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Topic ClosedProud new owner of a rpod 193
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KerieG View Drop Down
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Joined: 15 Jul 2020
Location: Portland, OR
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Posts: 8 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Proud new owner of a rpod 193
    Posted: 16 Jul 2020 at 4:31pm
Thanks! I need to research the ft frontal area thing. We would absolute get the 7500 model ranger if we went that way. 

I'll have to look at the Frontier.  
Kerie
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jul 2020 at 4:41pm
The Rangers with Tow Package are the most in class for a mid-size, the 7500 exceeds my 2016 Colorado at 7,000. The Ecoboost is rated at 270 HP, 5 less than my 3.6 Colorado. I have towed numerous times with Colorado and no issues with that mid size with tow package. As a Chevy fan I can honestly say, Chevy hasn't come up with a marketing offset to the Ecoboost.
Mike Carter
2015 178
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KerieG View Drop Down
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Posts: 8 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jul 2020 at 5:12pm
Mike do you have a 193 or similar sized one that you tow with a Colorado? I'm trying to find where the 55ft limit came from. Is that per the vehicle manufacturer? 
Kerie
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Apr 2016
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jul 2020 at 6:00pm
I have a RP178. Around 5K. Not sure where 55ft is mentioned. Maybe you can refresh. I can tell you NO WAY will these mid size trucks tow a 55 trailer, that's a mobile home:)
Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
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Posts: 6288 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jul 2020 at 6:15pm
That is mentioned in Ford's towing guide for the Ranger. See this link:

Personally, I think the frontal area is a bit too restrictive. You should be fine. Just be aware that it will impact your mileage and you will be okay. I can't even find anything about frontal area limits for the Frontier in Nissan's towing guide.
StephenH
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ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Apr 2016
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jul 2020 at 6:34pm
Thanks, SH tracking now. Not in my Colorado manual either.
Mike Carter
2015 178
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ruthalaska View Drop Down
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Joined: 16 Jun 2020
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Posts: 5 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jul 2020 at 12:47am
Ooooh, I've been seriously considering a 193 as well!  Looks like such a great floorplan with 2 kids.  

Please post all your trip reports, impressions, and notes here so we can follow along!  I've never seen one in person so I'd love your thoughts on it.  I saw a question upthread about the comfort of the Murphy bed, and I'm also wondering whether you feel there's enough counter space to make the kitchen functional. 
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jul 2020 at 6:58am
I think perhaps the confusion on frontal area is how you measure it. In aerodynamics that is the projected area of the vehicle in the airstream. So you don't take the full height x the  full width of the trailer, that will overstate it because of the ground clearance and the height of the stuff sticking up on the roof. The 183 probably is slightly over 55 ft2. A traditional rpod is about 45 ft2. 

If you really want to know your frontal area more accurately, here's the old school way. Cut out a 1 foot square piece of cardboard and tape it to the front of the trailer. Stand way back and take a photo. Then, blow up the trailer section of the photo and print out the photo and little squares the size of the cardboard square. Cover the whole trailer with little squares (and parts of squares) and count them.

Frontal area only effects air drag so is only going to be an issue if you are a speed demon on the freeway. Drive slow and it will never cause a problem.

For the same reason I think engine horsepower is overstated as a towing concern too. The 2 1/2 ton 6x6 truck won us WW2 towing unbelievable loads and it only had a little over 100 hp. But it was constructed to handle heavy loads, had very low gearing, great traction, a reliable engine and a good cooling system.  It just went slow is all. 

So if the Ranger can handle the trailer load and tongue weight, the weight of the stuff and passengers in the truck itself (MCGVR greater than actual loaded rig weight) you should be fine. Just don't speed. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Nov 2015
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Posts: 6288 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jul 2020 at 8:33am
Thanks for the explanation on how to calculate the frontal area. I've not seen that before. I'm sure there is some computer program somewhere that essentially does the same thing.

Edit: I did a quick search and found this:

This one is simpler if one can find transparent graph paper:
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jul 2020 at 10:03am
Any graphics software with an area function would work. Just put a 1ft square piece of cardboard in the photo for scale. But it’s important to get far back when taking the picture so it’s not distorted by being too close.

The frontal area by itself is really not very useful. Drag is Cd x A where Cd is the drag coefficient and A is frontal area. So knowing A without Cd (and vice versa) is not really very pertinent. It would be more useful to know what Ford or the other manufacturers who specify a front area assume the Cd of the rig is.
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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