Towing with a 4.0 SOHC manual?

[motoxchamp]

I am going to be purchasing a 2001 or newer Ranger with 4.0 manual. I race mx and will be using it to tow quite a bit. I have a flat bed trailer right now but am looking to buy an enclosed 7x14 that weighs close to 2,000lbs. Fully loaded with my 2 quads, race bike, mini bike, and necessities I will be towing aroung 3,500lbs. The problem is that according to ford the 4.0 sohc manual con only tow about 3,300lbs. Is there anything I can do to increase the amount of weight my truck can tow? The automatic can tow over 5,000lbs with the same engine so I'd imagine the problem lies in the tranny or clutch. If it is the cluch can I put HD springs or different fibers to make it last longer? How much would new springs and fibers cost installed? If I do tow 3,500lbs sometimes mabye 4,000lbs for long distances what will happen? If it makes a difference most of the time I will be on the highway.

 

[Bob Ayers]

Don't throw your money away on mods!!! Buy a vehicle that's already designed and built with a towing capacity to tow what you are planning on
towing!!

 

[Jspafford]

The 4.0L will comfortably tow the 3,500#. Ford rates the manuals lower because they don't want to be responsible for replacing the clutches when incompitent drivers burn them out towing.

As long as you know how to drive it and get the clutch released quickly you should be fine.

 

[JohnnyO]

Another member on the old site, haven't seen him here yet, s/n gw33p, tows a trailer with a Mustang race car all over creation with a 4.0 SOHC/stick and doesn't have any trouble. If it's me I'd still get an automatic. You can drive it right but first gear in a Ranger manual tranny ain't all that low.

 

[gw33gp]

My race car is an Austin Healey but otherwise JohnnyO is correct. I tow a combined weight of around 3,500 lbs plus another 800 lbs on the bed. I prefer a manual transmission because I feel they are they are more reliable and give better control.

The 4.0L engine has fairly good torque at low rpm. I just don't rev the engine up very much when I engage the clutch from stop and get the clutch engaged as quick as possible without stalling the engine. This is pretty easy to do as long as you are not starting on an incline. At over 75,000 miles so far, the clutch is good as new.

I use to tow with an 89 Ranger with the 2.9L engine. It was much harder on the clutch because I had to rev the engine from a stop to get it going when towing. I could still get 100,000 miles out of the clutch before needing to change it. I expect my 4.0L Ranger to get much better mileage out of the clutch.

 

[Jspafford]

Anything worth mentioning repair wise due to the towing? Sounds like the truck handles it like a champ?

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

Well regardless of what ford says, it's been pretty well proven that the M5OD will outlast any of the ranger autos regardless of how it's used. So what if you have to do a clutch every 100,000 miles? Thats much cheaper than replacing an entire automatic transmission

 

[gw33gp]

The only repair I have done to my 02 Ranger due to towing was replace one of the air springs on the rear axle. During a long tow from Denver to So. Cal. one of the bolts securing the air spring came loose and the bladder slipped over too close to the tire. The tire wore a hole through the bladder and it lost pressure. I just removed the other air spring and continued the journey with the rear lower than I like it to be.

The original Ranger components have performed without fail due to towing.

I did wear out a rear bearing on my 89 Ranger at around 120,000 miles. I also replaced the axles when I replaced the bearings because there was a fairly deep groove worn in the axle from the bearing riding on it.

 

[Pavoner]

Air Helper Springs For 97 Ranger 4X4

Any idea where I can get some air springs for my 97 Ranger 4X4, extended cab? The only ones I've seen, supposedly are not for extended cab rangers... or ones with composite springs (what is this?). I really want the flexibility of air bags as opposed to metal "add a leaf" springs. Also they mention 6 foot box rangers, I think mine is 5.5 ft (very approx) is this what they mean?

Sorry for all the stupid questions

thanx for your time,

Chris

 

[gw33gp]

I bought mine at 4 wheel parts. They are made by a company called Air Lift. The design has changed a little since I bought mine but they should work just the same. I had to modify my mounting brackets when I moved them from my 89 to my 2002 Ranger.

 

[Jspafford]

Composite springs were used on the explorers.. They were a single...yes single rear leaf that was made out of composite.

Any RV dealer should be able to hook you up with a set.

 

[Will]

Some manufactured home delivery frame axles have a single leaf. A single leaf works fine in an application where you know the exact load it will always carry.

 

[Jspafford]

Some manufactured home delivery frame axles have a single leaf. A single leaf works fine in an application where you know the exact load it will always carry.

I don't know about you, but sometimes when 500# aunt Sally plops her lard into the back of an explorer, the load will be different than that of her 100# daughter.

Hence why they only did it a couple years.

 

[Will]

I don't have a 500# aunt. Now you know about me.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I don't know about you, but sometimes when 500# aunt Sally plops her lard into the back of an explorer, the load will be different than that of her 100# daughter.

Hence why they only did it a couple years.

And only in the 2dr Explorer Sports, which were sort of self limiting in what you can fit in the back seat anyway, and with the short wheelbase they are a less than ideal tow rig to start with.

I can see what they were thinking, the load wouldn't vary as much so they could get more specific with the spring settings.