towing capacity?

[jcastilow]

Interested in purchasing a 1994 2wd manual 4.0 ranger. Cannot find the listed towing capacity, even though I know it requires a bunch of optional upgrades. Also, any personal anecdotes about a stock, no optional packages 2wd, 5-speed, 4.0 ranger will pull?
Many thanks,

 

[RonD]

Manual transmission is the biggest limiter to allowed towing weight, cuts it almost in half
Also trailer hitch needs to be rated for the weight of the trailer

2,800lbs would be legal limit

5,000lbs with automatic

Manual transmissions are just physically weaker than automatics

You can probably tow 4,000lbs safely just not legally

Most areas require trailer brakes on anything over 1,000lbs and its just a good idea even if they don't, lol


If you are looking for a tow vehicle get an automatic

 

[Dsetz]

The trailer you intend to tow makes a big difference.
My 94 X with manual, 4x4 and tow package says 3500 lbs max trailer weight on the steel bumper. It did have a trans cooler.
I've towed an old single axle wooden framed camper that approaches that weight behind my POS 94 4x4 Auto X without tow package(I swapped the frame mounted hitch between X's) and up some pretty steep but shorter pulls. It wasn't pretty but held together. I would not subject it to a lot of miles.
To be honest though, that trailer pulls like shit behind my Superduty too. Its blocky, squat and likes to pop up unless you get it leveled just so.

 

[Josh B]

I'm thinking the huge difference in ratings between Auto and Stick shifts are largely due to many folks who shift too low RPM. With a heavy load on a stick you need to keep those RPMs substantially higher going through the gears to a good cruising speed.
The weight rating varies due to tow package etc, my 4X/W tow package is Rated 1550/5040
Here's some number codes for 93-94
The first is a number within the VIN
The second one uses a number from your door tag

 

[RonD]

No, although a popular thought for us that prefer manual transmissions, lol.
I like the idea of poor driver techniques or new drivers or insurance companies sticking their noses in, but none of it is true

The reduced towing weight for manuals is strictly the manual transmissions physical properties, its just a weaker transmission style
You can break shafts or strip dog gears if you try to pull too much weight

You can get manual transmissions that can handle very heavy loads, they used them on large trucks and semi's for years, but even those have gone to automatics

 

[Josh B]

I found that to be key in my move from Tennessee. Four trips with fully loaded truck and 4x10ft trailer with sideboards piled high, especially on the bigger hills I'd drop into 4th and keep right on trucking, mostly 70-75 mph 600 miles each way, and pretty much came to thinking that was at least some sort of a fact, but I'm certainly no expert. Just hoping I don't make any more such moves, could have made another load but just got tired and left em a ready made yard sale

 

[RonD]

It comes down to "can" and "may"

Can means to have the ability to do something
May is having the permission to do something

Can I speed at 100mph on the freeway, yes if your vehicle can go that fast, lol, ability
May I speed at 100mph on the freeway, no, you would get a speeding ticket if caught at that speed, permission

For towing weight or load weight just in the bed, Ford sets the "legal" limit, the "may I" limit, for all its vehicles

Which will be lower than the "can I" limit

You can get a ticket for being over the "may I" weight limit, and insurance companies can decline a claim if "vehicle was not being operated in legal manner"

You can stop by any U-Haul shop and they can usually look up the "may I" legal limit for any vehicle
Or go to their website and start with largest trailers and work you way down, lol.

 

[racsan]

gear ratio plays a part too, with the 4.0 and 3.73’s you can pull quite a bit, but your bigger thing to worry about is how much can you stop? I have a 6x10 box trailer, weighs 1,000 empty, can have 2,000 in it. and technically 3,000 is within its legal limits..... but...... the frontal area ( front of trailer that causes your wind resistance) makes for a hard pull, even empty. my ‘93 (4.0,4wd,3.73,manual) could get 17 mpg all day just truck alone. hook up the trailer and even empty I would get about 12. Was like pulling a parachute. In town was fine, but on the open road that wind resistance was a killer. stopping was fine unless I was loaded and wet, and I dont think Ive ever had more than 1,000 pounds in it. I have flat-towed other vehicles and even used a 2-wheel tow dolly to tow another ranger (with my 2.3 even) once for the “hell of it” , I thought Id see how fast the 4.0 could pull the box trailer, just the truck would go to 94 before hitting the rev limiter, well pulling the empty box trailer it couldnt quite hit 75, and the engine temp started to noticeably go up after a couple of miles. In a nutshell, You may want a bigger truck, not only for “go” power, but also for “whoa” power. The best thing about my 3/4 ton was the braking ability. granted the 14 mpg at best was awful, esp when 98% of its time I drove it to & from work (which is why I went back to a ranger chassis) I dont tow much now so I do get by with a ranger, but if I did it alot Id go back to a full size. Trailer brakes are a big help but not every trailer has them.

 

[JohnnyO]

Two issues when towing with a manual trans.
1. First gear in a stick Ranger ain't all that low to get moving.
2. Fifth gear is pretty weak.
If you want to tow, get an automatic.
My first Ranger was a 99 4x4, 3.slow, stick, but the only thing I towed was my jetski which didn't weigh all that much. Still, I'd use low range on the boat ramp so I didn't have to slip the clutch as much.