Trailer?

[brendank]

I'd like to buy a camper type trailer to put at the lake over the summer, and I'm wondering what the biggest my truck can handle is.

I was thinking something slightly under 20', and it will be late 70's early 80's. Maybe something like this:

I have no idea what something like this would weigh, that's why I'm asking.

Pulling with a stock 95 4x4 4.0L w/ proper hitch.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

something like that will probably be in the 3-4,000lbs range.

how comfortable are you on that 5 speed?

trailer brakes would be a very good idea, keep your extra gear to a minimum, and plan for a few slow climbs if you have to go over any mountain passes.

 

[07rangersport]

something like that will probably be in the 3-4,000lbs range.

how comfortable are you on that 5 speed?

trailer brakes would be a very good idea, keep your extra gear to a minimum, and plan for a few slow climbs if you have to go over any mountain passes.

Add an extra 1000-1500# for cargo and grey water, sewer etc.... to heavy for a ranger.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

actually, properly set up, ford rated that generation of ranger to tow up to 5800lbs with a GCWR of 9500lbs. as long as he takes it easy on the extra gear, he'll be fine.

 

[brendank]

something like that will probably be in the 3-4,000lbs range.

how comfortable are you on that 5 speed?

trailer brakes would be a very good idea, keep your extra gear to a minimum, and plan for a few slow climbs if you have to go over any mountain passes.

Well, I drove with 3.27's and 35's on a ranger for quite a long time. I can make that 5 speed do things that very few others can.

Trailer brakes are a given. I'm also not too worried about driving slower if necessary. I know I'm not going to keep highway speed with something like this.

 

[07rangersport]

actually, properly set up, ford rated that generation of ranger to tow up to 5800lbs with a GCWR of 9500lbs. as long as he takes it easy on the extra gear, he'll be fine.

Yes properly set up, and rated up to. That was an option which probably included heavier suspension and beefier brakes. That rating is also with an automatic transmission. The stock tow capacity was about 4800#. I;m not trying to attack your posts or anything, you know a hell of lot more about these trucks than me, I've just seen a lot of people get themselves in over their heads, If people want to tow anything big or heavy please, please, please, get the right tool for the job(not a ranger).

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

there was no upgraded suspension or brake option. what i meant by "properly set up" is 4.0, 4x4, auto trans. and 4.10 gears.

hes got the 4.0 and 4x4 part. gears only effect takeoffs, and ford downrated the manual so they wouldnt have to replace clutches under warranty. the M5OD can easily out-tow any of the crap auto transmissions ford put in the rangers IF the driver knows how to use a clutch (most dont)...hens my "how comfortable are you with that 5 speed" comment. sounds to me like the OP is patient, and knows how to work a clutch.

rangers are much more capable than people give them credit for...and i see no reason to live outside of ones means.

 

[brendank]

there was no upgraded suspension or brake option. what i meant by "properly set up" is 4.0, 4x4, auto trans. and 4.10 gears.

hes got the 4.0 and 4x4 part. gears only effect takeoffs, and ford downrated the manual so they wouldnt have to replace clutches under warranty. the M5OD can easily out-tow any of the crap auto transmissions ford put in the rangers IF the driver knows how to use a clutch (most dont)...hens my "how comfortable are you with that 5 speed" comment. sounds to me like the OP is patient, and knows how to work a clutch.

rangers are much more capable than people give them credit for...and i see no reason to live outside of ones means.

I've towed all kinds of other stuff, from and F-350 towing an F-350 to a 3ton towing a 25k lb tracked machine. I'm not worried about whether or not I can handle towing it. I'm worried about the truck.

I just wanted to get an idea of whether it was a gray area, or just a plain no way. I guess I'll just have to be careful.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

i towed 3,000lbs with my little 3.0, weaker 7.5" rear, bad 3.73 gears with 31" tires, and no trailer brakes.

sounds like your a pretty experienced driver, i think you'll be fine as long as you watch your GCWR.

 

[thegoat4]

Get trailer brakes and a WD hitch and you'll be comfortable.

 

[Will]

That thing is going to put a wild aerodynamic load on a Ranger. It's not the weight--the weight doesn't mean anything once it's going. That box is going to rock and roll you. You will need a pair of sway controls and an equalizing hitch. Your Ranger isn't going to block very much of the wind--that thing is going to be a large speed-brake. And semi's passing you--or going under an overpass, it will be tough to keep in your lane at times. I pulled my dad's toy hauler with my Ranger one time from Detroit to home--I don't know--300+ miles. It was empty, maybe 3,000#. When I was in town, it was no problem. When I started down the on-ramp--no problem. When I started getting up to about 50mph I started running out of power. I was also getting buffeted pretty good by trucks as I descrided. In fact, when a Semi would start to pass i was getting sucked into the side of it. I made it home fine but it was not something I would want to do as a habit. It was something I was glad to be done with.

I would pull a 3,500# pop-up or a molded fiberglass trailer like a Scamp, Burro, Bolero or Casita all over the place. Not one of those old barns.

 

[brendank]

I'm familiar with getting pulled around by the wind on the highway. It's not fun. The F-350 that I towed with another F-350 had a huge enclosed box instead of a bed. The floor was at the normal height of the bed, but the roof of the damn thing was high enough that you couldn't touch it when you were standing inside. It was easily 4 feet over the top of the cab, and was slightly wider than the truck.

I've been considering a tent trailer or something else that's a little smaller than I had originally planned. That is, if I even decide to go through with a purchase. I rolled the old man's '07 Arctic Cat 650 H1 LE down the valley hill last weekend, so that's gonna take a decent chunk out of the trailer budget to replace.

 

[Will]

It's worse with a Ranger. A Ranger is much narrower and less stable because of that, plus of course an F350 is sprung like a loading dock.

I just typed "Casita" into ebaymotors.com and got several interesting hits.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

here you go man...the solution to all your problems the scamp 5th wheel is 19 feet long (available with full bathroom AND kitchen amenities), and is only 2,000lbs empty weight!

im not really into the whole RV scene...but even i wouldnt mind getting my hands on one of those...it just looks so right behind that ranger.

SCAMP 5TH WHEEL

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That thing is going to put a wild aerodynamic load on a Ranger. It's not the weight--the weight doesn't mean anything once it's going. That box is going to rock and roll you. You will need a pair of sway controls and an equalizing hitch. Your Ranger isn't going to block very much of the wind--that thing is going to be a large speed-brake. And semi's passing you--or going under an overpass, it will be tough to keep in your lane at times. I pulled my dad's toy hauler with my Ranger one time from Detroit to home--I don't know--300+ miles. It was empty, maybe 3,000#. When I was in town, it was no problem. When I started down the on-ramp--no problem. When I started getting up to about 50mph I started running out of power. I was also getting buffeted pretty good by trucks as I descrided. In fact, when a Semi would start to pass i was getting sucked into the side of it. I made it home fine but it was not something I would want to do as a habit. It was something I was glad to be done with.

I would pull a 3,500# pop-up or a molded fiberglass trailer like a Scamp, Burro, Bolero or Casita all over the place. Not one of those old barns.

Would a trailer with some weight in it be more likely to stay behind the truck rather than get pushed around though? Just a thought, I have only pulled flatbeds so I don't really have any experiance with a enclosed trailer.