4x8 uhaul cargo with a 3.0L

[bcost882]

So i'm goin to be goin back to NJ soon from Nevada and i was wondering if it would be retarded to tow a 4x8 cargo behind my truck. The trailer's max load is 2500lbs. I plan on puttin back on my stock 225/75r15s and i don't have the time or the money to put in 4.10s or 4.30s. just wondering wut mpg to expect and yes i know it will hav no balls on hills. Thanks guys

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

it will be fine.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I pulled an enclosed motorcycle trailer with my Ranger several times. IIRC it was something like 4x9 but it might have been a lil bigger.

Pulled it with 3.73 gears and 235/75/15 tires most of the time, had to wind out the gears to stay in the powerband but it wasn't bad at all. Usually got around 15-17 mpg towing it too. I used it to move myself home from college (I REALLY had it loaded down for that, plus had the truck packed to the gills, pulled just fine) and used it to move my brother to and from college several times.

Last time I moved my brother I used the biggest enclosed trailer that U-haul rents and my F-150... I think my Ranger pulled better actually. Of course, my F-150 has 3.08 gears. I think 3.55 or 3.73 might be considerably better.

I also found that my custom leaf spring packs in my Ranger helped with towing, I built heavier packs than standard and it seemed like I had more control over the trailer or whatever I was towing. I've towed a BII behind my Ranger several times, including my choptop in lifted form on a tow bar and never had a problem. But I tried pulling it with my F-150 and it left me concerned, the BII seemed to want to muscle my F-150 around but never had that problem with the stiffer sprung Ranger.

 

[TomB1269]

You list its an FX2, if memory serves you have 411 already. You biggest issue will be long up hill draws and you will have some. I assume from Nevada you'll take I80 all the way, you may want to check out I-70. I think you will have less high country pulls. Basicly you just have to cross the rockies in Colorado, and it is a fairly flat thru Utah south out of Salt Lake and for most of I-70 until the state line. Once over loveland its all down hill and east for Denver starts the rolling hills out to Topeka, KS.
Back to your truck, If you have a cap on the bed it will make pulling even easier, as the front of the trailer will not act as big wall. Keep the revs up and shut of the OD. When you see a draw comming up accelerate try to maintain speed up the hill without the trans shifting, ie hit the base pulling 3200 to 3500 kicked down in 2nd or 3rd and maintain throttle pressure and a little more pressure as you climb. You will get the feel of it, but let that engine run she'll need to be up in the mid 3k on the tach to make the any descent climb with out slamming the next lower gear.
PS; with a cap on the bed, you can grab some comfortable shut eye at any rest stop.