Just looking at the Ranger units available to me locally, and there are hundreds sitting on the lots, very few have the tow package.

That strikes me as kind of odd, seeing how Ford like to play the "capability" card every time it talks about its trucks. And all the Ranger ads that I have seen show the beds of the trucks loaded with all kinds of outdoor crap and/or hauling stuff.

Ford has a recommended trim and options list that it sends to its dealers. So if the dealer are not ordering particular trims or options in large quantities, it is probably because Ford is not recommending it.

No standard tow hitch on the Ranger, and limited to 3500 lbs. if no factory tow package.

And a trailer brake controller is not even a factory option.

Seems less capable and more whimpy to me. Or maybe Ford just realizes that people are just not going to tow very heavy with the Ranger.

 

I’d imagine this is something Ford would drop in with the redesign. Maybe.

In in any event, browsing the 5G Ranger forum, it’s not like Ford is keeping tow hitches and 4/7-pin harnesses in stock.

 

I found this strange myself. They've made the ranger larger than it was and have an available pkg that allows towing over 7000#, yet they aren't putting the trailer tow pkg on the majority of their trucks. This doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I had to search through their inventory to find one with the trailer tow pkg and had to also accept the 501A equipment group for an additional $1795.00 because all the trucks with the TT pkg also had the 501A.

 

Local dealer here has several with the tow package.

 

I never said that it did not exist, just that it was rare.

Ford recommends to its dealers what percentage of trims and options the the dealer should stock. It is even in the order guide. With so very few Rangers having the tow package, I can only assume that Fordx is not recommending to its dealers that they order their trucks with the tow package.

For a vehicle that Ford advertises as go anywhere, do anything vehicle, really strange that Ford does not recommend the tow package on almost everything.

I have found the same thing on the Explorer. Very few of the lower trims units (upper trims units come with the tow package standard) have the tow package.

 

Personally, for the cost, I think they should add the tow pkg to every truck.

 

The tow package only includes the hitch and the electrical connector. Both of these can be added easily by the dealer.

The $495 option has a dealer invoice of $465. So the dealer only makes $30 if factory ordered.

I am guessing that the dealer makes more money if the hitch/wiring is a dealer add. So the dealers order in the trucks without the tow package, and if anyone wants it, their service department will install.

I saw this happened back in the 60s with AC. The under dash units back them were added easily by the dealer, and they made more money having their service departments install the AC rather than factory ordering.

 

Just seen a fella on a different forum have the dealer add the tow package to his new ranger and it was not a simple deal and it did not look like the factory install. These days theres more to it than just bolting up the receiver and wiring a 4-way.
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threa...warranty.2307/

 

Never said that it was a good idea, just more profitable for the dealer.

 

Yeah, definitely not a good idea. The dealer may think they'll make more profit, but they have to consider that the customer may buy somewhere else so they get the factory set up, or they may go to an trailer store to have it installed. Either way, the dealerships loses. LOL

 

The factory only recommends dealers to order what their marketing surveys and other studies have shown what sells the best in a particular region. For instance, in my area of western PA most trucks on a given dealer lot DO have the towing package, and that includes Rangers. And almost everything here is crew cab 4x4 because that's what people in this part of the country want to buy. And if you're shopping for a F-150 or Super Duty, a majority of them are the luxury models. Even the Rangers are selling better in the Lariat trim than anything else. Although most dealers are starting to order the Ranger in the XL stripper model (with either 4wd or 2wd) for commercial buyers. Harry Homeowner and Sally Soccer-Mom all want the fancy luxury models just so they can try to outdo each other on who paid the highest price.

 

Isn't that what I said??????

 

The no optional brake controller is what bugged me the most. They just brag about the tow capacity yet any trailer rated over 3000lbs NEEDS a brake controller, and it is not even an option. Come on. the brake controller has ben a factory option since 05(you know 15 years ago) in the full size line

As for the optioned out trucks... We are a want it now kind of society, so we really don't want to wait on ordering a vehicle. AND the stripped down versions the dealers make very little money on while the highly equipped models they make the most. So they would just rather stock a higher end truck, sell you it today and make more money

 

An OEM trailer brake controller is now available. https://www.fairwayfordparts.net/oem...0aAkCEEALw_wcB

 

How sad is it the aftermarket had to come up with something because ford completely dropped the ball