01 Ranger Towing Abilities

[rusty ol ranger]

Just to give a little more data to the mix, my 2002 F250 superduty has helper springs. I haven't had it weighed. But Google says curb weight is between 5870 and 6484 lbs. Being a crew cab and long bed, I'll bet on it being toward the high side of those numbers.

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Thats funny. Mines got 2 overload springs and less in the main pack but twice as thick.

Never understood the different springs under trucks rated the same

 

[SenorNoob]

my ranger was 2700.

My ranger really is a fat bastard then. Me in the cab and my standard toolbox on back, 2 different scales put me at 3996. That's with no spare, no "roll bars", and roughly half a tank of gas. Vaguely wonder if I'm rolling around over the limit unloaded.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I agree with everything but two of your points...

I dont think needing sway control means you need a bigger truck. Even a 1ton dually can get squirrly with a decent sized camper/enclosed. I do think any camper or other windsail type trailer should be gooseneck/5th wheel over a certain size though.

As far as brakes on little trailers....they can cause issues too. I pulled my buddys little tiny trailer with brakes,..even with my controller turned totally down i flatspotted his tires.

I think a HUGE problem is also people think even with a massive trailer in tow they can still run 75-80, corner normally, etc.

So, I did say “most of the time” because there obviously are going to be situations where it’s needed. I’m just saying it seems a lot of people buy stuff without actually getting to the bottom of the problem. I’ve seen people around here with 18’ equipment trailers (open deck) that have weight distribution and sway control. Just what are they loading on it on a regular basis that needs that? They either need a bigger truck or to load things correctly if that stuff is actually needed, most likely.

And yeah, there will be situations where a trailer is just too small/light to need brakes. I really like having trailer brakes though, even on some stuff that is small enough it’s not “required“ but would still be useful. I haven’t got to buy brakes yet, but the little trailer I built is wired for it and it would be nice to have.

 

[sgtsandman]

So, I did say “most of the time” because there obviously are going to be situations where it’s needed. I’m just saying it seems a lot of people buy stuff without actually getting to the bottom of the problem. I’ve seen people around here with 18’ equipment trailers (open deck) that have weight distribution and sway control. Just what are they loading on it on a regular basis that needs that? They either need a bigger truck or to load things correctly if that stuff is actually needed, most likely.

And yeah, there will be situations where a trailer is just too small/light to need brakes. I really like having trailer brakes though, even on some stuff that is small enough it’s not “required“ but would still be useful. I haven’t got to buy brakes yet, but the little trailer I built is wired for it and it would be nice to have.

I had wanted to get trailer brakes for the utility trailer. The only brakes the would fit the axle system I want to get are 8" hydraulic. That's all well and good but they don't make a surge brake actuator light enough for such a small trailer, at least not one commercially available on the retail market and electric over hydraulic is way to darn expensive and I would have to find room on the tongue to mount it.

I looked at 7" electric but they don't fit the axle.

Since PA doesn't require brakes for a trailer under 3,000#, I'm just going to do without.

The brakes would have been nice, especially off road. First world problems I guess.

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

The Redarc brake controller can be turned off and on by double tapping the knob. My old 10ft tilt trailer had a 7500lb axle with electric brakes. If it was empty even with the controller all the way down it would lock the tires. But that don't fix the electric over hydraulic brake problem for the trailer. Just wanted to give you that info if you was still thinking about a controller for the 19. The Ford kit comes with a hook up for the 3rd brake light to make sure the controller operates with the built in safety system.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I had wanted to get trailer brakes for the utility trailer. The only brakes the would fit the axle system I want to get are 8" hydraulic. That's all well and good but they don't make a surge brake actuator light enough for such a small trailer, at least not one commercially available on the retail market and electric over hydraulic is way to darn expensive and I would have to find room on the tongue to mount it.

I looked at 7" electric but they don't fit the axle.

Since PA doesn't require brakes for a trailer under 3,000#, I'm just going to do without.

The brakes would have been nice, especially off road. First world problems I guess.

I have a torch and a welder if you want to try to make something fit… lol

Electric over hydraulic is stupid expensive, but that’s what I’d like to do with my box truck trailer at some point

 

[sgtsandman]

I have a torch and a welder if you want to try to make something fit… lol

Electric over hydraulic is stupid expensive, but that’s what I’d like to do with my box truck trailer at some point

The problem is the bearings. The suspension I want to get uses 3,500# axle stubs on a 2,200# suspension. In order to get a 7" brake drum to work, it would probably require a lathe and probably some welding of the hub to build it up for the bigger bearings. And being that brake drums are usually cast iron, special heating and welding processes in order to get the welding to work.

The other option is to go with a bigger wheel so that 10" drums fit. That would require extensive reworking of the trailer side panels, fenders, spare tire mounts, and brush guards.

I don't want trailer brakes that badly.

 

[nickname23]

Not being a hater really the new trucks can be capable but it seems that people don't understand the physics which was also mentioned above.
It's why I quit working for U-Haul when I was younger.
Let's just say I was being bullied into installing hitches that really shouldn't be on certain vehicles because the transmission.. and the manager was trying to push em out the door because and I quoted was taking to long to get all the mounting bolts in. Which my heart couldn't take after watching a car leave missing a mounting bolt...

She didn't work there much longer after I quit

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Not being a hater really the new trucks can be capable but it seems that people don't understand the physics which was also mentioned above.
It's why I quit working for U-Haul when I was younger.
Let's just say I was being bullied into installing hitches that really shouldn't be on certain vehicles because the transmission.. and the manager was trying to push em out the door because and I quoted was taking to long to get all the mounting bolts in. Which my heart couldn't take after watching a car leave missing a mounting bolt...

She didn't work there much longer after I quit

What scares me is they rent those F650 26ft supermovers to people who dont have any business driving a friggin festiva much less something 1lb under CDL GVW

 

[nickname23]

What scares me is they rent those F650 26ft supermovers to people who dont have any business driving a friggin festiva much less something 1lb under CDL GVW

Kinda grew fond over the GM big boy trucks, had that and a full auto trailer with axle n brakes.
Engine started pissing fuel and I made it all the way back bout 3-4 hour drive because it was a rescue recovery of stolen equipment.
They tried to shake me I guess because of jealousy but I paid attention to cardinal directions of the highways and made it back before anyone went from a full tank and ran on fumes, fuel line was cut on purpose
When they brought those really nice 650s it was the best truck I ever been in before a Freightliner.
They were clean!!! Until they hand the keys over to the customer

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

I guess I’ll ask this here after reading this thread…
How do you guys weigh your trucks? Curb weight ratings for Rangers seem inconsistent and I’m curious what I weight empty with fuel and myself in the truck.

 

[pjtoledo]

scales at a local metal recycler for me.

moving companies, agriculture companies have scales too.
some truck stops.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

scales at a local metal recycler for me.

moving companies, agriculture companies have scales too.
some truck stops.

So you can just go to a truck stop and pay for the scale, and they'll let you use it?

I always thought they wouldn't like a pickup weighing there.

 

[pjtoledo]

signs at all of them, never actually weighed at a truck stop. a small fee would seem logical.

check a few web sites.

pickups can't be all that bad at a truck stop, lots of them are diesels too.

talking about being out of place in a truck stop, from 1978 thru about 2000 I drove a VW Rabbit then Jetta.
both were diesels and pulling up to the big boys pumps was sometimes a bit intimidating. and yes, those VWs could take the monster size nozzles.
my bill was always less than $10 while the big rigs gulped down hundreds of gallons.

 

[Curious Hound]

So you can just go to a truck stop and pay for the scale, and they'll let you use it?

I always thought they wouldn't like a pickup weighing there.

They'll weigh almost anything that you can drive onto the scales. I'm thinking about getting weighed on my way to The Anniversary Roundup. Just to see how much my truck weighs fully outfitted for an 8 day overlanding trip.

Years ago, I weighed my 88 F150 4x4 before and after retiring it from duty as my business truck as an electrical contractor. Found put my normal everyday load out was over 1,000lbs.