SAE J-2807 Tow Standards

[lakesinai]

Towing is something many of us do or have done, and anyone who has towed on the open road or launched at a boat ramp knows that there are alot of variables and alot that can go wrong. There has been much discussion here about Bronco tow capacity, and lots of wisdom, but I haven't seen reference to the SAE engineering standards that the auto industry began adopting around 2015. Before this decade, tow ratings varied wildly and were not comparable, eg, Ford to Chevy to Toyota. The SAE J-2807 standards are now adopted by manufacturers as a reliable tow capacity measurement system. There are actual tests that inform the ratings.
Quoting from the attached article, there are 5 categories measured in SAE J-2807:

1. An engine’s power and torque characteristics.
2. The powertrain’s cooling capacity.
3. Chassis and powertrain durability.
4. Handling during cornering and braking manoeuvres.
5. The vehicle’s hitch structure

The Bronco has various capabilities in these five areas, but the limiting factor will be the place of the least strength. Ford would have tested the Bronco to these standards, and it is reasonable to expect they are accurate. Most fascinating would be for someone to discover why the Raptor has a higher capacity!

Here's an article, there are many:
https://explorerrvclub.com/blog/sae-tow-ratings-system/

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[SuperDave150]

Too bad the actual SAE document is behind a paywall.

Here is another article. A bit dated but well written and still relevant.
https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard/

Notice that there are a lot of in depth qualifying details contained within the standard. For example, it requires a hot-weather tow up an infamous grade and requiring ambient temperatures over 100F while also running the A/C on max. Also for braking, the parking brake must hold vehicle & trailer on a 12% grade.

 

[cbrenthus]

I had no issues accesing the first article, but the seocnd article is good as well.

Here is a great article on why the EU tow limits are higher for the same vehicle that I recommend everyone read as it explains towing dynamics and how they work with hitch weights:

https://web.archive.org/web/20200922183139/https://oppositelock.kinja.com/tow-me-down-1609112611

 

[SuperDave150]

I had no issues accesing the first article, but the seocnd article is good as well.

Here is a great article on why the EU tow limits are higher for the same vehicle that I recommend everyone read as it explains towing dynamics and how they work with hitch weights:

https://web.archive.org/web/20200922183139/https://oppositelock.kinja.com/tow-me-down-1609112611

@cbrenthus. You win the research award gold star of the day!
My brother and I have been mystified by this for decades. Seriously. And now we have the answer. THANK YOU!

 

[mcinfantry]

Generally people dont want to listen, learn or understand. I have written traffic accidents, written fatalities, reconstructed fatalities, testified in court, done depositions, met with NHSTA and DOT on some loop-holes, AND wrecked, rebuilt and resto-modded my own cars and Im now an insurance adjuster. None of that matters to anecdotal one off examples or cousins, brother, etc stories…

My first hand experience says anything can work ONCE, but is it safe?

 

[Arrmjr]

Just based on the 5 things you listed, the Bronco Raptor has more power, so I assume more cooling capacity? It also has not only the brace across the middle of the cab and the two in the back, but another one underneath which required a different exhaust. These all probably allow it to have the higher towing capacity.

 

[lakesinai]

Too bad the actual SAE document is behind a paywall.

Here is another article. A bit dated but well written and still relevant.
https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard/

Notice that there are a lot of in depth qualifying details contained within the standard. For example, it requires a hot-weather tow up an infamous grade and requiring ambient temperatures over 100F while also running the A/C on max. Also for braking, the parking brake must hold vehicle & trailer on a 12% grade.

Thanks for posting and responding. There have been many misrepresentations of the Bronco tow rating, and people dont seem to understans that since 2015, the ratings are based on testing data, and are fairly comparable across vehicles. I was going to post the Motortrend article, but went with something newer!

 

[Tmkimler]

I have access to the SAE docs. If anyone wants the latest J2807 shoot me a message

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