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What would be a realistic towing capacity?

tyrobronco

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I had a 2006 Nissan Frontier crew cab. It was rated at 6500 lb tow rating.

We got a 2006 Find Finder Cruiser - 24 feet long and dry weight was 3620 lbs.

The truck could pull the trailer through the mountains - but it labored at high altitude and you had to mash the pedal down. Windy days it wasn't fun but we did that for 3 years. Backing the trailer up into my backyard through a gate was a lot of work.

In 2011, I bought my F-150 to pull the trailer. Still sucked wind (V8) in the mountains - but backing the trailer up into the yard was easy as heck.

At 120,000 miles, the Nissan started needing some big time engine work. I suspect it was because of the effort it seemed to have pulling the trailer - so we ended up trading it in for my wife's current 2018 Ford Fusion.

I have 107,000 miles on the F-150 now - and she is running perfectly.

I don't know how much the Nissan's issues were related to the strain of pulling that trailer or if it was just Nissan engineering - but I had hoped the truck would have lasted longer (and be my son's first vehicle). I do know I'm not interested in pulling stuff right at the limit, let alone ABOVE the limit.

YMMV...
 

Granger Ford

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I am late to this (weekend off with family) the only thing I can add to this..

You need to concern yourselves with the GCWR...

That is the determining factor of the vehicle...

CGWR (Combined Gross Weight Rating) - This is the combined gross weight rating. It is the maximum allowable weight your vehicle, with cargo and passengers, and a trailer can weigh.

The CGWR can be found labeled on the inside of the driver's side door.

Remember you need to include in cargo a full tank of fuel, the draw bar weight, emergency kit, additional tire weight (over stock), lift kits, roof rack, compressors, etc...

An F-450 Diesel Dually could pull the weight of a house however stopping that weight is another thing...
 

comfour

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One thing to note, If you rent a trailer from some the bigger companies like Uhaul, RV rental equipment they will check the manufacturers specified tow rating and will not rent a trailer if it exceeds the specified ratings of the vehicle even if it was beefed up by aftermarket hitch and other equipment, they are liable for any damages if it exceeds the manufacturers spec
 

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Not many options for big families, but there are some fun choices available. The JKU and JLU both also have 3500 lb ratings so manufacturers already have a big market to make “off roady” trailers for within that spec.

EB7BF870-D2EE-4860-948C-D55ADD91F381.jpeg
 

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Not many options for big families, but there are some fun choices available. The JKU and JLU both also have 3500 lb ratings so manufacturers already have a big market to make “off roady” trailers for within that spec.

Ford Bronco What would be a realistic towing capacity? EB7BF870-D2EE-4860-948C-D55ADD91F381
I agree with you on a set up like this for a family. Some of these trailers like the one in your picture offer a surprisingly big camp feel. I will most likely go this route, but time will tell.
 

ColoradoGuy

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This is a topic that I'm watching closely. I'm hopeful the 2.7L gets a higher towing capacity than 3500# but if not, I have another vehicle with a 5000# towing capacity that I could use. The issue with that is I'll have to bring both vehicles on camps... so definitely not ideal.

I'm also looking at ultra-light camper solutions that would work but the one I really want is upwards of $30k - camp365.com. The search continues...
 

2Jeeps&PatriotX1

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This is a topic that I'm watching closely. I'm hopeful the 2.7L gets a higher towing capacity than 3500# but if not, I have another vehicle with a 5000# towing capacity that I could use. The issue with that is I'll have to bring both vehicles on camps... so definitely not ideal.

I'm also looking at ultra-light camper solutions that would work but the one I really want is upwards of $30k - camp365.com. The search continues...
Or in my case, having to trade my newer f150 in for a super duty so I can throw the Bronco and the offroad camper onto a flatbed trailer and haul them to our destinations here in CO and in UT, AZ, ID, WY since I refuse to have the wife follow me in her Bronco everywhere when we go on our trips and want to wheel the Bronco at our destinations. I know the 4dr Bronco w/ 2.7 can tow the camper as its barely under 3500lbs, but will need to wait to see what the GCWR rating will be and its more of a piece of mind having that cushion under the max tow rating.

F150 can tow 9,950 with occupants & fuel so that won't cut it towing everything.
 

ColoradoGuy

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Or in my case, having to trade my newer f150 in for a super duty so I can throw the Bronco and the offroad camper onto a flatbed trailer and haul them to our destinations here in CO and in UT, AZ, ID, WY since I refuse to have the wife follow me in her Bronco everywhere when we go on our trips and want to wheel the Bronco at our destinations. I know the 4dr Bronco w/ 2.7 can tow the camper as its barely under 3500lbs, but will need to wait to see what the GCWR rating will be and its more of a piece of mind having that cushion under the max tow rating.

F150 can tow 9,950 with occupants & fuel so that won't cut it towing everything.
That sounds like quite the load! Maybe get an RV and tow the Bronco as another option.
 

2Jeeps&PatriotX1

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That sounds like quite the load! Maybe get an RV and tow the Bronco as another option.
I wouldnt trade my offroad camper for anything. My purpose is to go out and get away from others, the harder it is to get to the spot the better the view and less people and I refuse to stay in campgrounds.

B26BA552-AB40-4AEC-A4CB-3BA6759BEF0B.jpeg


CC800A6A-1D36-40FD-A075-197C6AFAEC16.jpeg
 

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Lakelife36

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Or in my case, having to trade my newer f150 in for a super duty so I can throw the Bronco and the offroad camper onto a flatbed trailer and haul them to our destinations here in CO and in UT, AZ, ID, WY since I refuse to have the wife follow me in her Bronco everywhere when we go on our trips and want to wheel the Bronco at our destinations. I know the 4dr Bronco w/ 2.7 can tow the camper as its barely under 3500lbs, but will need to wait to see what the GCWR rating will be and its more of a piece of mind having that cushion under the max tow rating.

F150 can tow 9,950 with occupants & fuel so that won't cut it towing everything.
That sounds like quite the load! Maybe get an RV and tow the Bronco as another option.
I wouldnt trade my offroad camper for anything. My purpose is to go out and get away from others, the harder it is to get to the spot the better the view and less people and I refuse to stay in campgrounds.

Ford Bronco What would be a realistic towing capacity? CC800A6A-1D36-40FD-A075-197C6AFAEC16


Ford Bronco What would be a realistic towing capacity? CC800A6A-1D36-40FD-A075-197C6AFAEC16
Come on FoMoCo do you see what is happening here? Your truck won't even pull an off-road camper so now we're talking about a heavy duty pickup to flatbed the two of them? Or an RV? Was your intent really to see Bronco owners trying to get away from it all switch from an off-road camper to an RV, because the Bronco can't tow an off-road camper but an RV can tow a Bronco? Really? Was that actually the vision?

This is beyond ridiculous. @2Jeeps&PatriotX1 your camper is amazing and it's a travesty that a Bronco wouldn't tow it to a beautiful destination like your photos show.
 

Lakelife36

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This is a topic that I'm watching closely. I'm hopeful the 2.7L gets a higher towing capacity than 3500# but if not, I have another vehicle with a 5000# towing capacity that I could use. The issue with that is I'll have to bring both vehicles on camps... so definitely not ideal.

I'm also looking at ultra-light camper solutions that would work but the one I really want is upwards of $30k - camp365.com. The search continues...
Can we all cool it (pun intended) with the 2.7 talk? We know that the Ranger with the 2.3 tows 7,500lbs so it's not the engine that's the problem. If anything the larger 2.7 in that bay may have a harder time cooling than the 2.3 in the same space and we all know that's one of the biggest issues with towing.

If they leave the 2.3/7M combo at 3,500lbs and raise the other ones to something actually reasonable I'm gonna lose my you-know-what.
 

wjfawb0 [hacked account]

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I don't see this mentioned very often, but often times an SUV like say a Grand Cherokee will have a tow rating that is 5,000 lbs. It will also state a maximum frontal area. Many folks tow large campers with a Nissan Xterra or Jeep Wrangler and don't realize how much they're shortening the life of the engine and transmission by fighting the aerodynamics of a 115" tall trailer going down the highway for hours at a time. Trucks are made to tow and have the engine, transmission coolers and overbuilt driveline designed to take the constant high load on the highway. Most cars, small SUVs, and crossovers don't.
 

ColoradoGuy

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I wouldnt trade my offroad camper for anything. My purpose is to go out and get away from others, the harder it is to get to the spot the better the view and less people and I refuse to stay in campgrounds.

Ford Bronco What would be a realistic towing capacity? CC800A6A-1D36-40FD-A075-197C6AFAEC16


Ford Bronco What would be a realistic towing capacity? CC800A6A-1D36-40FD-A075-197C6AFAEC16
I like your style! The closest I've come is dispersed camping (which was still near other campers) but mainly because I haven't wanted to take my Acura MDX on too rugged of roads. We camped three times this summer (all in national forest campgrounds) and it was ridiculously busy, loud and pretty much a shit show. COVID was an obvious reason for the increased number of campers but I think it will continue to be an issue for awhile now. When I camp, I want to get away too!
 
 


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