i just baught a 96 ranger xlt , 3.0L 5 speed. i wanted to know if i drop a 302 in will it pull a 30ft camper? the camper is a jayco kiwi.
i dont know how much it ways. right now i pull it with a 96 GMC Safrri 4.3L and that works to pull it. i have plans on new shocks/ springs, class 3 hitch. thanks for any help

 

You'll have to invest is some serious brake upgrades, and that isn't a smart idea.

That is way to much weight to try to stop with a Ranger.

Take the money you'll spend on engine swap, brake upgrade and buy a bigger truck. That's the safest thing to do.

Hate to rain on your parade, but you'll just abuse the Ranger and you're putting a lot of peoples lives at stake towing a trailer that big.

 

Bigger truck.
If you try to do that with a Ranger you would not only prematurely wear the truck out, and be a safety hazard.
Trust me, I have seen people do this, matter of fact someone asked me yesterday if they could borrow our 16ft flatbed trailer to haul behind their Ranger. Obviously I said no, too much trailer, not enough Ranger to stop it, very rough ride, poor reaction time.

 

Agree with Colossus. Check my post in earlier Ranger tow thread. The short of it is that I (VERY CAREFULLY) pulled 5Klbs worth of horse trailer and horses with a 2001 Edge 4x4 4L auto, short distances only. Using same Ranger to pull about 3Klbs 500 mi was unpleasant, especially uphill. Get a bigger truck. I did.

 

I have a 2001 Ranger, XLT 4x4, 4.0 V-6, 5-speed auto. I want to pull a 4000 lb. travel trailer 20'. Is that to much? If so what is the max. It has 107,000 but maintained completely.

 

The truck is rated to tow about 5600lbs. Make sure the trailer has brakes and u have a brake controller. The truck will pull it but I wouldnt do much more than around town and keep it empty. I have owned several 4.0 Rangers, They are great trucks but they just dont handle towing much weight.

Your better of starting a new thread than posting on a seven year old one haha

 

Thanks for the Ranger towing advice. I can't afford a larger truck, so I will have to go to a smaller trailer.
I found one that is 2900 lbs per title weight It''s 23' long. It's the kind that the top drops down when traveling and then raises up when you get there. Loaded I shouldn't be more than 3500 lbs. I would think. Don't know if it comes with trailer brakes or not.

Anyway, my wife and I want to go camping and would like to go to the Grand Canyon and other places within that range.

Thanks for getting back with me. Tom in Henderson, NV

 

get one that has some brakes on it, and get a controller for the truck. The Ranger is a good little truck but you don't want to burn those brakes.

I think it can handle the 3500 lbs, but stopping is going to be an issue.

 

The trailer you are talking about does have brakes, but pick up a good controller like the Prodigy. You will also prob need a sway control for the rig.

 

Your truck should be rated for 3500 stock... if not 5000, anyhoo... I still have a problem believing that with mine. I'm good to 5000 lbs with a wd hitch. Still, it had trouble with a 2000 lb 13 foot trailer. Either that, or I was lied to about how much it weighed. Never did scale it, as I sold it shortly afterward.

Basically whatever you're comfortable with. A tent trailer is gonna have less wind resistance than a hard side conventional tow-behind. And up around 2000 lbs I think is the cutoff where trailer brakes are mandatory. Anything heavier is supposed to have brakes, and you'll need a brake controller to drag it.

I kind of find myself in the same dilema as you, wanting a trailer but needing a more capable truck. In my case, my Ranger just won't cut it, as it won't fit a baby seat, so into a fullsize I go.

 

and another thing, with a box-type camper, the frontal area will kill your fuel milage, a tent trailer would be a better way to go, i have a box-type cargo trailer and even though its only 1,000 pounds empty the wind resistance just creates a horrible drag effect that causes me to only get about 12 mpg. and i would recomend trailer brakes at even 1,500 pounds. its well worth it when your trying to get stopped.

 

Also a Hi/Lo trailer will work...just pay attention to the weight! You tow this trailer with the box collapsed - it's got hard sides and telescopes to the "up" position! Great for towing with a smaller rig.