94 ranger towing capacity

[Ksm1967]

Can I tow a car using a car dolly with my 94 Ford Ranger is a 6 cylinder

 

[sgtsandman]

We need more information. Regular Cab or Super Cab? Rear wheel drive or 4X4? Manual or Automatic transmission? What gear ratio does your axle have? All those variables make a difference in what your track can and can't do. Also, which 6 Cylinder?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

We need more information. Regular Cab or Super Cab? Rear wheel drive or 4X4? Manual or Automatic transmission? What gear ratio does your axle have? All those variables make a difference in what your track can and can't do. Also, which 6 Cylinder?

Also what kind of car?

Big difference between a Festiva and a Crown Vic.

 

[RonD]

You can get 1994 Ranger "legal" towing weights in the 1994 Ranger Brochure, page 11

Download or view here: https://www.therangerstation.com/articles/ford-ranger-brochures/

If you have a manual transmission the answer would be NO for sure, max weight would be about 2,000lbs, and not many vehicles weigh that little

 

[scotts90ranger]

That seems silly to me on the manual trans towing limit, I've had a 7500lb combined weight with my '90 and it felt just fine.

I'll throw out a couple other variables, it also depends on how far and over what terrain. If flat ground and short distance (say less than 100 miles) I wouldn't worry about it, if there's significant hills it might not be a great idea but I've been to Iowa (drove from Hastings Nebraska to Waterloo Iowa in one go, the trip back to Kearney was harder after midnight, had to take a nap in a rest area...), it's pretty flat...

 

[racsan]

Not that it was a wise thing to do -but, I once used a ‘92 2.3 reg cab longbed ((with a manual and 3.73’s)) to tow home a ‘97 reg cab longbed (that had a 3.0 automatic) with a rented two-wheel tow dolly. In the winter even. Granted I kept my speed around 30-35, only went as high as 3rd gear and trip was about 10 miles. If the ‘97 had been running at the time I bought it, the smarter move would of been to use it as the tow vehicle and pulled the ‘92 home. Found out later though that the automatic in the ‘97 had no 1st gear, may of been more difficult towing a 3,000 pound ranger with no 1st and a 3.45 rear gear.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Not that it was a wise thing to do -but, I once used a ‘92 2.3 reg cab longbed ((with a manual and 3.73’s)) to tow home a ‘97 reg cab longbed (that had a 3.0 automatic) with a rented two-wheel tow dolly. In the winter even. Granted I kept my speed around 30-35, only went as high as 3rd gear and trip was about 10 miles. If the ‘97 had been running at the time I bought it, the smarter move would of been to use it as the tow vehicle and pulled the ‘92 home. Found out later though that the automatic in the ‘97 had no 1st gear, may of been more difficult towing a 3,000 pound ranger with no 1st and a 3.45 rear gear.

Espicially with a 3.0.

 

[c1skout]

I would, as long as the car doesn't weigh more than the Ranger tug does.

BUT I have been towing cars and pulling trailers my entire driving life. Tow trucks, tilt beds, cars on trailers, heavy equipment, tractor-trailer, etc. I have even hauled lots of vehicles on tow dollies, using various vehicles as the dolly tug.

Tow dollies have different handling dynamics than other setups, and can easily steer an unweighted truck bed

If you don't have much hauling experience I can't in good conscience make a blanket recommendation to do so.