Flat towing a vehicle behind your RV is a convenient way to get both where you're going without needing another driver or a trailer. However, you can't flat tow all vehicles. Is it possible to flat tow a Ford Edge? We've consulted years of Ford user and towing guides, and here's what we found.
While you cannot flat tow every 2022 Ford Edge, you can flat tow the Ford Edge ST. To do so, you will need to make sure your Edge ST is properly equipped and set up for flat towing. All Edge builds before 2018 are also approved for flat towing.
Let's look more at which Edge builds and years are approved for flat towing as well as other Ford models. We'll also cover the necessary hardware and set up for flat towing your vehicle safely.
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Can You Flat Tow All Model Years and Configurations of the Ford Edge?
The Ford Edge ST can be flat towed. However, as we've seen, not all Edge builds are approved for flat towing. If your Edge came out in the model year 2017 or earlier, you can flat tow it. For model years 2019-2022, the Edge ST is approved for flat towing, but not the standard Edge. For the 2018 Edge, it depends on the engine.
The 2017 Edge had options for a 3.5L or 2.7L EcoBoost engine. In 2018, Ford also made the 2.0L EcoBoost engine available for the Edge. While it never hurts to have more options, a 2018 Edge with the 2.0L EcoBoost engine is not approved for flat towing. A 2018 Edge with either 3.5L/2.7L EcoBoost engines can be flat towed.
In 2019, Ford introduced the Edge ST. In truth, the Edge ST is in many ways more similar to previous Edge models than the standard Edge. This includes that only the Edge ST has been approved for flat towing since 2019.
If your vehicle can't be flat towed, there are still options for towing it behind an RV.
What Ford Vehicles Can be Flat Towed?
The Edge ST is not the only Ford that can be flat towed. For the 2022 model year, Ford has approved a host of vehicles for flat towing, including the Escape and Maverick hybrids, the Expedition MAX 4x4, the Bronco, the Ranger 4x4, the F-150 4x4, and the F-250/350/450/550/500 Superduty 4x4s.
You can find information on 2022 model year vehicles approved for flat towing on page 15 of Ford's RV and Trailer Towing Guide. Ford uses another name for flat towing in their guide, "four-wheels-down towing." If you are looking at other model years, Ford has towing guides going back to 2004 that can be found on their RV and Trailer Towing page.
Pickup trucks are popular flat tow vehicles. To learn more about which pickups you can flat tow, Ford or otherwise, check out our article, "What Pickup Trucks Can Be Flat Towed?"
What is the Best Way to Flat Tow a Ford Edge?
Just because you can flat tow your Edge ST doesn't mean it's ready to hit the road. There are guidelines you should follow in order to flat tow your Ford Edge safely and effectively.
How Much Does the Ford Edge weigh?
The first thing to consider is weight. You will need a motorhome with a sufficient towing capacity, and you'll also need to make sure all the hardware you use is properly weight rated.
So, how much does the Edge weigh? The Edge ST has a cub weight of 4,515 lbs. If you have any cargo in your Edge, you will also need to add that to the weight of your vehicle. Pulling weight over your towing capacity can damage your vehicle, make it harder to handle on the road, and increase your liability in the case of an accident.
Once you have the appropriate hardware, you'll need to get it ready and follow best practices for flat towing.
Hardware for Flat Towing
You will need the proper hardware on both your motorhome and your Edge to successfully flat tow it. Here is a rundown of some of the basic hardware for flat towing an Edge or any other vehicle.
Base Plate
To flat tow your Edge, you will need a base plate for a tow bar at the front of the vehicle. This base plate will have connectors for the arms of the tow bar, places to attach safety chains, and a method of connecting the electric system for signaling and braking.
The process of installing a base plate is best left to the professionals. To see what the process looks like, you can see an example in the video below:
Tow Bar and Safety Cables
Between the base plate on your vehicle and the hitch on your motorhome, you'll find the tow bar. This consists of two arms that connect at a pivot. Choose your tow bar and base plate together, as they can come in a range of styles that are not always compatible.
Safety cables also attach the tow hitch to the base plate. They are there as a failsafe in case the towbar does disconnect.
The video below is a good illustration of how to safely connect one type of tow bar:
Flat Tow Wiring
When you are flat towing a vehicle, you will still need to connect to the vehicle's electrical system in order to signal and brake. If you have bought your tow bar and had your base plate installed professionally, this will often be taken care of at the same time. Be sure to check, as towing a vehicle without brake lights and turn signals is dangerous and illegal.
Braking System
An auxiliary braking system will make sure you don't overload your RV's brakes. We highly recommend a braking system like this for flat towing. Not only will they help you brake more smoothly in everyday usage, but they can also help you avert disaster.
Electric braking systems with proportional braking, like the one below, allow you to control how much pressure you apply to the brakes.
Click here to see this auxiliary braking system from Blue Ox on Amazon.
Best Practices for Flat Towing the Ford Edge ST
Now that we've seen the necessary hardware for flat towing, let's look at the process itself.
1. Run the Engine
The first thing you'll want to do is turn on the engine and let it run for five minutes. This assures that the engine lubricates all mechanical components before you hit the road. Skipping this step can put unwanted wear on your vehicle.
2. Connect the tow bar and safety chains
Because tow bars come in different styles, you will need to follow the instructions of your specific tow bar to make sure you connect it securely. You can also chock your wheels at this time to make sure your vehicle doesn't roll when you disconnect the transmission and parking brake.
3. Disconnect the transmission and power
In a manual transmission vehicle, this is as easy as setting it to neutral. For the Ford Edge ST, there is a cable under the steering wheel that allows you to disconnect the transmission.
You can see how to disconnect the transmission and power for the Edge ST in the video below:
4. Connect the electrical system
After you disconnect the Edge's battery, you'll use the dinghy wiring to control the lights and auxiliary braking system.
5. Set up the auxiliary braking system
This will also vary by the system you use, so be sure to refer to your manual.
If you use the Blue Ox braking system described in the previous section, you can see how to use it in the video below:
6. Check that everything is in order
Check your turn signals and brake lights. This is easiest to do with a partner, but you can also do it solo with some patience when necessary. You should also double-check all the connections on the tow bar and make sure the parking brake is off in your Edge.
Other notes
You don't want to drive too fast while flat towing your vehicle. Ford has approved the Edge ST for flat towing at speeds up to 65 mph.
They also advise that you run the engine for 5 minutes after every six hours of flat towing to maintain mechanical lubrication. This will mean reconnecting your transmission and battery and disconnecting them again afterward. This might feel like a pain, but it will assure the longevity of your Edge ST.
Hitting the Road
Flat towing might not be as simple as it looks, but it doesn't have to be complex either. While fewer and fewer vehicles are flat tow capable every year, we've seen that Ford is still making plenty of flat-tow ready vehicles.
Following our advice on getting the right vehicle and set up for flat towing, you'll be ready to head out on your own adventures while keeping your RV, your vehicle, and yourself safe.
Thanks!!! I just bought an Edge and had the towing package installed. I went into the vehicle electronic manual and found the section on towing totally inadequate.
I now feel comfortable with the process of getting ready to tow.
this was an excellent video. We just bought a Nautilus and the instructions are the same.
I don’t understand (it has not been explained anywhere) why the Ford Edge ST’s battery needs to be disconnected in order to be flat towed. Can someone please explain this, other than just saying that the battery will go dead? Suppose I had a 10 amp charger running off the center conductor of the tow connector? How many amps are going to be drawn from the battery while towing? If you don’t know, please do not respond.