I have a 2000 Ranger, extended cab, 4.0 v-6, 5-speed auto, 4:10 gears, 2-wheel drive. I have installed a class 3 hitch, trans-cooler,and an electric brake controller for towing a 24 foot travel trailer. The trailer weights 3800 pounds dry and pulls and stops good. However, the rear of the truck sags considerably and the steering is a little light. I am going to upgrade the rear suspension, but I'm not sure which option is best. Here is a list of several options I have found, I would like opinions on which would be the best. (1) air stocks, (2) air bags, (3) heavy duty leaf springs, (4) helper springs. Also, would a weight distributing hitch be of any help. Thanks for your time.

 

I have a 99 4l v6 4x4 and carry a 1300lbs (dry) camper on it. I upgraded my shocks with rancho9000's and air bags and it has made all the difference. The back end doesn't sag one bit. (infact i keep the bags a little low as it seems to be a bit better ride when it has a slight sag) It's really nice too as the rancho's and bags are adjustable so it feels great unloaded as well. Plus it elimanted any sway that may have been there before. By far the best upgrades for towing and heavy hauling.

 

Boarder, you got a camper finally? Have you posted any pics? I'd like to see your setup man!
unknown_eyes, I was going to reccommend exactly what boarder says. Pretty good advice. If your truck doesn't have a rear anti-sway bar, pick one up, will make a big difference also.

 

Shocks & their fastening points aren't designed to carry weight, just to dampen motion, so IMHO heavy duty springs or helper springs are the right direction to go.

If you still are having bounce problems maybe heavier duty shocks too.

One of those center bed mounted "5th Wheel" type mounts may be a good way to go with this large of a trailer, to try to more eavenly distribute the trailers tongue weight. It'll likely make a big improvement in handeling & safety. IMHO

So in your case I wouldn't opt for JUST air bags, or heavier shocks.

BTW, if you have not flushed your brake system lately, now would likely be a good time to consider doing it, to get your fluid's boiling point back up to snuff. I'd do it with MotorCraft Dot-3 fluid, as it's mighty good stuff IMHO.

I tow often in the mountans & flush the brake system in my 99 4.0L every three years.

 

Definitely go with the hitch. They are designed to help distribute the weight all the way to the front wheels. Take a look here: http://www.rvtowingtips.com/
I know a guy who has chevy 1/2T 4X and he pulled his toy hauler without a hitcha nd he said it was light in the front and all over. He got a hitch and it tows well and he is no longer considering a new truck. SO get the hitch get it set up right and go for it.

 

get airbags. i put riderite airbags on my 02 ranger and it was super easy to install. just gotta drill 4 holes on each side of the frame and then bolt it all up, i have towed my 20 foot toy hauler for 2 years now with my ranger and with the airbags it is SOOO much nicer, and definitly get the weight distribution no question. the airbags you can get from summit racing 150 bucks

 

Pawpaw's idea of the of the in bed hitch is a good idea. Personaly I would stay away from heavier springs as they will effect the ride when unloaded. Unless the majority of the truck use is for towing the trailer I would get something that is adjustable. Yes shocks won't do this, they will only help make a smoother ride, but that is where the airbags come in.

Hey98xlt4x4 wow it's been a while since I've been on the boards. I finaly picked up a new 2004 7'6" adventurer in April. Been out quite a bit in it these last few months. It is so convient and such a great way to travel. I can park in a singel parking spot and don't have any problems through the mountains or up steep hills. The truck handels it very well and I still get 17mpg (not great but much better then some of the big trucks and campers out there) When I get my *** in gear I will post up some pics of the rig.

 

The only problem with getting a 5th wheel hitch is he's not pulling a 5th wheel trailer.

I'd start with the equalizer hitch, see if that helps any, then upgrade the springs if you need more.

 

bigrigfixer: I was kinda scratching my head on that one as well...

-IKE

 

I just wanted to give you guys an update. I ordered a set of heavy duty leaf springs from JCWhitney for $200. The springs have 5 leaves compared to the factory 3. When they come in and I have them installed, I will also have a new set of heavy duty shocks put on as well. I hope it doesn't stiffen the ride to much. But for me, the extra stability is more important than a soft ride. I am going to look into getting a weight distributing hitch as well. I appreciate the comments and will post again when I get this equipment installed.

 

I towed a 500 pound motorcycle trailer with a 900 pound honda goldwing on it and my truck hated every minute of it. Going up a steep grade, i was going 35-40 in 3rd gear. If i was going to tow a travel trailer that size i would buy a heavy duty half ton or a 3/4 ton, but i would want to have at least 300 horsepower other wise its gonna suck. Also the rangers with the auto have tranny failures very prematurely if you tow with it. I worked for mazda roadside assistance a couple years back, i lost track of how many calls i got for b3000 and b4000 with the auto tranny's going out, and about 2/3 were either haulling or towing. I got more calls for that then flat tires. I only towed that one time, and i got a stick, so i have nothing to worry about.

 

35-40 mph with 1400 lbs in tow? Your truck must be messed up something. That's pathetic. My Ranger can pull a 4500 lb enclosed dual axle trailer up mountain hills at 50-55 without trouble. And my manual tranny is only rated at 3200lbs in this config. Maybe you had your trailer loaded wrong or something too.

 

As a retired State Trooper, would advise against towing a trailer that would have a GVWR greater than what is listed on the door sticker. The latest accident investigative regs. published by the federal DOT state that any vehicle that is towing a trailer with a higher GVWR than what is stated on the MFG door sticker should be looked at as the cause of the accident.

Not all states follow the DOT guidelines, alot do, and most insurance companies do also.

Now with that said, check and make sure the ball height, and the hitch height are the same. If you put too much spring in the back, the hitch height of the trailer maybe higher than the back bumper of the trailer. The goal is to keep the trailer level. It will tow alot easier level, with less side to side motion. Propper weight loading of the trailer helps a lot too.

Good luck.

 

Generally I agree about the GCWR, but here's the thing about my truck. It has a manual tranny and is rated for about 3200lbs tow capacity. In the same exact setup with an auto tranny, it's about 5400lbs iirc. Same suspension, steering, axles, gearing, brakes. Tranny is the only difference. Only thing at risk is my tranny/clutch.

 

If you look in your owner's manual at all the various tow capacities for the various equipment in your model year, you'll see that the Ranger's manual transmissions are rated much lower than the auto trans -- That isn't always true across the board for all vehicles when it comes to towing, so I believe this is a case of Ford knowing something about their equipment and what it can and can't do.

I can speak from experience using an 82 D150 with Slant Six (3.7L) and light manual (A833 3spd w/OD) and the trans was definitely the weak link in that rig; in fact even upgrading the Slant Six to a V8 didn't raise the tow rating.

Here's how not to do it:

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drm...899552,00.html

For the original poster, putting on a WDH will definitely make a difference because it will actually take some of that tongue weight and spread it across the front axle and the trailer axle -- In fact, the instructions for setting the hitch up want you to measure the truck from the ground, front and rear, without the trailer attached -- Then attach the trailer and set the adjustments (usually chain links) so that the truck sinks an equal amount both front and rear -- All this puts weight back up front, in proportion to the rear and lets the truck's steering, suspension, braking and general sway resistance work as designed.

BTW, you should weigh the trailer and then be sure the tongue weight is 10-12% of the total weight for regular towing (and more like 15% for WDH towing; see the instructions) -- If it's too light, it will cause sway.

People who have been towing RVs for years recommend not exceeding 75-80% of your load and towing capacity, because they are usually set for nice pavement, nice level towing at sea level and nice weather -- YMMV!!

Other things you can generally do are the stuf like HD suspension, LT tires (stiffer sidewalls = better sway resistance), better weight balance in the truck and shorten the hitch ball mount (drill new hole for pin) on regular hitch.

The whole thing is a series of levers (wheelbase, rear overhang, trailer tongue, trailer overhang) and pivot points (hitch ball, rear axle, trailer axle) and the objective is to take the sway that always exists (weight balance reduces it but can never eliminate it) and put it at the least mechanical advantage over being transmitted to the truck, esp the front end.

The article above is a 25 foot trailer behind a Sequoia; I dunno how a Sequoia compares to a 4.0 Extended Ranger in terms of suspension, wheelbase, etc., but they have to be close, compared to a F350, so it looks like you need to get it right....

Pete

BTW, just for the record, putting stiffer springs, air springs, air shocks, etc., between the rear axle and the frame may make the truck LOOK level, but it doesn't change the weight distribution by more than a few pounds -- Non-believers might want to go to a commercial scale, weigh front and rear axles, and then let the air out/pump up and see how much it doesn't change -- However, it will improve handling.

Towing isn't just pull-power, it's also about stopping and steering.