Hi all, I'm new here. I'll be needing to a tow a car that weighs approximately 2500 lbs. The only vehicle available to me is a '91 4 cylinder Ranger. I'm wondering if there is any chance that this truck would be able to tow that weight plus the weight of a dolley, or if I should just rent a U-haul truck. The Ranger is in good mechanical condition, but it's not exactly torquey. What do you guys think? Could this truck handle it?

By the way, this would be one time, for about 200 miles on the highway (except a few miles on back roads, not sure how many hills lol). Thanks!

-Travis

 

Is it auto or stick? If it's stick, you can't tow with it, legally anyways. I would not want to tow with a 4 banger ranger anyways since I had owned a 92 4 banger stick. That truck was VERY reliable but GUTLESS. I would never have tried to haul a thousand pounds with that truck, let alone 2500.

I believe the rating for an auto for your year is 2500 lb. The rating for a stick is "Not recommeneded." Also, don't forget that you would also have to add on the weight of the trailer on top of the weight of the car. I would try to find a friend with a bigger truck.

Gary

 

Thanks for the info. The truck is manual. Just curious, do you know why it is not recommended to tow with a manual? Is it not recommended because of safety/capacity, or because of clutch/tranny health?

-Travis

 

I believe the main reason is that the truck does not have enough low end torque. The transmissions do not have a granny gear to put alot of low end torque to the ground. The autos can put more torque to the ground because of the TQ Converter, therefore helping the truck take off better. Its not really because of health, but more of the fact that the transmission does not have the capability to haul substancial loads.

 

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I wouldn't attemmpt it if I were you. In addition to the lack of power and the probability you will do mechanical damage, I don't think the truck is large enough for proper control and braking if you're not very experienced.

 

If you are talking city driving, without hills, or high speeds, to tow something around the corner with a tow dolly, then it is doable.

As someone that has a 1995 Ranger 2.3L, 5 speed, I would say no.

You will just kill your truck and the brakes are not up to the task of stopping such a large load. I would not like to try merging with traffic going UP a ramp with that load, a diesel powered Chevette with an auto would probably beat you

Plus, the bumper is only rated for 2K and it bends very easily.

In the end I think it would be cheaper just to rent a one way DRW moving van to tow the dolly. I know Enterprise rents (Dodge) trucks fairly cheap.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll take your advice and just rent out a bigger truck or a van and a dolley. I wouldn't want to mess up the Ranger. It's a really nice little truck.

-Travis

 

That it is. This is my second Ranger, I miss the first one with the 4.0, though I like the second one with the 2.3L too, a bit better on gas at $2.50 a gallon :-)

 

Gary... PLEASE quote just one city, county, or state law that makes it illegal to tow with a Ford Ranger that has a stick transmission.
If you CAN'T Please stop from making statements you can't back up.

That is the stupidest statement I have seen in a LONG time.

 

I'm not saying the state is saying you can't tow with that vehicle. I NEVER said that, if you read my entire post. According to the manufacturer, they do NOT recommend towing with the 2.3L manual combination.

h ttp://www.trailerlife.com/downloads/02towingguide.pdf (Page 10 left column in the middle)
h ttp://www.trailerlife.com/downloads/03towingguide.pdf (Page 11 left column toward bottom)

Copy the links and take out the first space between H and T.

If you look at the first PDF file, you will see 2 different subdivisions: the manual and the automatic subdivision. If you look at the manual section, you will see the 2.3L is not present in that column. If you look under the automatic column however it is.

If you look at the second PDF file, they combined the manual and automatic ratings and separated them by a slash. If you look at the 2.3L, you will see a "N/A" for the manual rating and you see a rating for the automatic transmission.

Now, granted in the question the poster was referring to a 91 4 cylinder and these rangers are 2002 and 2003 rangers, but if it is not recommend to tow with these 4 cylinders where the horsepower is between 135- 143 HP, there is no way it is recommended to tow with that year where the HP is only 100HP. It is NOT recommend by the manufacturers to tow with the 2.3L 4 cylinder and manual transmission. Not everything with legality issues has to be from the state. And if you are caught over the GVW, GVWR, GVCW, or whatever other combinations you can think of, there will be penalties.

So is this statement stupid? Considering I have backed it up pretty well makes me believe that you have just made a fool of yourself. If anyone BESIDES Leader here thinks I am wrong or can correct me, please feel free to as long as you do it in a nice way and not make it a personal attack on me. Thank you

Gary

 

Leader - I understand the point you were making, and to some extent, the frustration in what you wrote. That said, you're way behind on the scoreboard and you should own up to it......

 

.COLOR=Blue]I don't recommend people that don't know what they are talking about give LEGAL advice but that doesn't make it illegal. Fords recomendations are NOT law. What the poster wants to do may not be wise but... It is NOT illegal[/COLOR]

 

You know what. You are not worth my time. Barebones even said that i had some pretty valid information and if you are too thickheaded to accept it, be that way. It's people like you that give this site a bad name when you personally attack someone. If you would have corrected me in a nice way, I would have been very open minded about it and probably accepted that I might be wrong but since your attitude from the beginning was you think I am Incompetent fool, forget you. You are making yourself look bad.

Just trying to be a good FTE member,
Gary

 

My 92 2.3 ranger manual tows 1,500 lbs just fine, but I have a receiver hitch and helper coil springs that are bolted to the axle and allows the frame to rest on them. It could probably pull the 2,500 pounds but only a short distance under 40 mph, I'd take it real easy on the clutch and brakes though... Granny it..