Who tows with small vehicles

Just bought this Ranger P.U. V6 Auto O/D. Book says 2,700 lb towing capacity. Hoping to tow my roadster on a single axle trailer. Roadster is about 2,000 lb, trailer I'm thinking close to 1,000 lb. With the right hitch and maybe air shocks. Well I want to hear form other people towing with smaller vehicles and what it's like.

 

I used to occasionally flat-tow/dolly light hot rods with my '64 econoline. It sucked ROYALLY!

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=473555

 

I wouldn't do it, mostly for braking reasons. Most states usually require trailer brakes after a certain amount of weight too. you wold have to wire in a 7 way on yr tuck, unless y trailer had a mater cylinder.

 

we have a 99 ford ranger and regulary use it to tow our 4000lb camper trailer. and have for the past 11 years. over 500k miles on the truck pulling that trailer everywhere.

 

Been there, done that. Scary ride if you are anywhere near the max towing rating. Get a full size truck or SUV.

Depending on your car trailer design, you may end up with too much weight on the hitch, so I'd recommend a weight transfer hitch. Otherwise you'll have very light steering and be begging to crash. We've all seen the guy going up the road with too much tongue weight, front wheels barely touching the ground, white-knuckles on the wheel.

IMHO the ideal towing rig is a fifth wheel, it puts the hitch pivot point over the rear axle of the tow vehicle and is the most stable configuration. Not to mention, the most maneuverable, and easiest to hook up.

 

I currently tow with a 98 dodge 1500 2 wheel drive.It's parked in the driveway beside my new tow vehicle....a 97 Dodge 2500 four wheel drive extended cab with an 8 foot box.After almost ditching the half ton while towing a very heavy car on my trailer I decided I'd like to live a bit longer.

 

I towed both a motorcycle trailer and a baja bug with my 69 Karmann Ghia. Never had a problem, although did stay off the freeways. I also had a Porsche 914 I towed the motorcycle trailer with. Also no problem. I worked for U-Haul for a few years in the 80's. We used to clamp a heavy hitch bar to chrome & aluminum bumpers of the day (think camaros & novas) and then hitch those heavy trailers on that. Then the car owners would fill em up with furniture and drive for 2000 miles. Remember that? My suggestion for your Ranger is get a frame reciever, watch your tongue weight, watch your tire pressures and stay off the freeway and higher speeds. A weight distribution hitch with sway control would help a lot also. Maybe you should just drive the hot rod?
Next up, all the horror stories... and photos

 

Tow vehicles that are too damn light (and not set up right) for the load is scary, just not enough mass to hold the road. Good trailer brakes will help a lot.

I have been setting up 1 ton's to tow heavy for years, which means that I have been setting up 6,000 to 8,000 lb trucks to tow trailers weighing as much as 18,000 to 20,000 lbs.

We have made these very safe and stable over the years by using good weight distribution, excellent braking systems, and ALWAYS dual wheels on the truck (and trailer for the heavy setups). More rubber on the ground means that excellent brakes will actually stop the vehicle.

In your case, I would be a little freaked out towing a load heavier than the tow vehicle unless trailer brakes are used and the unit feels good going down the road.

IMO if the trailer sways or fishtails it is unsafe. If your trailer pushes the ass of the truck down too much it is unsafe. If you wonder about making a panic stop it is unsafe. If the trailer "pushes" the truck around corners etc. it is unsafe.

Back to my point, you can pull it off if you approach it smart, get the tongue weight right, two axles on the trailer with good brakes on BOTH axles, good and oversize LIGHT TRUCK tires on the back of the Ranger and it CAN work.

 

What hitch and overloads are on the Ranger.

 

When I see a vehicle the same size as a ranger towing anything larger than a utility trailer, I get out of the way.

I have had a few incidents over the thousands of miles I have towed where I barely kept the tow vehicle/trailer under control. Due to this, I know that it is not in your best interest, or the for other drivers on the road to have an undersized tow vehicle.

Why dont you drive it?

 

I have a 2000. It has a towing package and can handle and has pulled 55 Chevys BUT mine has the 3.0 and is underpowered. The 4.0 is ten times the engine. Which one do you have?

 

I tow a large pop-up (close to 3K lbs) with my daily driver, BUT it has 4 piston front disks, is set up with a class 3 hitch and towing package (with tranny cooler) from the factory. Even with the larger front brakes, it was still a little scary when you had to brake heavy.
I installed a brake exciter and wiring kit for the pop-ups electric trailer brakes, MUCH better!

I think you're gonna find that set-up pretty scary.

 

You said it was a single axle trailer,that alone adds to the stability factor,all the weight will be on your ass of the truck taking away from steering ability.At least you asked instead of going out,wrecking your whole rig and maybe somebody else.Tried the same deal with an S-10 Chevy and it only took about 3-miles to see no way.

 

I tow my 47 plm with my 4 cyl mazda b2500 on a tow dolly all the time. Slow to start but it handle just fine on the freeway and around town. It's the same as a ford ranger. I would not go cross country like this but back and forth to shops and such works well for me it has a 2" ball with a 2000 capacity bumper hitch from dealer or factory.

 

A friend wanted to show off his lady friends new Anglia build but still wanted his A coupe at the show. It was only about a 10 mile tow.

 

Maybe with a light weight tandem axle trailer with a low center of gravity with 4 wheel brakes but not with a single axle trailer with that truck.

If you do decide to do it do as the guys above suggested and get an equalizer hitch and have a class three or better hitch bolted to the frame. Those two things make a huge difference. And damned good brakes on the trailer.

 

If the load weighs more than the tow vehicle its almost always a mistake. I'd get a bigger tow vehicle. You can get away with a lighter than load tower when the the truck is designed just for towing, like a big dually, but even then the heavier tow vehicle adds stability, safety and confidence.

I'm a big fan of 1-ton trucks for most the towing people like us do.

 

My PU is an '87 Ranger with a 460/auto. works just fine

 

That would cure my under powered issue

 

Like that guy said on the JAWS movie..

"yer going to need a bigger boat!"

 

Some years ago there were photos in Mustang Monthly of what happens when a concours Shelby is being towed in an inclosed trailer by ,hmmm an S-10 I think, & its passed by a big rig @ just the right moment to put it on its side in a ditch.....

 

1. Only use a dual axle trailer, pulls much better and also is safer if you have a tire problem.

2. Get a bigger truck or SUV to pull load. I pulled my 2000# roadster from Maryland to Atlanta with a 1/2 ton Chevy 4x4 and would not liked to use anything smaller. It ran perfect at 70 mph.

3. Stopping is the biggest issue with light tow vehicle and heavy load. Not safe at all.

Better safe than sorry.

 

Same thing happened when my exwife backed into the propeller on the plane.
Disaster.

 

these towing threads pop up all the time. people chime in with statements of unsafe towing and say they have never had any problems, as if that makes it OK.

by your own admission the truck is not rated to tow that load. sure you could get away with towing with that set up for miles and miles without troubles, but when the whole rig is on it's side in a ditch will it have been worth it?

 

Any tow vehicle recommendations with good fuel economy, comfort, convience?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

 

What uhaul did you work at/ I worked in the repair shop on reading rd for 29 yrs.

 

How many times have you seen too small a towing vehicle with boats on
Hwy 20 and thought to yourself,"That Guys Nuts!" ???

Fuel Economy? I get around 15mpg towing
Comfort? It's a king Ranch...
Convenience? Factory Tow Package and it's set up for Trailers with Electric Brakes.

Just remember this; "Too much Truck is better than Not enough"....

(The Tbird weighs almost 4k lbs and the F150 is 4wd)

 

I tow on almost a daily basis in all winter in the snow with my 94 Jeep Cherokee Sport. It's pretty small but rated @ 5000lbs. I have no issues towing my two up snowmobile trailer with two sleds loaded up. (probably around 2000lbs) I also towed a uhaul car hauler with my '29 Buick (chassis and body no motor) 500 miles or so.



Lately I've been thinking about picking up my own car hauler to tow around the camaro, and just to help move cars thats aren't running around town. Until I get the trailer and the car loaded up and see how it feels I'm not sure If I will use the jeep or my gf's 4runner (which is rated @ 7000lbs) The Camaro doesn't weigh much around 2800 or so...but I'm guessing that puts it right at that 5000 lb range with the trailer.

 

I guess until you've shit your pants trying to get a loaded trailer stopped, turned or straightened out.... everyone thinks their rig and their skill set can "handle" it.