What did you do to your Ranger today? (Part Deux!)

[rusty ol ranger]

Well, if you don't tow that load in O/D, you're going back on your premise that torque is more important than HP.

But, seriously, I would think a good running 2.9, 5 speed should handle that load fine in O/D at +55 mph, depending on the rear gear. I don't think it's hurting the trans at that speed.

I didnt think it would. Its just nice to have a few people back up your thinking ya know?

I got a 3.45 rear in it. Like i said it felt nice and strong at 55-60 even up a few small hills. But i dont wanna burn up a trans if i dont have too lol.

 

[G8orFord]

Oddly enough, I've got a 14' trailer similar to yours that is a bear to tow with the back gate on. Sticks up about 5'. I can tell it's back there on my 6.7 because it catches so much wind. On the Ranger, 4.0 SOHC, auto, 4.10 gears, it will pull down to fourth while going up a hill with an empty trailer. It's ridiculous how bad that trailer pulls with the gate on. Take it off and you never know it's there.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Oddly enough, I've got a 14' trailer similar to yours that is a bear to tow with the back gate on. Sticks up about 5'. I can tell it's back there on my 6.7 because it catches so much wind. On the Ranger, 4.0 SOHC, auto, 4.10 gears, it will pull down to fourth while going up a hill with an empty trailer. It's ridiculous how bad that trailer pulls with the gate on. Take it off and you never know it's there.

This ones never had a gate since ive owned it. Its got a place for one, i need to redo it soon i was thinkin bout puttin one on it maybe i wont lol.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, stuff sticking up in the back of a trailer is like a parachute... I have a 18' deck over trailer with heavy duty ramps 6' long that stand straight up, empty the trailer has as much load or more to tow as with a car on it... If I don't need the ramps I take them off which isn't the most fun since they weigh over 100lb each...

This ZF5 has over 350k on the clock, maybe I shouldn't talk or think about it too much... at least I'm not putting serious horsepower to the thing... I think that engine was rated at 420ftlb at 1700rpm and 225hp at 3200rpm or something...

When I towed my new toolbox home with the '97 Ranger I had the bottom box across the front of the trailer (not the one above, this one is my quad trailer, not deck over and I think 6'x12' no sides), top box behind it lengthwise, it was about all the little 2.3L would do in 4th to do 55mph...

 

[ericbphoto]

Bad aerodynamics kills me towing my ranger behind the Fun50. I notice a real difference between interstate speeds and backroad speeds. Avg 9mpg on long interstate trips. 4.6l auto

 

[scotts90ranger]

Here's a couple pictures for good measure... One's a pic of my typical Ranger wheeling camping setup with the previously mentioned deckover trailer, one's the F350 with a pallet of 80lb concrete bags (and however many it takes to get 50 bags sitting loose behind the pallet) with the airbags pumped up to 50psi, and the last is the toolbox on the trailer I towed behind the Ranger, I took the cardboard boxes off for this picture...

 

[scotts90ranger]

That's where I like my powerstroke, sure it's gutless towing, but the pictured setup yields 9-12mpg depending on if I'm going over mountain passes... and that getup is around 18k pounds!

 

[ericbphoto]

Here's a couple pictures for good measure... One's a pic of my typical Ranger wheeling camping setup with the previously mentioned deckover trailer, one's the F350 with a pallet of 80lb concrete bags (and however many it takes to get 50 bags sitting loose behind the pallet) with the airbags pumped up to 50psi, and the last is the toolbox on the trailer I towed behind the Ranger, I took the cardboard boxes off for this picture...

You use a lot of pallets when you go camping/off-roading?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Wind resistance sucks.

I towed a mini excavator on a gooseneck with my 97 460 (right around 11k IIRC) and it pulled roughly the same as my 7000lb travel trailer at 60mph.

I felt it somewhat more then the camper when coming off the line though. Still averaged around 8mpg which is what i get with the camper.

 

[scotts90ranger]

You use a lot of pallets when you go camping/off-roading?

They make for a GREAT white man fire... Lots of surface area... free from work, they have literally been throwing them in the dumpster lately since the local mulch place stopped taking them.

 

[Otis413]

'04 Ranger Edge.

 

[RussGuss]

Painted the new door handles to match truck color, Cayman Blue metal-flake.

 

[Otis413]

Painted the new door handles to match truck color, Cayman Blue metal-flake.

I'm thinking about getting some door handles and associated hardware from an older F150 (the kind that has the button you push with your thumb) and fitting them into the extra set of Gen 3 doors I have, just for a retro thing, I never liked the newer style Ford door handles. If it turns out nice I'll put them on the 03 I'm rebuilding...

 

[sgtsandman]

Wind resistance sucks.

I towed a mini excavator on a gooseneck with my 97 460 (right around 11k IIRC) and it pulled roughly the same as my 7000lb travel trailer at 60mph.

I felt it somewhat more then the camper when coming off the line though. Still averaged around 8mpg which is what i get with the camper.

It doesn't take much for it to be noticeable. There is a big difference in how my 4X8 utility tows with the cover tarp and without. I can feel the tailgate acting like a speed brake with the cover off in an empty trailer.

As far as the O/D switch. If the truck seems to tow ok with it on, it's probably fine. I play it safe and stay out of over drive as soon as the trailer is hooked up or I have a heavy load that requires me to air up the rear tires to prevent tire squirm.

 

[masanders]

I installed new OEM style headlights in my ‘00. older ones were 20 years old. Now I just have to aim them.