well i am thinking about getting a camper, one of thoes ultra light kind.. i havent look at many models yet.. waiting for the RV show to come to town in early Jan.

i was looking around a Jayco's web site and found these specs....

Gross vehicle weight (lbs.) 3500
Unloaded vehicle weight (lbs.) 2780
Hitch weight (lbs.) 405
Cargo carrying capacity (lbs.) 720
Measurements
Exterior length 17' 11"
Exterior height w/AC 114"

is that pushing it for a ranger...? i think its got to be REALLY close to its max.. and keep in mind ill probaly have gear in the bed too...

heres a pic of what i am talking about...

 

I think it might be pushing it. I had a twin axel 16' flatbed witha load on it probally around 3000lbs and going at higher speeds(60+) it was getting hard to keep up with anybody and mine is the 4.0 too.

 

go with a dual axle. single will sway at higher speeds. keep with jayco, my parents have owned 2 of them and their great. how many people are you going to house and if their kids, how old.

andrew

 

humm... maybe ill have to think about getting a pop up... the same company (Jayco) makes some really nice popups and i think they only way around 2000lbs...

i dont want to add any ware and tear to my truck either... with that in mind i think a pop up is the way i should go...

 

umm for now it will probaly be just me and my wife... possible some friends.. but mainly the wife and i... then in a few years i am sure we will have kids and take them so.. just a family thing...

 

i've towed a 20foot hi-lo, about 250miles, probably half was city. I didn't have too many problems with it. My only concern was that when i backed off the throttle around 65mph, it seemed to continue to "push". kindda felt like it was wanting to walk the back of my truck sideways. I wouldn't do that often with my truck after that.

I've also been considering a camper for about a month now. I have pop-ups. The canvas is a pain to care for, and it attracts bees in the morning. But if it is just for you an the wife for now, look into these http://www.teardroptrailersexpress.com/
they look small, but trust me, i spent 3 hours at the dealership two weeks ago. They are amazingly big. I am 6 foot tall, i had 3 inches from the head board to my head, with about 6inches from my feet to the end. I had the salesmen, who was abuot 5'5", and ...well... BIG-300lbs- lay next to me, plenty of room in the smallest camper. they weigh less then 1500[think they told me 750lbs]

Why pay 15K for a new pop-up, or 4 grand for a 5+ older pop-up that could have problems, and who knows what it's been through, these 3 grand and up to 6. For something brand new. and cool looking. I'm planning on getting one after the RV show up here.

 

invest in a trailer brake. depending on what kind of trailer you have they have brakes built into the axles and you can get a modulator that you put on your dash or under your steering wheel. it automatically applies the brakes to the trailer whenever you brake. not only does it slow you down quicker, it keeps your back end from walking sideways. anymore questions or problems you have just pm me

andrew

 

i wouldnt worry about it being too much, just use sense when towing it, i pulled a 23' OLD camper about 30 miles before and beleive me it wasnt an ultralight, you'll be fine...

 

My parents are getting a 19' in february, and it weights 3100lbs i believe, thats more then my 3.0 can pull but i'll probably be pulling it.

 

its not a good idea to pull a trailer with a 3.0 because you can over stress the engine and trans. my parents pulled a 27' camper trailer with a 93 aerostar and blew the trans and seased the engine. were over achievers.

 

i am definatly not going to be towing anything if its "over rated" for my truck... ill be towing for hundreds of miles at a time.. i kind of already have my first trip planned.. i have alwas wanted to go to Mammoth Caves in Kentuckey it will be i am guessing about 300 mile each way... so i dont want to chance anything...

is there anything i could add to the truck to make it have better maners whille towing a 2000lb pop up? AAL, bama tuner, hitch with sway control, ect.. i already plan on getting a trans temp guage for christmas so that should help :-)

 

this pop up is really nice...

Jay Series 1206
Weights
Unloaded vehicle weight (lbs.) 2400
Approx. hitch weight (lbs.) 305
Gross vehicle weight rating (lbs.) 3450
Cargo carrying capacity (lbs.) 1050
Measurements
Travel length 18' 8"
Campsite length 22' 10"
Approx. travel height 56"
Tank Capacities
Fresh water capacity (gals.) includes water heater 23
Other
Sleeping capacity 5-7

 

and that model 1206 comes standard with electric brakes...

man i cant wait for the RV show... ill get to see some of these in person...

 

I honestly didn't read everyones replay but I am thinking about getting a camper also and have done plenty of research in this kind of thing.

Big question do you have a stick or automatic ?

It makes a big difference in what your truck is rated to tow. It has been beat to death why in many other threads, just go with me on this. If you have an auto I can tell you with 4.10 gears and a 4.0L your truck is rated for like 5,000 lbs or more trailer, with a stick it is only rated for about 3,800, so either way both of the trailers you talk about here would do just fine. With a stick you will have to be a better driver and pay attension to your rpm's and keep the rpm's in or around your peek power. Another tip let the transmission do the work for you and down shift sooner.

 

yeah its an auto... i remeber hearing/learning in tech school about how autos can tow more.. something with the torque(sp?) converter or something...

but from what i have learned.. the rated towing capacitys are based on what a vehical can stop/slow down safetly be cause we all know that the 4.0 can tow alot more that the rated 3200lbs or what ever it is... but the short wheel base of the ranger would have a hard time stopping that weight...

so i would think with surge brakes/electric brakes you would be able to tow more than usual...

 

You can cheack your owners manual, but i can tell you with an auto, 4.0L and 4.10 gears your truck is rated for like 5,000 lbs of trailer, you will have no problems with a camper around that weight, one with electric brakes make it that much nicer but i think you would be fine without them.

 

Have you considered one of these ?

http://www.fourwheelcampers.com/home.htm

 

I've towed many a car trailer and let me tell you, GET THE TRAILER BRAKES!!! The difference is night and day. Would you drive your truck with only 2 brakes? I doubt it. That's what it's like without trailer brakes. It's only a couple hundred bucks, which isn't much to pay for safety especially if you are going up and down mountains. As for the truck pulling it, my owners manual says I can pull something like 5500 lbs with mine 4.0L, auto, 4.10 gears so, you should be fine. On the 3.0L let me echo the trans overheating issue. Mine did twice (thanx dad!) and it's an expensive fix.