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22Mav

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I thought the poster had 4K tow with his AWD along with FX4...
No clue, but reading your post would make it appear to an outside reader that FX4 can tow 4,000 lbs. That statement isn't true, as the FX4 would need 4k as well in order to do so.


It's the same as the 2.0 EB AWD with 4K tow package - 4000 lbs. The FX4 option is only available with AWD.
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DryHeat

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I'm having a hard time understanding the Frontal Area chart. Looks like my Hybrid (without Tow Package) is limited to 20 sq ft frontal area. But the note says this means "Base vehicle frontal area." What does that mean? What is the "base vehicle"?

It seems likely that they are talking about frontal area of the trailer -- not the whole enchilada -- because the Maverick itself has a frontal area of about 30 sq ft. Even so, that would limit me to a trailer about 7 feet wide and 3 feet tall -- basically a motorcycle trailer or a pop-up tent trailer. That's ok with me, but it really limits the hybrid (because no tow package available).
 

GregS

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I thought the poster had 4K tow with his AWD along with FX4...
I just appreciate the help in finding the info -- I was asking for just the 2.0 AWD/FX4 (non-4K package) rating -- so thank ya'll for the 2,000 lbs figure.
 

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I'm having a hard time understanding the Frontal Area chart. Looks like my Hybrid (without Tow Package) is limited to 20 sq ft frontal area. But the note says this means "Base vehicle frontal area." What does that mean? What is the "base vehicle"?

It seems likely that they are talking about frontal area of the trailer -- not the whole enchilada -- because the Maverick itself has a frontal area of about 30 sq ft. Even so, that would limit me to a trailer about 7 feet wide and 3 feet tall -- basically a motorcycle trailer or a pop-up tent trailer. That's ok with me, but it really limits the hybrid (because no tow package available).
I decided to look into this. I have the time (retired), am restless/sickened/pissed by events over the last few days to the point of wanting to put a brick through my TV if I see another talking head/professional advice-giver with no accountability/Monday morning QB of any political persuasion, and doing this info dive provided a distraction for me from current events half a world away. Semper Fi.

You and others raised some good questions. I’m no expert, for others more knowledgeable than me – please chime in. I know a little about methods to use to answer the question “how much can I/should I (safely) tow?”. I never thought “frontal area” would be of such interest, I was wrong. But my philosophy is (1) there’s a reason for everything, (2) you can never ask too many questions, (3) the devil really is in the details. I hate unanswered questions, so here’s the short version:
To sum up, what I think (P90, 90% probability):
Ford Maverick 2022 Maverick Trailer Towing & GVWR / GCWR Guide basic vehicle front area.JPG

  • The vehicle frontal area is a projection of the vehicles shape.
Ford Maverick 2022 Maverick Trailer Towing & GVWR / GCWR Guide def. front area.JPG

  • The 20 ft2 frontal area for Maverick Hybrid and non-4K tow package 2.0 EB comes directly from SAE J2807 towing standard tow-test-standards-2016-02.pdf (fifthwheelst.com), it refers to a 20 ft2 trailer. Since the Maverick itself has a frontal area >20ft2, that’s why the footnote Base Vehicle Frontal Area.
  • The 40 ft2 for 2.0 EB with 4K tow package also comes directly from SAE J2807 towing standard. So Maverick frontal area + ? extra exposed trailer frontal area = 40 ft2.
  • The J2807 frontal area values directly match up with Ford’s Trailer Towing Guide values.
  • I wouldn’t obsess about trailer frontal area, if you’re over a little so be it and adjust as needed (route, speed, gear used, etc), just be aware of possible tow vehicle performance issues (cooling, speed, fuel grade, etc).
The long-winded version is here:
 

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coolhip33

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I decided to look into this. I have the time (retired), am restless/sickened/pissed by events over the last few days to the point of wanting to put a brick through my TV if I see another talking head/professional advice-giver with no accountability/Monday morning QB of any political persuasion, and doing this info dive provided a distraction for me from current events half a world away. Semper Fi.

You and others raised some good questions. I’m no expert, for others more knowledgeable than me – please chime in. I know a little about methods to use to answer the question “how much can I/should I (safely) tow?”. I never thought “frontal area” would be of such interest, I was wrong. But my philosophy is (1) there’s a reason for everything, (2) you can never ask too many questions, (3) the devil really is in the details. I hate unanswered questions, so here’s the short version:
To sum up, what I think (P90, 90% probability):
basic vehicle front area.JPG

  • The vehicle frontal area is a projection of the vehicles shape.
def. front area.JPG

  • The 20 ft2 frontal area for Maverick Hybrid and non-4K tow package 2.0 EB comes directly from SAE J2807 towing standard tow-test-standards-2016-02.pdf (fifthwheelst.com), it refers to a 20 ft2 trailer. Since the Maverick itself has a frontal area >20ft2, that’s why the footnote Base Vehicle Frontal Area.
  • The 40 ft2 for 2.0 EB with 4K tow package also comes directly from SAE J2807 towing standard. So Maverick frontal area + ? extra exposed trailer frontal area = 40 ft2.
  • The J2807 frontal area values directly match up with Ford’s Trailer Towing Guide values.
  • I wouldn’t obsess about trailer frontal area, if you’re over a little so be it and adjust as needed (route, speed, gear used, etc), just be aware of possible tow vehicle performance issues (cooling, speed, fuel grade, etc).
The long-winded version is here:
Thanks for the helpful info! How would you calculate frontal area on a tear drop trailer?
Exterior Height
8'1"
Exterior Width Body
6'6"

Ford Maverick 2022 Maverick Trailer Towing & GVWR / GCWR Guide 1630090392600
 

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medgar

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A lot of these post are missing the key word. "Exposed frontal area" A true teardrop is going to have almost zero exposed frontal area. Since it will ride lower than the roof line and only a fraction of it will be above the tailgate line. Most of the exposed parts of a teardrop with be the arc of the tear which is causing minimal air blockage. That is one of the beauties of a teardrop design

I have towed a 5x8 teardrop with a 4 cylinder 15 year old Forrester for years with no issues. It is rated at a 1500lb towing capacity. If the Maverick has a problem towing a teardrop it would have a problem towing everything and anything.
 
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Probity

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Thanks for the helpful info! How would you calculate frontal area on a tear drop trailer?
Exterior Height
8'1"
Exterior Width Body
6'6"

1630090392600.png
IDK, could use a number of methods with decreasing accuracy:
1. Call the tear drop company, ask for technical department (and hope you don't get a knucklehead), with luck they could help you.
2. If you have an actual trailer to view, have a good camera and are handy with CAD software, do what Car & Driver did in 2014:
Ford Maverick 2022 Maverick Trailer Towing & GVWR / GCWR Guide car driver.JPG

3. If you have an actual trailer to view, do a ballpark tape measure.
4. Quick & dirty - [8 ft - (assumed 1 ft ground clearance)] x 6.5 ft = 7 x 6.5 = ~45 ft.
 

vap0rtranz

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Ford’s “Base Vehicle Frontal Area” footnote on Maverick specs – I’m pretty sure Ford is mixing terms, and means “Basic Vehicle Frontal Area” as per the legal definition in EPA reg 40 CFR Part 86.1803.001. eCFR :: 40 CFR Part 86 -- Control of Emissions from New and In-Use Highway Vehicles and Engines (federalregister.gov)
...
Since the Maverick itself has a frontal area >20ft2, that’s why the footnote Base Vehicle Frontal Area.
So another bad writer at FoMoCo. It sure does read like they're mixing terms or at least muddied the waters.

Agree with ya.

If we are to believe the # in the official Tow Guide is Mav+towed, well then the Hybrid cannot tow anything. The Mav itself has a frontal area ~34.5sq ft. The guide says the Hybrid max frontal area is 20 sq ft, so the Mav's frontal area exceeds that. Hah! But because Ford has rated the Hybrid to tow something (and by something hopefully they're using SAE methods), then their (ab)use of the term frontal area must be referring to the towed trailer and not the Mav itself. That's how my poor man's logic attempts to understand what Ford wrote.

So a 5' wide x 4' tall boat / jetski / small camper behind the Hybrid.
 
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Nw_adventure

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IDK, could use a number of methods with decreasing accuracy:
1. Call the tear drop company, ask for technical department (and hope you don't get a knucklehead), with luck they could help you.
2. If you have an actual trailer to view, have a good camera and are handy with CAD software, do what Car & Driver did in 2014:
car driver.JPG

3. If you have an actual trailer to view, do a ballpark tape measure.
4. Quick & dirty - [8 ft - (assumed 1 ft ground clearance)] x 6.5 ft = 7 x 6.5 = ~45 ft.
So with this being 5 feet over , Fords tow specs- How big of a deal in the real world- Just a bit lower speeds, maybe a little more stress on the engine during hill climbs or ?
 

Tbolt

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Thanks for the helpful info! How would you calculate frontal area on a tear drop trailer?
Exterior Height
8'1"
Exterior Width Body
6'6"

1630090392600.png
I am looking at that exact trailer to tow with my Lariat FX4 with 4k tow package (whenever it materializes). I had been focused on the weight as the trailer (they have 3 configurations) as a 1900 pound dry weight. I figured that gives me enough margin for whatever we want to take on weekend trips and I plan on towing it dry. I hadn't considered frontal area as a variable so this is a new one to me. But that trailer is also 17" off the ground so I am assuming that is a reduction in the surface area as it relates to drag. Not sure how exactly you figure in the curvature, but based on this it has to be at or near the recommended 40 sq ft. Close enough to not be a problem. They have been showing it towing a 3400 pound airstream and that thing isn't very aerodynamic.

I don't want to overtax my Mav, so this trailer seems like it fits the bill for a weekend camper. But I can't find anything else that is even close weight wise in this class. Maybe an R-Pod but most are already pushing that dry weight into the mid 3k's if you want to sleep 3 and have a bathroom.

I get it that this is not the vehicle for large towing, but I thing the Rove Ultra Light could be a fun camper to pair up with the Mav personally.
 
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I am looking at that exact trailer to tow with my Lariat FX4 with 4k tow package (whenever it materializes). I had been focused on the weight as the trailer (they have 3 configurations) as a 1900 pound dry weight. I figured that gives me enough margin for whatever we want to take on weekend trips and I plan on towing it dry. I hadn't considered frontal area as a variable so this is a new one to me. But that trailer is also 17" off the ground so I am assuming that is a reduction in the surface area as it relates to drag. Not sure how exactly you figure in the curvature, but based on this it has to be at or near the recommended 40 sq ft. Close enough to not be a problem. They have been showing it towing a 3400 pound airstream and that thing isn't very aerodynamic.

I don't want to overtax my Mav, so this trailer seems like it fits the bill for a weekend camper. But I can't find anything else that is even close weight wise in this class. Maybe an R-Pod but most are already pushing that dry weight into the mid 3k's if you want to sleep 3 and have a bathroom.

I get it that this is not the vehicle for large towing, but I thing the Rove Ultra Light could be a fun camper to pair up with the Mav personally.
Hi Chris -

We looked at the Retro 135 https://goriversiderv.com/retro-135/ and the Bushwhacker Plus https://www.braxtoncreek.com/model/bushwhacker-plus-teardrop . The Retros are apparently coming out from manufacturer VERY poorly built. We got to step into a Bushwhacker Plus which was ok but my 6 ft hubby couldn't stand upright in the shower (elevated shower pan) so that's when we went back to the drawing board. We started considering a Helio O series https://heliovr.com/ultralight-travel-trailer/ . We finally decided on the Rove Lite. We have one on order. Might arrive in February or March.

Oh, and the Travel Lite national sales rep told me the frontal area limit doesn't apply to this trailer as it is teardrop in front, rather than flat like a Coleman Lantern.
 

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Hi Chris -

We looked at the Retro 135 https://goriversiderv.com/retro-135/ and the Bushwhacker Plus https://www.braxtoncreek.com/model/bushwhacker-plus-teardrop . The Retros are apparently coming out from manufacturer VERY poorly built. We got to step into a Bushwhacker Plus which was ok but my 6 ft hubby couldn't stand upright in the shower (elevated shower pan) so that's when we went back to the drawing board. We started considering a Helio O series https://heliovr.com/ultralight-travel-trailer/ . We finally decided on the Rove Lite. We have one on order. Might arrive in February or March.

Oh, and the Travel Lite national sales rep told me the frontal area limit doesn't apply to this trailer as it is teardrop in front, rather than flat like a Coleman Lantern.
I have the bushwhacker plus 15fk, I'm 5'6 and I really can't stand upright in the shower, most trailers around this size will be like this. Mine is a pain to tow because of other issues, so I'll see how well the maverick does with it.
 

coolhip33

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I have the bushwhacker plus 15fk, I'm 5'6 and I really can't stand upright in the shower, most trailers around this size will be like this. Mine is a pain to tow because of other issues, so I'll see how well the maverick does with it.
I'm curious why it is a pain to tow?
 

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I'm curious why it is a pain to tow?
The overall weight is low, but it is very tongue heavy (I would say I'm close to 400 lb). Couple that with it sitting very high, so not aerodynamic and it does have a large frontal area. I can get 11 MPG going under 60, but compared with my friends TAB that I towed going 70 I would get 15-16 MPG! I made some changes to improve so we'll see what I can get on the Maverick for comparison.
 

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Turns out we have all been overthinking what Ford means by frontal area.

they literally mean: Frontal Area is the total area in square feet that a moving vehicle and trailer exposes to air resistance. Source: https://www.ford.com/cmslibs/conten...ral/pdf/guides/20Towing_Ford_Ranger_Oct15.pdf
As long as we are over thinking trailering, the thought hit me. What adjustment needs to be made for tailgate up vs down? How about the weight limits being given are for sea level and need to be adjusted by 2% for each 1000 feet above sea level (= "Hey Mom, it's time to throw something out!). I understand that the 2.0 AWD has a tow/haul mode which will allow or actually brake vehicle and aid in reducing rapid shifting of transmission, etc. Does the hybrid have a tow/haul mode? If so, it appears to me, it would be advantageous as it would activate a subroutine necessary to handle the extra weight better. (Anyone notice that preliminary production models only have x drive modes and ford has already found the need for x+y modes. If Ford new all these in advance then let's blame it on the programmer (been there done that 14 years) couldn't make them all fit in the DINKY RAM he was given to work with (= which x of x+y drive modes can you have). Aaaaarrrrrgggg!
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