Had to do something, getting beat up at the gas pump in the full size, found an '02xlt 2.3 5 speed in pretty good shape. Be damned if I don't like driving the little thing.

The trucks history is it was a "towed vehicle" behind one of those huge RVs. It has 80,000 miles on it now. My question is would the odometer roll or clock miles when it was being towed??? I've heard both yes and no. It has a traditional mechanical in appearance odometer in the cluster, not electronic read out.

I know the truck has rolled that distance, but towed is different than driven.

Thanks, Jim.

 

If the tires are moving but the vehicle is off, then the miles would not be recorded. The same would be if the car is pushed and the engine is off. For miles to be recorded, the engine and the transmission are engaged, and, of course, the odometer has to be functional.

 

Speedo/odo is electronic, key needs to be on for it to tick mileage.

 

I had a 95, 2.5L, with the tow setup on the front and an RV Asscociation/Camp sticker on the windshield.

Great truck, 24 mpg and sometimes better.

Not sure when the electronic stuff cut in but if your Odometer is an LCD Digital readout then it is electronic and as stated above mileage comes in with the key on.
Mine was manual speed-o and racked up milage on the rear axle, the engine ran like new.

 

Mine is the same way, not a digital read out, mechanical "looking" set of rolling numbers in the gauge cluster. I guess if it is truly mechanical I should be able to find a drive cable from the output of the transmission.

How would you tow one flat, on all four with the key out of the ignition, steering wheel locked?? At some point the fronts would steer to follow the tow vehicle. My steering lock is functional with the key out, first unlocked steering position of the switch is on............maybe I am seeing things wrong???? Do they leave the switch in the on position when towing............IDK???

 

If you left the truck on while towing it the battery would die on the trip.

Sounds like they disabled the wheel lock so you can tow it with the key out.

You have no speedo cable the the computer uses the VSS to drive the speedo and odo.

 

So further web searching agrees with no clocking of miles on the odometer with the key in the off position.

The steering lock on this truck is functioning. Found some reference to RVers having the lock pin removed on some vehicles, doubt the seller would have had that change put back at trade time. Found a bunch of reference to putting the ignition in the accessory position to unlock. Put my truck ignition switch in accessory and the steering wheel does not unlock.

In the grand scheme of things it doesn't make a difference to my ownership of the truck but the curiosity is getting under my skin.

Any RVers up in here???? How did you flat tow your ranger. I can't imagine trouble free flat towing with the steering lock, would have to have the key in the on position, then the odo would be clocking miles. Still would have the issue of the battery. I guess you could unhook the battery, key on, then tow. Would still have a hot battery at your destination. The truck has a harness added for illumination of the stop lights just like a trailer, connector under the front bumper.

 

Turning the key backwards will do nothing for the wheel.

There is 3 positions going forward, first unlocks the wheel, second is on or run, and third is start.

You need to turn the key about half way to run to unlock the wheel and the truck is still off.

 

Yea, I sat there in the driveway thinking about it this evening. There are actually two off positions in the travel of the switch. From the position the key would go in the ignition, steering wheel in lock, there is one detent forward, just past the point the lever that has to be depressed to get the key out falls in, wheel unlocked, power off. Next detent is on, key then rotates around to start and falls back to on when released. There is of course the accessory detent one back from where the key is free to pull. So all you need to do is put the key in and turn it one detent forward, power off, wheel unlocked.

Mystery solved, at least it was a mystery to me.