towing


m8r8j

m8r8j

15+ Year Member

Joined
Mar 17, 2009
Messages
157
Points
3,101
Age
37
Vehicle Year
2003
Transmission
Manual
what can a 03 ranger 2.3 2wd m5od w/ 3.73s tow?

its got a 2" ball on the bumper, but i dont think it can pull a stick out of a dogs ass...
 
I pulled my wifes 2000 Daewoo on a tow dolly with mine, and I've got the same setup you do, but a bit older with 175k miles on it. I've also pulled a 2000 Pontiac Montana without much problem. I've also got a Centerforce clutch that has taken the abuse quite well so far. One thing I would change if I were you would be the bumper ball. Get a hitch. The only thing I've pulled with my bumper ball was a small trailer with a riding mower on it. I've got a hitch on it now and wouldn't take it off for anything.
 
Agreed. Your truck will easily tow anything the bumper hitch is rated for, so that's your limit at this point. Switch to a real hitch and you're probably looking at around 4,000 lbs.
 
My '00 2.5 Ranger flat towed my BII home and didn't have a problem at all...
 
right know 200 ball wieght/2000lbs max wieght:icon_twisted:
 
I picked up a hidden hitch at a autoparts store for about 150 bucks. easy bolt on and looks nice. i have used it many times from pulling trailers, cars, trucks, conveyors. i recommend some air shocks for a load, i picked some up at the same store for 60 bucks and they impressed me and the employees at the scrapyard when i started rolling in there with 1400# loads of steel in the bed. its not recommended but hell it was good money. only difference i had is the 2.5 engine.
 
fastpakr said:
Agreed. Your truck will easily tow anything the bumper hitch is rated for, so that's your limit at this point. Switch to a real hitch and you're probably looking at around 4,000 lbs.
Click to expand...

For a 4cyl 5 spd? Tow capacity is more like 1500-2000 pounds.
 
why not, I towed my Suburban 2 miles to the gas station with a Saturn.
 
My Colorado with a 4banger, 5sp, and 3.73's is only 2500lbs....and i know it makes more power then a 2.3L.

later,
Dustin
 
BDAB said:
why not, I towed my Suburban 2 miles to the gas station with a Saturn.
Click to expand...

What you can do, and what you should do are not always the same thing...
 
07rangersport said:
For a 4cyl 5 spd? Tow capacity is more like 1500-2000 pounds.
Click to expand...

And for towing purposes it's basically identical to a 4.0 automatic truck with a much greater towing capacity. Be cautious with the clutch and it will pull the load just fine and with the same safety you'd have with any other Ranger that is listed with a higher tow rating.
 
That and be generous with stopping distance. When I tow another vehicle on the dolly with my truck, I give myself roughly twice the stopping distance to make sure I stop safely. You will notice you have a load on the truck much more with stopping then you will with taking off. I'm not saying that the truck will haul balls with something on it, just saying that the load makes itself known much more when trying to stop because it doesn't have its own brakes on to help.
 
Absolutely. It applies to any towing situation with any vehicle, but it's important to keep in mind.
 
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