Ford Ranger Additional Bed Support

[bigmax]

I have a 2008 standard 2wd 4cy Ranger, and I am experiencing sag problems when loading my bed. I have a custom aluminum rack overhead with two kayaks, a jackrabbit rolltop bed cover, and a behind the cab cooler mount. The only gear in the bed if fishing rods and tackle. I am pulling a Starcraft popup camper with this, but the tongue weight is not that great. It just presents a problem when hooking up the hitch, as the truck sags. Which would be better here...air shocks, helper spring, or other. i do notalways have a load on my truck, so I need something that will not cause driving issues when unloaded. Can you be specific on brands/models on your suggestions. Changing the ball mount arm is not the question, as the trailer rides pretty level when the truck has no load in the bed. I still have plenty of spring left when the truck droops, but the trailer landing gear is close to the ground, and I have taken a good hit to it when coming over a parking lot entrance. All suggestions appreciated.

Thanks
MAX

 

[bobbywalter]

i suggest calling 4wps cleveland and getting airshocks.

summit should also have airshocks for your application.

 

[Will]

You don't have much weight on there for that much trouble. I can't believe a pop-up and some kayaks are causing trouble on a Ranger. On a Subaru Outback, yeah.

Something isn't right here. What Starcraft do you have? Can you lift the tongue by hand? You have a 2" receiver and what drop of hitch?

A light-duty truck is supposed to sag. They have variable rate springs because the manufacturer knows they will be unloaded most of the time and don't want the to ride badly. The ass ends are higher and the springs are softer. When you load them, they go down quickly, the springs are firmer--then stop going down.

A Ranger is very light in the rear. I would like to see pictures of what you have before I formulate an opinion. I think your drawbar is too deep. You should expect the rear to droop 3" and then get firm.

 

[rboyer]

You don't have much weight on there for that much trouble. I can't believe a pop-up and some kayaks are causing trouble on a Ranger. On a Subaru Outback, yeah.

Hey now!! I just drove a 5spd Subaru Outback down to Philadelphia (130 miles away) with a Ford Probe transmission setting in the center of the car and a 6x8 trailer behind it with two ATV's on it. It ran a steady 65mph down there and on the way back up with no transmission setting inside the car I was able to do 75mph. It didn't sag real bad mostly because I had the transmission centered and the trailer was pretty well balanced. They are by far not meant for towing, but they do the job.

 

[bigmax]

Will,

My ranger XL specs say I have a payload of 1260lbs, and a trailer max of 2240lbs. I am not sure of the interaction of max/min between these two. Unloaded the truck seems to handle the trailer fine. It ids a Starcraft year 2001 model 2107. Thier specs have an unloaded trailer weight of 1690lbs. I really dont have a lot of gear stowed. Small microwave, coffee pot, linens , utensils and such...but eveything adds up.
I think my problem is with my truck handling the payload. I have a Curt class 3 hitch (13019), and I could find no other specs on it. The Full metal jacket jackrabbit rolltop combined with the Track Rack overhead bars add a chunk of weight by themselves. My two kayaks are large fishing kayaks rigged out with paddles, seat , and life vest sored inside. I am guessing 90lbs each. My ice chest behind the cab had 100lbs of ice in it. The cavity under the rolltop was filled with fishing and camping gear. Nothing heavy, but a lot of stuff. All adds up to contribute to the initial sagging before the trailer is attatched. I really do not think the tongue weight is all too bad on the camper. The ball is one of those three way balls that sticks straight out with no drop down or elevation.
I only travel in this fashion several times a year when on vacation. I wanted to install helper springs which I was sure would do the job, but I was afraid of how my truck would handle the other 340 days of the year with this permanant install. Some in the camping trailer circle said I should install air shocks since this is a temporary condition, but I wanted several opinions before I did something I was sorry for later, and inevitably hade to change to something else. I have no problem with the handling of the truck in this condition, other than the hitch is riding too close to the road for my comfort. Hitting a dip and bending my landing gear while entering a parking lot was not much fun to fix. I could go with a ball with an arm that bends upward to raise my trailer tongue, but I do not think the cheap fix is the solution here. I want to do the right thing and I am seeking the advice of someone who knows. I apreciate you folks taking the time to help me in my dilemma.

Thanks
MAX

 

[Will]

I guess it's too heavy. That probably does add up a bit. I think the load on the hitch counts 50% greater against the rear springs because it's about 50% further back than the axle from the center of gravity.

Airshocks are pretty easy. The only thing I don't like about them is that shock mounts aren't spring mounts. But I'm sure you won't break them with what you are doing. If you are a lot overloaded then any steering issues won't be helped with airshocks. They will boost the butt back up, but the weight is still levered off of the front tires.

My prefered solution would be an equalizer hitch. This tries to close the bottoms of the truck and trailer together like a jack knife. Weight is lifted off of the rear suspension and sent to the trailer tires and front tires of the truck.

See if you can find one for about 300# tongue weight. They are adjustable depending on how hard you clamp the spring bars.

This will cost $150 or so more than airshocks, but it will never wear out and you won't have plastic lines ziptied under the truck. And your truck will be the same ol' truck when you aren't using it. And you can use it on your next truck or car, or trailer--whatever it is.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

I'd go with a set of firestone air bags on there, that way you can drop them to minimum PSI when unloaded and air them up to correct for the sagging when loaded.