96 ranger hitch install

[98v70dad]

I'm going to buy and install a hitch on my ranger.

The ranger has a bed liner and a fiberglass cap. Will I have to remove either or both of those to put in the trailer wiring harness? My bed liner seems to completely cover the sidewalls.

I can figure it out once I get it but would like to know what I'm getting into. Thanks.

 

[Dangerrangers]

You will put the trailer harness in from underneath the rear bumper ,you will disconnect the wiring that goes from the left to the right side and connect the new harness in between the two . Buy the harness and don't mess around with the cheap do it yourself splicing kits ,you'll just have trouble if you don't shrink tube all your splices . The harness is fool proof and make sure you hook up the ground wire from the harness to a clean ground.

 

[98v70dad]

You will put the trailer harness in from underneath the rear bumper ,you will disconnect the wiring that goes from the left to the right side and connect the new harness in between the two . Buy the harness and don't mess around with the cheap do it yourself splicing kits ,you'll just have trouble if you don't shrink tube all your splices . The harness is fool proof and make sure you hook up the ground wire from the harness to a clean ground.

Thanks. So the connection is made from below instead of up in the bed area? Sounds really easy - thats what I was hoping for.

I agree with you about buying a harness instead of making splices. In addition to what you pointed out making a good watertight splice is a lot of work and the price difference is worth it to me in saved effort.

 

[Captain Ledd]

There should be a connector on the drivers side behind the bumper, it will literally be 2 plugs that plug into each other and continue along the bumper. Undo the plugs, an your harness goes right in between.

Here's what they should look like:
https://www.etrailer.com/t1-1996_Ford_Ranger.htm

Do not cut your wires, there are plenty of kits that just plug in. Some might even be available at your local auto retailer, Ranger harnesses are really common.

 

[Dangerrangers]

Thanks. So the connection is made from below instead of up in the bed area? Sounds really easy - thats what I was hoping for.

I agree with you about buying a harness instead of making splices. In addition to what you pointed out making a good watertight splice is a lot of work and the price difference is worth it to me in saved effort.

Your welcome !!!!!!!

 

[98v70dad]

I'm going to buy and install a hitch on my ranger.

The ranger has a bed liner and a fiberglass cap. Will I have to remove either or both of those to put in the trailer wiring harness? My bed liner seems to completely cover the sidewalls.

I can figure it out once I get it but would like to know what I'm getting into. Thanks.

I got a good answer on my electrical question. Thanks folks. I'm wondering if there is any hitch that is better than the others.

I'm considering this oneby curt since it seems to wrap around the spare tire better than the others. You still have to use a box end wrench to drop the tire, though.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Ford/Ranger/1996/13138.html?vehicleid=1996301986

Does anyone know a better alternative?

 

[91stranger]

I got a good answer on my electrical question. Thanks folks. I'm wondering if there is any hitch that is better than the others.

I'm considering this oneby curt since it seems to wrap around the spare tire better than the others. You still have to use a box end wrench to drop the tire, though.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Ford/Ranger/1996/13138.html?vehicleid=1996301986

Does anyone know a better alternative?

remove the spare tire and keep it in the bed. I had a 96 ranger and never had to use the spare until the day we needed it and the damn thing was seized and rusted in there. spent more time trying to get tire out from truck than removing and replacing the flat tire. That's just me. you could always make a cable/chain device that lowers your tire when needed. Or you could just add some bars that hold the tire in place and have one side of the bars on a hinge so you can remove one or two nuts and swing the tire down. look up spare tire carriers for campers and you will get some ideas.

 

[98v70dad]

remove the spare tire and keep it in the bed. I had a 96 ranger and never had to use the spare until the day we needed it and the damn thing was seized and rusted in there. spent more time trying to get tire out from truck than removing and replacing the flat tire. That's just me. you could always make a cable/chain device that lowers your tire when needed. Or you could just add some bars that hold the tire in place and have one side of the bars on a hinge so you can remove one or two nuts and swing the tire down. look up spare tire carriers for campers and you will get some ideas.

My 96 ranger already has a spare with a bar and a hinge. It works well. Its a Southern car - garage kept - no rust at all. Most hitches interfere with the bolt that releases the bar that swings down. The curt hitch I linked to will work and doesn't interfere if I don't object to using a box end wrench to loosen the bolt. The curt is not as good looking as the straight hitches that make the spare unusable. I'd rather not put my spare in the truck bed. Thats a good solution but I'd rather buy a different hitch if there are alternatives.

 

[Captain Ledd]

My Reese hitch works fine.

 

[98v70dad]

My Reese hitch works fine.

OK. My truck may be different than yours. I've got a 96. Also, reese currently sells several different hitches and 21 years ago they may have had completely different products.

 

[Captain Ledd]

'95-'97 are virtually the same truck. But yes, 21 years makes a big difference, but I put my hitch on about 10 years ago now. It's the heaviest duty one they made for the Ranger (again, at the time). I have a feeling if it has the bend in it so it'll contour around the tire, it'll be fine.

 

[98v70dad]

'95-'97 are virtually the same truck. But yes, 21 years makes a big difference, but I put my hitch on about 10 years ago now. It's the heaviest duty one they made for the Ranger (again, at the time). I have a feeling if it has the bend in it so it'll contour around the tire, it'll be fine.

Thanks. I know. I found one with a bend and it will work fine. I don't like the looks of it although it will have to do if its all I can find. My spare has a hinged bar that swings down with a 19 mm fastener that points towards the back that holds it on. The curved bar on the curt hitch just clears the fastener so you can't remove it with a tire iron or socket wrench. You have to use a box end wrench.

Other years of the ranger just had a plate in the center of the wheel that bolted up to some structure above it. You had to man handle the tire to get it out. The positive was that the structure could be relocated forward a bit and you could move the tire forward a bit to accommodation any interference. I could relocate mine also but not without making a big project out of it.

I would like a class 4 hitch and have found that there is nothing currently sold that's a class 4 for my 21 year old truck. I don't have time to go looking for an old one at a junk yard. I've looked on ebay and there are no used class 4 hitches for sale for my truck

So I'm stuck with only a few choices. etrailers has a 3 or 4 and most of them say they won't work with the spare.

The point of my post was to find out if there was anything else out there that I would work that I might have missed. I'd rather not spend over $100 to get something that I don't like that doesn't quite do the job (special wrench needed).

 

[55trucker]

A bit late .......but try looking at a Draw-tite Class III receiver.

It is vehicle specific, the spare does not have to be relocated.


I have one of these under my '98.

Depending on which truck you have the receiver could very well exceed the truck's max load ratings.

http://www.draw-tite.com/products/t...railer-hitch/WfzaCtfZMf0hoaEk3ihHPY2SIXapQUFs