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My flat tow set up

D.J. Swanson

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In an RV park at Coachella last week, I had an interesting conversation with a Canadian who is wintering in the USA and has a 2025 Ranger Raptor. He didn't see me come in, and came over later to ask how I tow my RR. (He has a Class A motorhome with a tow dolly.) When I told him I flat tow my RR, he said, "No, you can't." He tows his 2025 RR on the tow dolly with the drive shaft disconnected.
Long story short- his RR was built in October 2024 and has no controls in the panel for flat tow. It only has the 30-minute neutral tow. His owner manual has no narrative about flat towing. My RR was built in June 2025. I have lots of info in the owner manual about flat tow (pp. 184-186). I, of course, have the electronic controls for flat tow. Although I was at first nervous about flat towing because of the complexity of the set-up, I've now done it enough that I am very comfortable with it.
So.... it would seem that, at some point in the 2025 build, the RR electronics did not have the ability to flat tow but by the time my truck was built, flat tow was "built in."
Would that be an appropriate assumption?
So... if I were someone seeking to get a used '25 RR to flat tow, it might be wise to take extreme caution to make sure that the electronics for it are "built in" and the owner manual has the instructions. Right?
I sought out the '25 RR because I knew at the start I was going to flat tow, and none of the other Ranger equipment packages would allow that. During the purchase, my dealer assured me repeatedly that I could flat tow. I asked for it in writing, but never got that written confirmation. If I had been like my Canadian friend and discovered (after purchase) that flat tow was not possible because my truck was an early build... I don't know what I'd have done. But I'd be upset.
(There's no way I'd mess with a tow dolly and disconnecting the drive shaft every time. No way.)



Ford Ranger My flat tow set up 2025 RR
 
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ckraptor

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In an RV park at Coachella last week, I had an interesting conversation with a Canadian who is wintering in the USA and has a 2025 Ranger Raptor. He didn't see me come in, and came over later to ask how I tow my RR. (He has a Class A motorhome with a tow dolly.) When I told him I flat tow my RR, he said, "No, you can't." He tows his 2025 RR on the tow dolly with the drive shaft disconnected.
Long story short- his RR was built in October 2024 and has no controls in the panel for flat tow. It only has the 30-minute neutral tow. His owner manual has no narrative about flat towing. My RR was built in June 2025. I have lots of info in the owner manual about flat tow (pp. 184-186). I, of course, have the electronic controls for flat tow. Although I was at first nervous about flat towing because of the complexity of the set-up, I've now done it enough that I am very comfortable with it.
So.... it would seem that, at some point in the 2025 build, the RR electronics did not have the ability to flat tow but by the time my truck was built, flat tow was "built in."
Would that be an appropriate assumption?
So... if I were someone seeking to get a used '25 RR to flat tow, it might be wise to take extreme caution to make sure that the electronics for it are "built in" and the owner manual has the instructions. Right?
I sought out the '25 RR because I knew at the start I was going to flat tow, and none of the other Ranger equipment packages would allow that. During the purchase, my dealer assured me repeatedly that I could flat tow. I asked for it in writing, but never got that written confirmation. If I had been like my Canadian friend and discovered (after purchase) that flat tow was not possible because my truck was an early build... I don't know what I'd have done. But I'd be upset.
(There's no way I'd mess with a tow dolly and disconnecting the drive shaft every time. No way.)



2025 RR.webp
yep I too bought mine knowing that it could be flat towed..what a pain to disconnect and connect the driveshaft every time you want to drive your truck...how did you do the lights?..I ran a flat four to the rear and am running magnetic towing lights so not to interfere with any of the electronics on RR
 

stemplar

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It's somewhat well-known that the 2024 model year rangers are NOT flat towable, while every other year is.

Apparently Ford had intended the 2024 to be flat towable as well but a component (brake controller or something) didn't work with flat towing and it was too late to change the 2024's. Every year besides 2024 is flat towable.
 

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dajo

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yep I too bought mine knowing that it could be flat towed..what a pain to disconnect and connect the driveshaft every time you want to drive your truck...how did you do the lights?..I ran a flat four to the rear and am running magnetic towing lights so not to interfere with any of the electronics on RR
I also ran completely separate wiring to the rear using magnetic lights. Didn't want to deal with all the splicing diodes into the hair like wires.
 

Divemaster

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2023 Nexus Verrado/ 2025 Ranger Raptor - Air ride is dumped thus the low riding motorhome lol
IMG_0002.webp
IMG_0003.webp
I also ran completely separate wiring to the rear using magnetic lights. Didn't want to deal with all the splicing diodes into the hair like wires.
Same here ran a jacketed 4 wire through the frame to the under the rear bumper. I put my mag lights on the pillar at the back of the truck bed with the gate down , have a tandem bike back there and need it down anyway. Where do you mount your lights ?
 
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ckraptor

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Same here ran a jacketed 4 wire through the frame to the under the rear bumper. I put my mag lights on the pillar at the back of the truck bed with the gate down , have a tandem bike back there and need it down anyway. Where do you mount your lights ?
I dont have a picture handy but I put 1 inch Round plates on top of the bumper on each end/...cant really tell they are there and the lights stick to them well...I did not want to attach to the body as It will scratch
 

dajo

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Same here ran a jacketed 4 wire through the frame to the under the rear bumper. I put my mag lights on the pillar at the back of the truck bed with the gate down , have a tandem bike back there and need it down anyway. Where do you mount your lights ?
I either attach to bike rack with steel pads or use an adapter that attaches into the receiver.
 

songkajai

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This is well covered in other post. And yes you can use the taillights without a single wire damaged: plug and play!
Here are the taillights, the next is the brake tight with the top C active.

Ford Ranger My flat tow set up IMG_0528


Ford Ranger My flat tow set up IMG_0529 (1)


Ford Ranger My flat tow set up IMG_0657


Ford Ranger My flat tow set up IMG_0194 (1)
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