Tractorman
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2009
- Messages
- 148
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 0
- Location
- GB, Wisconsin
- Vehicle Year
- 2002
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 4.0
- Transmission
- Automatic
Just got back from vacation pulling my 1995 Shadow Cruiser 21 foot fifth wheel with my 2002 Ford Ranger. It's a 4.0 SOHC, auto, 4wd, and has 4.10 gears. Only things I've done to it is basic maintainence (All Amsoil for lube), plus a Powertrax No Slip and has 245/75/16 Goodyear Duratracs.
Truck did an awesome job. In the cold of WI we would only get 8 mpg or so, no matter if it was 65 or 70 mph we traveled. Once it warmed up, we would get 11 mpg at 65, very high 10's at 70. With the 4.10 gears it would put the truck just above the torque peak, holding speed very well on most hills. If it did lose speed, the transmission would hold its gear, and the cruise wouldn't kick off unless it lost more than 10 mph.
I'm glad I found a small fifth wheel for my Ranger, as I think a bumper pull of my campers weight would be a much harder pull. The Shadow Cruiser has nice areodynamic front really helped out a lot. Total weight of the rig with a full tank of gas and both passengers was 9540 pounds, which is 40 pound over. However, I had a lot of extra stuff, including a generator, and a tool box in the truck. So weight is close to max otherwise, but the truck is more than capable of pulling it.
We traveled over 4500 miles on the trip. The truck has over 150k miles on it. I only added half a quart of engine oil over the entire trip, which could just be from not making sure it was full when I changed the oil, as it didn't burn anymore the entire trip.
Overall, very impressed with how well the truck did. Many people spend years trying to find a good pulling setup, and I feel I got it right on the first one.
Truck did an awesome job. In the cold of WI we would only get 8 mpg or so, no matter if it was 65 or 70 mph we traveled. Once it warmed up, we would get 11 mpg at 65, very high 10's at 70. With the 4.10 gears it would put the truck just above the torque peak, holding speed very well on most hills. If it did lose speed, the transmission would hold its gear, and the cruise wouldn't kick off unless it lost more than 10 mph.
I'm glad I found a small fifth wheel for my Ranger, as I think a bumper pull of my campers weight would be a much harder pull. The Shadow Cruiser has nice areodynamic front really helped out a lot. Total weight of the rig with a full tank of gas and both passengers was 9540 pounds, which is 40 pound over. However, I had a lot of extra stuff, including a generator, and a tool box in the truck. So weight is close to max otherwise, but the truck is more than capable of pulling it.
We traveled over 4500 miles on the trip. The truck has over 150k miles on it. I only added half a quart of engine oil over the entire trip, which could just be from not making sure it was full when I changed the oil, as it didn't burn anymore the entire trip.
Overall, very impressed with how well the truck did. Many people spend years trying to find a good pulling setup, and I feel I got it right on the first one.