I'm hearing the same thing, but it's well into the future. Like the Crown Vic, the replacement isn't even on the drawing board, but they'll continue building it as long as there's a market for it. I wouldn't be surprised if Mazda had something up their sleeve, though.

 

Those rumours are interesting... unfortunately I don't have anything solid to say it would or wouldn't happen
Detriot is still working on it. Needless to say though that there are options if they want to replace with the Crown Vic or the Ranger.


BTW Monsta, have you ever been to parts of S.E. Asia???
If you reckon thats overloading a Ranger... well... try that with a tiny mini van powered by a 900cc triple.

 

I just hope Ford doesnt dump the ranger completly. There still a loyal following thats still around. If Ford does redesign the Ranger it will be an instant hit right off the bat. It will over take anything on the market right away. The Ranger is one off the toughest little trucks ever made. There are tons around that have 200,000 plus miles an are running strong. I know one that had 500,000 miles before they had to do anything with it. That kind off reputation is worth a lot. If the ranger disappears from Ford lineup it will be a sad day in the Ford world for a lot off people an the thousands off ranger fans. Its been 22 years since the ranger was introduced and wouldnt you know itrthere still some off those 1983 rangers still on the road.

 

Maybe but people don't really understand the Ranger IMO. For a little truck it is heavy, well over 5000lbs if I remember rightand is rated at 5500lbs for towing. Setup with an equalizer hitch like mine is it handles this type of load easy. I also have trailer brakes so braking is never an issue. Lock the overdrive out and the tranny is plenty good and I have 4:10 for rear gearing. I worked the 77 in that picture much harder then I ever did the ranger and it lasted 23 years before I blew the motor.

 

I'vs hauled close to 3000 lbs in the bed of my 93 Ranger. Granted the suspension was bottomed out, but it made it the 160 miles no problem. The Ranger is a great truck, even if it has declined in sales. I'm impressed that it still sells as well as it does. Now if they'd just offer it as a Crew Cab.

 

I would sure like to see the scale ticket of a stock ranger weighing over 5000lbs!! heck my 85 F150 2wd only weighed 4000lbs. My 03' CC SB 4x4 F250 tips the scales over 7000lbs but my dads 96' F350 dually 460 2wd only weighs in at 6k. so like I said it'll take a scale ticket to make me a beleiver.

I tow a camper that weighs in about 6500-7000lbs depending on what gear I have and there isn't a ranger out there thats gonna pull that comfotable. At best you'll be doing 35 up hills and any wind an you'll be all over the road. I think it a pretty tough little truck but there are some pretty big words about what this truck is capable of, many which I have to call B.S. on. The ranger towing the old ford on the car trailor, yes it can be done, is it safe??? no, is it good for the truck??? no, Should you be ticketed for doing something so dumb??? yes!!! what are you gonna do when that trailor begins to sway and you dont have enough truck to hold it to the ground, or when the trailor brakes fail or weaken and you cann't stop??? When I see things like that I just nod my head and hope you don't wreck anything, hurt yourself or anybody else!!! remember your not the only one on the road.

Just like putting 3k in the bed and drivng 160miles, I'm pretty sure you've exceed your Rear Axle Rating, possibly you tires depending on load rating, and I'm next to positive that it doesn't have the braking power to stop that load in ANY emergency situation. Have I ever overlaoded a truck, of course thats why I keep purchacing bigger trucks, I make sure I'm not only legal but also safe with what ever I'm hauling or towing.

The ranger is a great little truck but I do hope ford relizes they're falling behind with it in most every way, style, comfort, power ect ect ect. and refreshin and revive what the ranger has become so well known for over the years. Like I said before its a great lttle truck but is in need of a major refreshing. The I5 that GM has is light years ahead of the rangers V6, and to top it off it gets a lot better mileage. Now if they could only make or figure out how to make a 7000lb brick get decent milege, I'm begining to dream again so I best stop, lol.

 

Sorry about the weight read the wrong column. Its 3600lb empty. With the way I'm set at few hundred pounds over that. Add gas and driver/passenger/equipment I'm well over 4000lbs

No I would not buy this to pull even 5000lbs on a regular bases. But its what I got and it pulls it ok when I need to load it up like in the one picture. I never said it would do it comfortable, but safety is a matter of the shape of the equipment and the experence of the driver. My loads don't sway and if it did sway that is what the brake controller is for. I keep the speed down perfering back roads when loaded like this. My equipement is well maintained and is fully safety checked before I load the trailer, regardless of what I'm pulling. But I don't pull this type of load often, the reason I own the Ranger. That is also the largest load I every have pulled with it. It maintained the speed limit(55) on all but the steepest of hills.

Personnely, I hope they don't change the Ranger. It is the last small pickup on the market. Keep a 4 cylinder option, drop the 3.0, either boost the power output of the V6 or put the 4.6 V8 in it and add a small diesel option. When you look at the Dakota's and Colorado's they are just mini 1/2 tons, able to carry and pull what there low end 1/2 tons do but have a smaller volume. Give me a clear demarkation line between the trucks. A company should never compete with themselves.

 

Agreed on, there should be a clear line difference between a ranger and an F150. I think a redesign would be great but I wouldn't want them to make it any bigger. I just want to see it more refined, better power, more mileage, and the same tough rugged little ranger. A small diesel would be great and of course there should be the 4 cyl option. Is this asking to much, I don't think so. Although I think it's about time they have a competitive diesel market in the half tons, theres no reason why ford can't release the mini powerstroke, heck it's alread developed!!!! it may need some refining but the major development is alread finished so what gives. I know an overwhelming amount of people who would buy one including myself (maybe) for sure my dad and atleast two guys I work with. heck thats four out of maybe 10 people that I've discused this with whom all own gas pickups right now. I am a maybe on the 1/2 ton diesel depending on if I keep my current toys, or if I park the camper at the lake for the entire summer so I don't half to pull it every weekend, or vise versa with the boat. Unfortunatly I wouldn't ask any half ton to tow both as I do with my Super Duty V10. I do see it but it still comes back to saftey.

I'm a bit off subject but where is the diesel power/torque war gonna end??? I mean these trucks are getting to the point that they have enough power to tow magnificent loads and weights but theres a point where no matter how much power you have there just isn't enough truck for the load. I know a guy that tows 28 round bails behind a 1 ton duelly, and with the programer and ect he can run 65 with it but is it safe? can the truck actually handle it?? I think theres an overwheling number of diesel owners that think 600ft/lbs is plenty and would now rather have gas mileage instead of more power/torque. The mielage has went in the can with all the newfound power, heck I know guys with 6.0s that are only averaging a few mpgs more than my V10, WTF, there is no way shape or form they shouldn't demand better economy, ecspecially when paying 5k extra just for the diesel option. rant over, we can now get back on track.

 

Lol sorry for turning this threat around guys , but Ive seen way to many false statements about the Ranger! First off the Mpg is not a huge difference between the Ranger 4.0 and the Colorado, its barely enough to make me want one for the Mpg! The 4.6L V8 has already been put into a Ranger it fits really well actually. I could go on and on about all the false mess ive read, but I wont lol. Go to The Ranger Station.com if you want to really see what the Rangers can do and are all about!

 

I actually think the Ranger could possible get better mileage with the 4.6 than with the motors that are currently offered.

 

I tow my a 24' travel trailer 4000lbs dry weight plus another 300-400lbs gear,gas etc. I use a weight distribution hitch. I would certainlly not want to tow any thing heavier! I dont push my 05 4.0 4x4 ranger. It will get the job done but you can tell the engine and tranny are working fairly hard. I would not want to do any entended towing for sure. I live in ma. and I keep my camping trips in the new england area.

 

A 4.6L in a Ranger would do greta in the mileage dept...and it would haul some serious *** as well.

 

I can't complain about my Rangers mileage. It'll get as much as 24 on 2 lane highways going 60 with the 4.0. As far as the 3000 lbs (bricks, loaded to the front of the box and the tires are rated for that kind of load), it handled it quite well. The first 5 miles I made sure to test braking and sway with the idea that if it didn't feel right, to turn back and downsize the load. I kept it at a reasonable speed and had no problems. I wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis, but the fact is that it handled quite well with plenty of power going up and down rolling hills. This is what us Ranger guys love about our trucks, the ability to do more than what you would think a small truck should be able to do. If I had to haul this kind of load on a regular basis, I would move up to a SD, but for what I need a truck for, the Ranger is perfect.

 

I've got an 05 quad cab colorado with the 3.5 with about 16,000 miles on it. I wanted a Toyota tacoma (way better truck) but I got a suppliers discount and I couldn't get the Toyota anywhere near the price I got the colorado for. I would have considered the ranger but no quad cab and I think the sport trac is an ugly SUV/truck so ford was out.

First the negative:
At 3000 miles the rear main seal went out.
At 5000 miles the radio died
At 8000 miles the security system started shutting off the fuel for no reason
At 10000 miles the rear left window stopped working.

All I can say is this is why I lease new vehicles before I buy them. They can have this POS back when I'm done serving my time in it.

Now the positive:
It is a supperior ride to the ranger hands down. I know it's a little like compairing apples to oranges but the cab is more comfortable, the ride is better and it feels like more power to me then a ranger when towing. I laughed when I read that guys request for a 3/4t minimum for a 4500lb boat, this colorado could handle it with ease even though it's only rated at 4000.

When it's working it's a great little truck but every couple thousand miles I get reminded why I won't buy another GM product for a long time. I've been looking at 1 tons for my new service truck. GM is out, Dodge is not only a name but instuctions so that leaves Ford. Not a bad deal because Ford does know what reliability means anyway.

 

Funny you mentioned the radio- mine died last week. I pulled the fuse, started the truck and shut it off, put the fuse back in- and it works fine again. Almost like it had to reboot itself. (Microsoft makes radios? Who knew?) What did strike me was that this is my 4th new Chevy in the past year (2 Impalas and an Equinox), and the first failure of any type. Also had two Fords in the same timeframe (a F150 and a Freestyle), and had zero problems with them as well. My mileage on all those units totalled about 22,000.