Can I safely tow a Ranger with a Ranger?

[Harv]

Hello,

I am looking into getting a parts truck for my Ranger however in the area I am in (Louisiana) I cannot find any decently priced parts truck. I looked in my parents area (Ohio) just for the hell of it and found a couple ones that I have my eye on, sure they have more rust but that doesn't bother me. And I got the idea when I go visit for Christmas, to rent a U-Haul car trailer and tow back the parts truck with my Ford Ranger and I just want to know if this will be even possible in a safely manner. I tried to look up the towing capacity and other forums, but I get a lot of mixed answers that I just get confused.

My ranger is a 2005 4.0l V6 SOHC 4x4 5-speed 4:10 gears extended cab. If she can manage it I was planning on taking it to a dealership so they can add electric brake hookup before even looking at a parts truck.

Thanks

 

[Dirtman]

Unfortunately with the manual trans you'd be way beyond the rated towing capacity. With a truck and trailer your looking at near or at 5,000 pounds. Only the automatics can tow that much.

 

[RonD]

You can tow it.
But...........it wouldn't be legal to tow it and I doubt u-haul would rent you a car hauler, maybe a car dolly

Look here, bottom of page 18: https://www.fleet.ford.ca/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/2005_Towing_Guide.pdf

2005 Ranger 4.0l, manual trans/4.10 is rated at 3,100lbs(automatic trans is 5,500lbs)
A Ranger weighs 3,100-3,400 depending on model, add the trailers weight and it won't be legal

Go to u-haul website and check, enter your trucks data and it will give you a list of allowed trailers, they go by the legal limits

Also look at car transporters, as long as a vehicle rolls, so it can be winched on to the trailer, a transport company will haul it
Check their prices vs hauling it yourself
If you don't have a time frame, i.e. must be delivered within a week, lol, they will cut a better deal because they can use it to fill out a load going in the same direction

Remember to include gas cost, one-way trailer rental, and your time and wear and tear on your Ranger


And just an FYI, automatics are much stronger than manual transmissions, which is why they have the higher towing weight
It has NOTHING to do with a driver's skill level, lol, I still get a kick when reading that its driver related

 

[racsan]

Ive used a 2 -wheel dolly a couple of times. just pull the drive shaft of the towed vehicle. Your biggest issue is getting u-haul to rent you something pulled by a ranger.

 

[Dirtman]

Your biggest issue is getting u-haul to rent you something pulled by a ranger.

There's a reason for that...

 

[Snoranger]

There's a reason for that...

Yeah... Laywers.
The same reason they won't allow you to rent anything if you say Explorer.

 

[Dirtman]

Right! Same BS when I applied to be chief neurosurgeon at Robert Wood Johnson university hospital... All they cared about was "laws", "credentials", and "calling security".

Lawyers ruin everything. Without them I could be performing brain surgery and that guy could he towing his ranger home!

 

[Snoranger]

Right! Same BS when I applied to be chief neurosurgeon at Robert Wood Johnson university hospital... All they cared about was "laws", "credentials", and "calling security".

Lawyers ruin everything. Without them I could be performing brain surgery and that guy could he towing his ranger home!

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Right! Same BS when I applied to be chief neurosurgeon at Robert Wood Johnson university hospital... All they cared about was "laws", "credentials", and "calling security".

Lawyers ruin everything. Without them I could be performing brain surgery and that guy could he towing his ranger home!

The only reason the manual trucks are rated so low is because ford didnt want to replace clutches under warrenty when less then able drivers tried to tow heavy.

Think about it, engine power, suspension, brakes etc are the same between auto and manual trucks....so what would the reason be?

As for the OP....are you looking at a parts truck similar to yours or do you have another ranger you need parts for? A 4wd 04 club cab is alot heavier then say, a 86 shortbox 2wd.

 

[Dirtman]

Think about it, engine power, suspension, brakes etc are the same between auto and manual trucks....so what would the reason be?

Manual transmissions aren't as strong as automatics no matter how you drive it. Towing 5k with a ranger auto is gonna burn up the fluid faster than burning up a clutch unless you add an aux cooler and ford never bothered to do that so they obviously weren't thinking about warranty issues in either case.

Torque converters literally create more torque and the gears of an automatic are physically bigger and stronger than the manual.

The towing capacity difference between the two is not small... it's over 2,000 pounds. And it's the same for pretty much any truck not just rangers. You wanna tow you buy an automatic, you want better mileage you buy a manual.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Manual transmissions aren't as strong as automatics no matter how you drive it. Towing 5k with a ranger auto is gonna burn up the fluid faster than burning up a clutch unless you add an aux cooler and ford never bothered to do that so they obviously weren't thinking about warranty issues in either case.

Torque converters literally create more torque and the gears of an automatic are physically bigger and stronger than the manual.

I know about the tq converter. But i disagree about an auto being stronger for towing. Its more idiot proof, not stronger.

 

[RonD]

I know about the tq converter. But i disagree about an auto being stronger for towing. Its more idiot proof, not stronger.

Do you see the difference in surface area in the transfer of that torque through the gear teeth in this picture: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/auQgOtveQi0/maxresdefault.jpg

Manuals are great for MPG and much simpler, but just don't have even close to the strength of an automatic
You can design a manual trans for better strength, wider gears and bigger shafts, i.e. semi trucks, but costs alot more

Nothing to do with clutches, its just the physics and the slide rule's that determine Fords towing limits, and they are lower than what it "can" tow, even for automatics, because not all transmission parts are created equal, lol

 

[Grumpaw]

Lets everybody play nice !!!

Grumpaw

 

[Snoranger]

Yup... look at the inside of this torque converter.

That looks strong to me!!

 

[RonD]

yes, and this too: https://www.jeepforum.com/forum/att...p-cj-d297da4a-0064-44ef-b2f7-7224f1c850cd.jpg

OOPS, thats for a manual

nevermind