weeks of my time going back and forth to dealer to troubleshoot issues.

Now fast forward to 2019 (my brother in-law's grand cherroke. same exact make and model as mine with same package) We looked under his and Jeep had NOT pre-run a wiring harness to the rear bumper like mine. Yikes that will be an expense now..

I suspect this with the bronco hitch:

Looking at pictures it seems it's a 6 bolt pattern and very easy to install. But someone will still charge $100 + for it. I then assume you will need:
- computer programming to enable the wiring harness
- possibly the full wiring harness front to back
- rear plug adapter
- your installation time


So will you possibly save $100 to 200 to do it yourself? Yes maybe, and maybe slightly more. But will it be a pain the @$$ as manufactures are saving money by not running things they dont need to. Yes, it will be a huge pain in the A$$ as my brother in law found out on his that doesnt even have pre-run wires.

Story 3... so my wife bought the Big Bend Bronco Sport. She wanted heated seats, and the dealer said it came with it as it was the Big Bend.... well guess what, it did not. She should have ordered the Big Bend Bronco Sport + the Big Bend package. (way to go Ford, why did you name the package the same name as the trim level on the bronco sports.... but confusion point) ... now she was the first bronco in the state and we took delivery Dec 3rd....

So I installed her heated seats. I expected there to be an easy hookup under the seat that I could just tie into. There was not. Ford saved the money and did not pre-run any wires that they didnt need to, even though on other trims there are heated seats. So this is just reiterating the fact that most likely you will need to run a full harness for your big boy bronco if you dont get factory. I suspect it will be again a huge pain in the a$$.

Just my 2c, and thus I paid for the tow package.

 

[Marauder]

That feels like belt and suspenders on fitted pants right there.

Possibly, but we’re talking about a vehicle designed with a tent to partially sit on the roof. I’ve not seen a whole lot of pop up campers pictured in their ads

 

[RedHotFuzz]

600 bucks seems kinda cheap compared to the accessories involved afterwards.

Never buy at REI unless it's during a big sale.

 

[RedHotFuzz]

Your time is not free.

But it's certainly not worth $300/hr.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Your time is not free.

The labor to install four bolts and a t connector basically is unless you only have pliers and a hammer for tools.

However I do know those fancy trailer connectors from Ford are not cheap (I put one on my F-150) and I know they LOVE to do weird stuff like different bumpers...

The Ranger with a towpackage gets a different bumper with a cutout for the receiver, so if you add an aftermarket receiver it has to sit lower. Everything the bumper sits on is different too.

I have only ever seen the Bronco with a cutout... but without looking into it much I haven't really seen if that is a frankin thing (as recently as KOH) and/or what else underneath the bumper was changed too. Also the vast majority of them running around have the tow package so the non-tow package sampling is rather small as well and nobody seems to take super great pictures of the back end down low either.

So I figure by the time I spend a couple hundred bucks for a harness/connector and probably more than a couple hundred bucks for a receiver... and who knows what other road blocks Ford has thrown in the mix to make it not as good as if I had gotten it from Ford to start with... I selected the tow package.

I was really on the fence about it though and it does burn me to spend $600 for a receiver/t-connector... if the thing was on the street and I had more intel on how an aftermarket hitch fits I would have been very open to changing it.

 

[The Pope]

I'm planning on an Aftermarket Rear Bumper with the Class III already incorporated into it.... so... departure angle "shouldn't" be effected....

 

[Ripcurl]

Your time is not free.

I just cost myself $500 reading this entire thread

 

[Halfsmoke00]

Are there any details out yet on the hitch in the accessories catalog?

 

[Heelabaloo]

I decided to save money with my tow package on my 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

I bought the factory mopar tow hitch and saved myself about $300 and installed it myself. however....

With the installation I had to remove the entire rear bumper and then cut out the port for the hitch. Then I had to buy a wiring harness...which if found out I didnt need as they pre-ran the wire, so I just got an adapter. Then I had to take it to dealer to "activate" the tow hitch wires that was $150, but i talked them down to $75. Then the blinkers didnt work. I later found out that I needed the factory mopar wiring plug as it had some sort of smart chip in it that the computer required.

So all in all i saved about $100 and about 3 weeks of my time going back and forth to dealer to troubleshoot issues.

Now fast forward to 2019 (my brother in-law's grand cherroke. same exact make and model as mine with same package) We looked under his and Jeep had NOT pre-run a wiring harness to the rear bumper like mine. Yikes that will be an expense now..

I suspect this with the bronco hitch:

Looking at pictures it seems it's a 6 bolt pattern and very easy to install. But someone will still charge $100 + for it. I then assume you will need:
- computer programming to enable the wiring harness
- possibly the full wiring harness front to back
- rear plug adapter
- your installation time


So will you possibly save $100 to 200 to do it yourself? Yes maybe, and maybe slightly more. But will it be a pain the @$$ as manufactures are saving money by not running things they dont need to. Yes, it will be a huge pain in the A$$ as my brother in law found out on his that doesnt even have pre-run wires.

Story 3... so my wife bought the Big Bend Bronco Sport. She wanted heated seats, and the dealer said it came with it as it was the Big Bend.... well guess what, it did not. She should have ordered the Big Bend Bronco Sport + the Big Bend package. (way to go Ford, why did you name the package the same name as the trim level on the bronco sports.... but confusion point) ... now she was the first bronco in the state and we took delivery Dec 3rd....

So I installed her heated seats. I expected there to be an easy hookup under the seat that I could just tie into. There was not. Ford saved the money and did not pre-run any wires that they didnt need to, even though on other trims there are heated seats. So this is just reiterating the fact that most likely you will need to run a full harness for your big boy bronco if you dont get factory. I suspect it will be again a huge pain in the a$$.

Just my 2c, and thus I paid for the tow package.

This is exactly why I’ll pay the $600. However, If you feel lucky, got some skills, and your dad has an awesome set of tools, then go for it.

 

[djp]

This is exactly why I’ll pay the $600. However, If you feel lucky, got some skills, and your dad has an awesome set of tools, then go for it.

It's not the tools or the know how. I have a welder and all the tools i will ever need... it's the BS of dealing with the dealership, and having to drive there and sit 2 hours while they hook your car up to the computer and reprogram, just to tell the CPU "hey, activate the trailer wires" and then pay $$$. It will be interesting to see the outcome of what people find when installing the tow hitch themselves and the issues/bumps they run into

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Activating the trailer wires is something I never thought of. My wife's Edge w/o the tow package has a 4pin to the spare tire well so I figured I would have had at least that much with the Bronco.

Another cringy "advancement" for modern vehicles...

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