1 ton rated, but ranger size?

[Chapap]

I figure I’d start my very first thread with an odd ball question I’ve always wondered about. Why are there no ranger sized pickups with a high haul rating like an F series pickup? Would there just be no market for it? Is such a short and narrow chassis not suitable for high loads?

 

[RonD]

It's usually the Axle limit, Ranger 7.5" or 8.8" are rated as 2,750lbs
If rear of frame and bed is 1,250lbs then that leaves, 1,500lbs load when axle BREAKS, so they are rated as 1/2ton, 1,000lbs

You can get springs with higher ratings but you still need to stay away from axle limit

Ford 9" are rated at 3,500lbs I think

10.5" are rated at 5,500-6,000lbs I think

 

[Dirtman]

Even with a heavy duty axle in a ranger you still have an extremely short light vehicle. Wheelbase means alot when it comes to load and handling, rangers simply are not big enough to handle a large amount of weight and still handle properly.

 

[rubydist]

50 years ago, the F-100 had a capacity of 1000 lbs. The hauling and towing capacity of a current F-150 is pretty amazing given the size and weight of that vehicle. As Dirtman said, the Ranger just isn't long enough or heavy enough to have that kind of capacity.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

70 series land cruisers hit way above their footprint for payload/towing.

 

[19Walt93]

The early 70's Couriers rode like 1 tons, 6 ply nylon tires and a tall stack of skinny spring leaves. When I bought my first house in 76 I borrowed our Courier shop truck to bring some plywood home. With $200 worth of plywood at 1976 prices in the bed it rode pretty smooth but cornering was scary.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

I think it could be done just might take some engineering. Im thinking it would have to be a diesel swap, with f250 drive train and axles, custom tube chassis, give it a ten foot flat bed, i think that would do it. I bet if a person did the work themselves, got deals on repurposed scrap steel, did ther own weldn, it could still be quite a bit cheeper than a new truck.

 

[Snoranger]

I think it could be done just might take some engineering. Im thinking it would have to be a diesel swap, with f250 drive train and axles, custom tube chassis, give it a ten foot flat bed, i think that would do it. I bet if a person did the work themselves, got deals on repurposed scrap steel, did ther own weldn, it could still be quite a bit cheeper than a new truck.

10’ flatbed?!?! That’s not Ranger size.

Actually, that sounds like you’re just piecing together an f250.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

Lol yep gotta get a vehical designed for the use its needed for, the longer heavier structure is needed to safely handle large loads, not saying ive never pushed the boundaries however, i wont say it was safe. For instance the 91 explorer i just parted out was much heavier than my ranger, with a similar tow rating, but requied that the frame be made from doubled c channel, or boxed frame with 7 cross members. My ranger on the other hand doesn't even come close to that kind of strength.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

My F150 handles much better with a little weight in the back. I got a thick plywood sheet as a bedliner/ dampener.

 

[don4331]

70s/80s Toyotas/Nissan mini trucks were available with dually rear axles (GAWR of 4,400lbs) and 1 tonne ratings. I believe the U-haul put a 10' cargo box on them, not sure if frame rails were extended by Toyota or the company doing the conversion for U-haul.

S-10s of the early 80s could be optioned with short ton payloads.

Flex in an SUV is different than in a pickup:

a. rear seat passengers get a lot more concerned than a load of dirt; bodywork of SUV is less tolerant of flex than a pickup box.​

b. SUV tend to be heavier on average than pickups - most of us don't load our truck to GVWR on regular basis.​

So, manufacturers stiffen SUV frames more than pickup, which makes them heavier.

p.s. Don't confuse strength with stiffness, while they often do together, making something to stiff can actually make it weaker.

From my treasure chest of useless information:

Ford 9" with large (Torino) wheel bearings and 31 spline axles has GAWR of 3,600lbs. The more common ones with small bearings and 28 splines axles only 2,900lbs.​

Ford 7.5 and 8.8 in Rangers with their 28 spline axles have 2,750lb rating, Explorer (and FX4) Rangers with 31 splines have 3,200lb rating and the 8.8HD in my '17 F-150 has a 3,800lb rating with 31 spline axles.​

I have seen rating up to 5,300lbs for the 9.75"; Sterling 10.5" has rating up to 6,250lbs SRW. Supposedly, there is a 8,250 DRW 10.5" found in some US gov't vehicles/early '90 C&Cs, but I think its like sasquatch and unicorns - mythical creature.​

 

[Dirtman]

Sasquatch is not mythical! He's trans dimensional!

 

[dvdswan]

Think of this as a ranger...

 

[97RangerXLT]

Think of this as a ranger...

Photographic proof of someone's ass being too small

AJ

 

[Chapap]

Ahhh I like the discussion. Alotta fun here. I was trying to get some ecoboost advice on an f150 forum a while back. They’re pretty stuck up over there.

well I parked beside a ram 3500 the other day. It looked as if the differential and two tires would take up the full width of the ranger. It just seems that a tiny truck with a fifth wheel would be pretty handy in some situations.