I have a 98 Ranger with a 4.0 and a tow package. I am wondering If I can tow a 5th wheel? Any helpful hints?

 

Please tell me you're kidding. Most fifth wheels are too heavy even for an F150. There might be an ultra light weight fifth wheel out there that is technically within the tow limits for the Ranger, but I would not recommend towing anything larger than a small travel lightweight travel trailer with the Ranger at best. It's as much of a control issue as it is a weight issue.

 

Nothing personal, but are you crazy or just have a death wish? Based on your question, it would be logical to hook a 53' tractor trailor to my Expedition. In other words, no.

 

a 5th wheel hitch alone would probably set the back of your truck down 3/4 of an inch....please dont try this

 

I agree with the other guys. They are giving good advise for sure. The Ranger is fine for towing a small utility trailer with a couple dirtbikes or an ATV or some lawn care equipment, but anything more than that is just asking too much from that little truck. Look into buying a used F250 or F350 if you want to tow a travel trailer or fifth wheel.

 

The Ranger has a maximum 5,600 lb. tow capacity and almost 10,000 lb. GCVW rating when properly equipped. I think you guys are being a little too harsh on this guy. It's possible that he could tow it...but we need details first. How big is this 5th wheel in question?? There are different sizes you know.

 

WXboy, it also has to do with stability as well as payload. 5600 lbs would be by far the lightest fifth wheel I've ever heard of, and more than 1000 lbs of that would be on the truck. I'm not even a fan of 1/2 ton trucks towing fifth wheels for the stability reason.

 

We do have small fifthwheels (21') available. The unloaded vehicle weight is 4200#, these can be towed by mini pick ups. I am not trying to sell anything but if you look for it you'll find it somewhere.

Toyman

PS: I personally would never tow anything of good size with a mini pick up, so save all of your comments for another time.

 

I have pulled 5500lbs with a 3.0 3.73LS 5spd and It pulled fine but stopping was---??? and getting passed by larger trucks<-this white boy no likey--hahaa helliva ride but pulled for the most part fine 3rd gear 70mph at 4500RPM for 25miles getting 9mpg--with a ranger doing it PRICELESS
Know that's what my 250 is for hhhaaahhh!!!!!!!
and PLEASE watch your rear AXLE wieght!!!!!!
Yes I pull big with my 78 I know i'm over at the last load I pulled was 15K and the truck is rated for something lik6700lbs but I have PLEANTY of room left on my axlesand GREAT BRAKES to boot. MY GAWR is 6800lbs and i'm at 5k with moble 1 fluid--that good for 1k extra right??hhhaaaahhhh!! MAN I'm in a happy mood..I wander how long it'll last
yes I would pull one i'm crazy with a death with but for other poeples sake have Good truck/trailer brakes and a FA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTT trans cooler with a fan

 

I tow a 21' Glide Lite 5er (5800 Lb. GVWR) with a 97 F250 HD. No way in hell I would try to pull it with a smaller vehicle. You can do what you want but I would not recommend it. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

> I am wondering If I can tow a 5th wheel

Doing it and it being a recommended thing are different animals. I had a 1997 Ranger 4.0 x4x 5 spd and I would not tow over a 3000 pound trailer with it. The problem is not going, it is stopping going down a hill.

I think it would be way too much for a Ranger, just on weight of the trailer. The bigger trucks have larger wider beefier frames, much larger axles, and much more real world torque V-8s. Their larger frontal area increases the frontal area they can tow.

One thing you should remember about the weight rating is sq. frontal area. You are not allowed much when going by the Ford data books. I have not checked a recent book though I remember it being about 20-30 sq feet minus exposed area. Something you should check out.

 

We have a 19' Scamp 5th wheel (okay, technically it's a gooseneck). It weighs in at 2500# dry, 400# hitch weight, and tows fine with our 93 4.0 Ranger.

Gerry.

 

pStar, welcome. Don't mind the tone of some of these guys. They may seem harsh, but they really mean well. In the interest of yourself/family and the rest of us on the road these forums are a good sourse of dialog. So ask away.
For those of us who own smaller trucks they do make ultralight 5ers that are 24 ft and have a loaded weight of 4200 lbs.
Granted behind a ranger, stability may be a concern and as my wife commented it would look funny gong down the road.
But hey I am no expert. Gather all the data of both your truck and trailer and contact Ford. Hopefully before you buy the trailer unlike my error.
Cheers
Ric

 

Quite honestly, I don't think anybody intended their reply to be harsh and cold; rather, I feel they were trying to be emphatic. They don't want you and your family hurt or killed by trying to pull too much weight with too little truck.

The Ranger hasn't the torque nor the horsepower to move such a weight with such a frontal area; it hasn't the clutch strength to hold up and pull that kind of load; it hasn't bearings in the rear end to handle that kind of tongue load; it hasn't the cooling capacity to dissapate that much extra heat; the suspension can't maintain control with that kind of burden; the frame isn't strong enough to handle the flex alone created by a rig such as that on uneven surfaces; and the brakes surely can't stop it.

Years ago, another company had a commercial in which their half-ton truck towed 187 TONS of logs on a level road. Impressive? Seemingly so. However, they did not tow it a long distance. Secondly, the load exerted no weight upon the suspension to carry as each trailer was a full trailer so there was no tongue load on the truck. Thirdly, they towed it in a toally straight line on a level road. They did not even try to change lanes with 187 tons behind the 1/2-ton. Fourthly, they didn't even dream of showing the driver trying to STOP that rig!

It's like that line from the movie Jurassic Park: Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD do it!

 

I have a 93 Ranger 4.0L 7' bed and I tow all the time /w a 12' inclosed trailer. The wight of trailer /w load is about 3000, I once had it up to 4000 + /w some load in back of truck I can say I could handle it safely if driving right but I wasn't conferrable /w it, the front end went up and shined the headlights in peoples faces.
I have seen the newer gooseneck trailers on Rangers on the road before, trailers now days wights allot less then the older day trailers

Things I made up

You can tow anywhere if you tow in the Bay area (CA) that people pulls in front of you and stops on a dime going down hill.
Good Towing is knowing your truck can safely tow w/o burning up
Good towing is not having adrenaline at any time while driving
You know something went wrong when you are parked in the sand in the semi-truck emergency stop area going down the Sierras
You know your truck can tow good at the end of the tow you feel good
While at the transmission or brake shop you wished you had a bigger truck or better cooling
Its so embarrassing that you didn't hook your trailer up right that your trailer is down the embankment that you just leave it there and call a tow co. at the next town