Towing 4,000lbs?

[SLJ]

I've got a'24 EcoBoost FX4 4K and am contemplating the T@b 320S. I'd be interested in learning more about your experience pulling this rig. It seems like a perfect pairing for the Maverick. I'm appreciative of any information you can share.

I've had the T@B for three years now. The Mav doesn't even struggle in the hills with it. Towed it with a Bronco Sport first but it pretty much maxed out the Sport.

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[JTori]

I've had the T@B for three years now. The Mav doesn't even struggle in the hills with it. Towed it with a Bronco Sport first but it pretty much maxed out the Sport.

That's helpful. From your experience with this combination, any suggestions you can share to enhance the towing experience. How's the fuel economy. Sorry if I've got too many questions. I'm analytical by nature and a bit of a data geek (though I'm in touch with my geekdom). Also, my wife and I like road trips. I'm an experienced outdoorsman, however I'm interested in knowing how my wife might find the RV experience. This looks perfect to me. How have you found being on the road? Where do you choose to stay, and how easy is it to park, stay and resume travel? I know mine are probably newbie questions, but that's where I am in my RV journey; want to keep things simple as empty nesters and not complicate our lives too much. Receptive to all your suggestions. Best, Joe.

 

[Tscottok]

Jumping in here

I use my 2021 EB-4k Maverick to tow a 2021 R-pod 180 that's an 18' trailer with a 20' frame (shout out to @McBear who has the same model). It weights ~2,900 dry and is 3,500 - 4,000 with gear & water. I did weigh it on a CAT scale and was ~100 lbs over the GCWR with all the gear/people I had in the truck (more on that below).

I'm not going to weigh in on adding your own safety factors over spec, interpreting Ford's ratings, or to tell you to push the limits with your tuck.
I'll just talk about my personal experience & recommendations.


1st- Power
The mav tows like a dream! I can't believe how well a 2.0 L can pull this trailer, even up hills. The r-pod design goes a long way limiting drag (it's narrow and has a curved front/back), but the engine seems to have plenty of power to get the job done. You'll definitely want to run it in tow mode, but I have everything I need to merge onto the freeway, pull up steep hills, and even on uneven dirt roads.
I normally get 15 mpg over an entire trip (which is crazy good MPG for towing a trailer), and got 18 going over the grapevine in socal (@40 mph with traffic).
The engine has never changed the temp on the dash (mine is always at 4 bars), but I don't have additional sensors to check the actual temps or in the transmission.
For what it's worth, I also try to keep the truck close to 60 mph

2nd- Driving
The truck is compact. Meaning, you will feel the wind and pressure change from passing vehicles/semis. It's not wild nor hard to manage as the truck stays straight on the road. It kind of just "wiggles" and is a bit bouncy, but stays straight in the lane. It's similar to towing anything and is actually easier to drive than a converted short bus/RV that my dad built.
I don't mind long drives, and am not crazy stressed going down the road. Again, this could be a factor of the size/shape of the rpod 180.
I highly recommend using a rental service like outdoorsy.com to make sure you're comfortable towing a trailer that's a similar weight and shape as the 1 you want to buy. We did this first with a local 45 min-away trip to make sure the truck (and I) were up to for it.

General rules:
1. Slow down! Set a max speed (~60 mph) and go slower if there are other hazards like wind. I often go 50-55 if there are a lot of semi-trucks as it just feels (and is) safer
2. Leave space, brake early. Similar to #1, just drive like a grandma and life will be easier. Leave lots of space in front of you, and start slowing before the car in front of you does. The mav/trailer has a good amount of stopping power (be warned HOW it applies the breaks in tow mode is different), but it helps your sanity/enjoyment of driving
3. Use the trailer brake (if needed). The trailer brake is your friend if there is an emergency or sway. This video dives into how it can save your life. I've never had to use it in an emergency, but sometimes add a little extra trailer brake when stopping.


3rd- Recommenced Upgrades
- Air lift kit for rear suspension (my write up)
- Anti-sway hitch (not a weight distribution hitch, I got this)
- Raised hitch/ball (increase ball height)
- Optional: water wetter (coolant can take more heat), larger intercooler (colder intake temps), temp sensors (transmission, engine, etc.)

Right now, tongue weight is my main concern. Total weight of the trailer is under my tow rating, but there is a lot of weight that is coming down on the rear wheels from the hitch, gear in the bed, and people. The trailer is rated at 332 lbs hitch weight, but this normally doesn't include the propane, battery, gear, nor aftermarket stuff. This means that your rear wheels handling a lot more than they should and you could introduce some serious/dangerous instability (aka: sway).
To help addresses this, I HIGHLY recommend getting an airlift kit for your rear springs. It will limit a ton of sag/compression at the back suspension and better distribute the weight to all 4 wheels. Plus it keeps your trailer more level, also reducing the tongue weight. I ended up installing an air lift kit, Timbren SES (limits impact & violent swings), and an anti-sway bar. It's definitely overkill (I was originally gonna do an in-bed camper at first), but the airlift bags are worth it. You can check my write up here.
When I weighed the setup on a CAT scale, I was ~100 lbs over my GCVR (not great), but there was similar weight on rear wheels then the front. You don't want to exceed your ratings, but this means that more of my load is distributed across all 3 of the axles (truck & trailer) which is much safer than a super heavy load on the rear of the truck.

Next, I added an anti-sway hitch (I got this). Because this is a uni-body truck (vs body on frame), I had a lot of concern with the rotational torque a weight distribution hitch would put on the body panels & welds, different than a standard truck frame. This video talks about it from the impacts to the trailer frame, and there really isn't a solid consensus about how it will/won't hurt uni-body trucks, there aren't that many. (Note: the Ridgeline and many SUVs seem to be more of a hybrid uni-body/body on frame so be careful with comparisons).
Either way, this device was cheap, easy to install, and uses friction to limit side-to-side sway. I'm honestly not sure if it makes a huge difference as the truck doesn't sway too much even without it. It's there for crazy wind gusts, unseen potholes, or evasive maneuvers where I could introduce some sway. It's something I want to have in-case I need it!

Finally, make sure you get a hitch that raises the ball height. I got 1 from Uhaul that first perfect with tailgate down. I believe it's the 3-1/2 inch, that adds 2-1/4 when inverted (I'll have to confirm). Mavericks beds/receivers are pretty low and you don't want the trailer leaning down on the receive. You want to keep the trailer flat which also means less weight on the rear wheels. I'll share some pics of it in a bit.

Optional-
I put in some "water wetter" from redline that's supposed to change the specific heat capacity of the coolant to absorb/transfer more heat (easily could be a gimmick).
I'm also planning on upgrading my intercooler. This is just all around a good idea as it keeps everything in the engine cooler. Meaning more HP, less work, less thermal expansion, ware, better oil life......... even when you're not towing!
I also want to get some temp sensors so I can see if anything is being overworked. This could prevent a catastrophic failure by taking a break if/when something is burning up.

NOTE: These upgrades don't change the ratings of the truck and do NOT make it ok to exceed manufacturer specs. They just make it much easier to tow and safer/easier to drive.


4th- Maintenance
- Change PTU & RDU fluids before hand (write up)
- Oil changes @5,000 miles

As many have pointed out, this is stressful for your truck. You're pushing it hard, even if you're staying in spec. The PTU & RDU are gonna take a heavy brunt of that and should have some fresh fluids. I actually recommend doing this for all mavs and did a write up about it here. I'll probably change mine every 20-30k miles as preventative maintenance.


Overall-
Yeah the truck can tow! I am very happy with how it worked out and will continue to pull around my r-pod. I'm sure it would do better with a bigger/higher/more powerful truck, but I am very happy with this setup and feel safe going down the road!

 

[SLJ]

That's helpful. From your experience with this combination, any suggestions you can share to enhance the towing experience.

The Mav doesn't have any problem pulling the 320. If you keep at least 10% of the trailer weight on the hitch you shouldn't have any trailer sway from normal highway driving and passing trucks so no sway bar needed. If you're traveling out West with heavy cross winds and you're getting sway, get off the road.
I Keep it at 65 or under and average 18-19 MPG. I get about a mile more per gallon with the canoes on top of the MAV. Must break up some of the air hitting the front of the trailer.

If you do wind up getting the T@B 320S I have several mods I've done to our 2021. Some are listed here:
T@B Camper Modifications

 

[ABTremor]

Not limited to but the performance will be significantly reduced. Whatever that exactly means.

In my case when towing a 5x8 enclosed UHAUL it meant I only got 14 MPG on the highway.... Granted I was driving at the speed limit of 70 mph and going up and down a lot of hills

 

[Bilbo_B]

I've towed my Catalina 22 sailboat ~3500 lbs with my 2.0L and 4K package. It includes a beefed up cooling system for engine and tranny. It also has a higher final drive ratio. It towed very nicely but most of my 35 mile drive is pretty flat and 55MPH. Gas mileage? fuggeda boud it.

 

[JimH]

We are thinking of getting a travel trailer potentially next year. The few we are looking at are 20 feet long, 8 feet wide, right around 3,000lbs empty with a tongue weight of 355lbs. I know my current hybrid can't tow that but what about the 2.0 with 4k tow package?

We tow a 3500 lb converted cargo camper with our 2023 XLT FX-4 (2.0 L) with 4K...
After the first summer, added 1000 lb capacity air bags to the rear coil springs...
Made a HUGE difference... mostly in the "floating" effect you often get, and a lot less sag under load.
In Tow Mode, you have no problems pulling the weight, but your fuel economy is significantly reduced.

 

[Joe Strummer]

The 4K towing package has a GCWR of 8085 pounds, whereas the non-4K package has a GCWR of 5935 to 6175 depending on options. Basically, a 2000 pound GCWR difference. The GCWR includes the vehicle, trailer, and all passengers and cargo.

Not quite. The truck, passengers, payload and tongue weight cannot exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). Any spare capacity in terms of GCVWR must be carried as payload in the trailer. Trailers also have their own GVWR.

 

[Tom 71 Maverick 24]

Not quite. The truck, passengers, payload and tongue weight cannot exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). Any spare capacity in terms of GCVWR must be carried as payload in the trailer. Trailers also have their own GVWR.

That is true, but what is also true is that the total weight of the entire package cannot (or should not) exceed the GCWR, Gross Combined Weight Rating. So if the GVWR of the Maverick is, say, 5100 pounds, and the trailer's is 4500 pounds, the total weight can still not exceed the GCWR, which in the case of the 2024 Maverick with 4K towing package, is 8085 according to Ford's towing guide.

Or maybe we're saying the same thing but divvying up the weight differently.

 

[RogueCheddar]

ScanGauge or ODBII scanner of some sort is basically a must-have while towing if you ask me. It was the first thing I added to my truck at 1 month of ownership. Then came the 7-pin and brake controller.

With up to 70 values to monitor, I know just what my truck can do. In the mountains. Towing. On a 100 degree day.

100% agree, monitoring temps is a must when towing. I use Torque app and an Atoto OBD bluetooth unit. my TT is around 2700lb and have pulled it alot of kms in many conditions, I've never seen the transmission temps go above 205f and coolant above 207f even on long high altitude climbs. Ford seem to have done a good job with the extra cooling on the 4k package.

 

[RicksMaverick]

Yes. That's what the 4K tow package does. 4K is 4,000 lbs.

A LOT may depend on the frontal area of the trailer and how much you load in the trailer and bed.

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