Towing with ball on bumper

[TheTopher]

The 3.0 won't be too happy about it, but you should manage just fine. I've seen a few people on here towing explorers and heavier things with their 3.0 motors.

 

[Jspafford]

You should just trade all the cars you own and buy a Kenworth.

My goodness people... The guy is asking for advice.

DO NOT tow the loaded trailer with the bumper hitch.

Do look up in your owners manual the tow rating of your truck. Try not to exceed it with the trailer loaded. A couple hundred pounds won't kill you, but if your 1,000# overloaded don't do it.

Check the manual in the 3.0L Ranger. See if it will handle the load.

Telling the guy how terrible his truck is and buy a new clutch, blah, is not really helping anyone.

 

[jimmyess333]

I'd make sure the hitch is of the proper class before attempting it.
It sucks if the truck dogs out on towing the load but if the trailer breaks free someone could die.
Go with the frame mount hitch then give it a try.
If it dogs out then you need a lighter trailer.

 

[strvger]

funny no one even mentioned the brakes and trying to stop that 3000# load. even with trailer brakes, it will be challenging at least... imho.

 

[Roger]

And folks think I'm silly for wanting electric brakes on my 1200# tent trailer that I'll tow with my Grand Cherokee or my son will tow with his Explorer. I just don't want to tax the brakes on my Jeep if I can help it.

 

[strvger]

my new tent trailer is all aluminum, no wood, and the only steel is the axle. it weighs about 600#. and yes, it has surge brakes on it set up for the weight of the trailer. towing it back and forth across the mountains between Mn. and Nv., i'm hoping it will help on those grades. better safe than sorry, imho.

 

[TomB1269]

STRVGER, with the tongue brake you'll need to service the brakes every other year if you tow much specially thru the hills, electrics are great as you can set 'em how you like and adjust on the fly.

 

[strvger]

weight of camper and gear added will total less than 800#. really shouldn't be an issue at that weight.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

funny no one even mentioned the brakes and trying to stop that 3000# load. even with trailer brakes, it will be challenging at least... imho.

Beh, with trailer brakes it will be fine.

My '85 has the same if not smaller brakes , and with a lower output (110 hp) engine... weaker transmixer and it is still rated to tow more than that. Do what you feel safe doing, but I think it would do fine depending on gearing.

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

You should just trade all the cars you own and buy a Kenworth.

Yeah!

Anyway... My truck doesn't have a rear bumper anymore. It was bent into a "V" and I took it off(unbolted it).
All I did was tow my lil brother's 94 Exploder (stock on 31"s) through the woods, didn't jerk it or yank on it. Just easily pulled him out of the woods about 1000ft to the road. The stock bumper is a POS.

 

[1badexplorer]

I would't tow anything heavier than a log slitter off the rear bumper.

 

[02RangerXLT]

The stock bumper is a POS.

Agreed, it serves a few limted purposes, and towing anything heavier than a canoe is NOT one of them. I'm glad when I bought mine it had a receiver hitch.

 

[doorgunner]

ohhhhhhh...and don't forget to figure that the 3,000 lb. trailer going up a hill is gonna acting like it's 4,500 lbs. on that trailer ball/bumper because of the incline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'm starting to scare myself!

Now you know what you do to the rest of us, mate.

Oh...sorry

funny no one even mentioned the brakes and trying to stop that 3000# load. even with trailer brakes, it will be challenging at least... imho.

Oh...sorry again...I was too busy concentrating on getting him UP the hill that I forgot about the other side.....

 

[jobar]

You need a frame mounted hitch. The bumper can't take the load. The 2.3 could do it, but dont expect to be doing over 35-40mph. The 3.0 should be able to handle it, as stated before look up the tow ratings in the owners manuel for the 3.0. Make sure you give yourself plenty of room to stop, 3,000# is a lot to slow down with a ranger.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Beh, with trailer brakes it will be fine.

My '85 has the same if not smaller brakes , and with a lower output (110 hp) engine... weaker transmixer and it is still rated to tow more than that. Do what you feel safe doing, but I think it would do fine depending on gearing.

This was in reference to the truck overall, I thought the towing with a bumper thing had been pretty much covered before.