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towing overload


1993rangerxl

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2013
Messages
129
City
Florida
Vehicle Year
1993
Transmission
Manual
To all those with questions about how much a ranger can tow; I have a 93 xl standard cab 2.3 & 5spd. Spent just over two years and more than 180,000 miles using this commercially. Loaded and towing two or three times what the book says it can. Original 7.5 wore out axle shafts and kept blowing end seals (3.73 ratio) now has an 8.8 with 3.08 ratio, still blowing out end seals but never had a major issue with bearing failure. Always changed bearings with seals since I was already there and it's like ten bucks for parts (cheap ins.) Last November came back from Boston area to Miami with a gross weigh of 7780 and no problems. I am aware of the issue of being three times rated capacity but have driven OTR for twenty years and use common sense as to keeping a LARGE gap from the guy in front of me for stopping distance. Just my thoughts, comments and experiences.
 
1993rangerxl:

There is a difference someone with 100k miles of OTR experience driving with overload and some 16 year old doing same thing.

I do still hope you have put the heavier (10" drums) on your Ranger and have brakes on the trailer. IMHO: Any trailer over 1,500lbs should have brakes.

Note: While you are pulling 2-3X what the book says a 2.3l/5spd Ranger lists, you are still within limits of chassis - i.e. if it had a 4.0l/automatic, the weight would be within limits.

I'm surprised at the difference between the 7.5" and 8.8"; given they use the same bearings and axle shafts...

Blowing seals would have me suspect blocked vent tube...but I assume you changed that when you swapped axles. Other possibility I suppose is you were/are overheating the axle to point seals are degrading (not so much of an issue in Canada as in Florida, although I overheated the axle in my S-10 <2.5l/5spd> to point where paint came off taking all my belongings across the country.)
 
There's no strength difference between a 7.5 and Ranger 8.8--especially when you are aiming a 2.3 at it.

This post describes an overloaded truck having many failures. That's what we expect from an overloaded truck.
 
Seems an increase volume of posts related to what I can haul or what I can tow. Legal towing or hauling on public roads and highways is another issue to consider. If disaster strikes, you can then look at possible suits and insurance issues. Police have no problem holding you at the roadside to bring in a set of scales to weigh you. There are roadside weighing stations in my area and people try to avoid them by taking alternate routes around them. Local police are aware of this and routinely pull trucks to check their loads. I've seen truckers adjusting their loads and others calling for another truck to transfer overweight. Safety should be on everyone's mind.
 
Overloaded bearings getting hot and cooking seals?

I ran my 7.5 for 12 years and never put seals in it, they could have been original for all I know. I put new ones in my 31 spline 8.8 two years ago before I put the axle in (changed all the seals) and it hasn't had a problem either.

But I use a F-150 for my heavy towing. The trailer runs around 7k... I changed the seals when I regeared because I was there but no seal problems with it either.
 
Yep, they can tow more than what the books says, they can haul more than what the books says, but as you can see from experience the price you pay is in repeated failures of drive-train components.

Drove a 98 Ranger 4x2, 2.3L 5 speed, for about 8 months hauling garage doors, parts, tools, etc. Usually 4-5 doors on the ladder rack, plus all the installation parts kits, door rails, tools, etc. Truck had 319,000 miles on it when I started, and had 400,000 miles on it when I had to leave the company due to being called to active duty. Never had a break down, but the transmission finally gave up, running up and down mountain roads took its tole on the transmission. The truck did great otherwise, just the little 2.3L engine just was working hard pulling those mountain grades fully loaded all the time.
Would I do it again? Hell no.
 
Can = able to do something
May = allowed to do something

Can you drive 80mph on a posted 30mph road.......yes
May you drive 80mph on a posted 30mph road.......no

The tow or load capacity listed by the manufacturer for any vehicle is the "may" limit, not the "can" limit.

The "may" limit comes in when legal issues are involved, i.e. you try to get too large a trailer from U-Haul(they say no), or you get pulled over by police because of the 'questionable' load on the vehicle, or there is an accident and insurance companies get involved(doesn't even have to be a weight related accident).

"Can" is simply testing the maximum stress of the weakest component during the journey, lol, and that will be different for each vehicle depending on previous stress and age.
 
Can = able to do something
May = allowed to do something

Can you drive 80mph on a posted 30mph road.......yes
May you drive 80mph on a posted 30mph road.......no

The tow or load capacity listed by the manufacturer for any vehicle is the "may" limit, not the "can" limit.

The "may" limit comes in when legal issues are involved, i.e. you try to get too large a trailer from U-Haul(they say no), or you get pulled over by police because of the 'questionable' load on the vehicle, or there is an accident and insurance companies get involved(doesn't even have to be a weight related accident).

"Can" is simply testing the maximum stress of the weakest component during the journey, lol, and that will be different for each vehicle depending on previous stress and age.

Agreed. Its like my 1/2 ton pickup, according to the towing description its capable of towing 10,000lbs. Can it do it, most likely yes. Would I do it, absolutely not. If I were in need of towing that much weight I'd be looking at a 1 ton pickup LOL.

Also, many of the tow ratings across the board regardless of manufacturer aren't close to reality. They throw out huge numbers trying to get sales.
 

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