I am going to be moving back to Texas in about 3 weeks. The total length of my trip is about 800 miles. I will be towing a 6'x12' UHaul trailer with all my junk inside. The dry weight of this trailer is listed as 1800 lbs and has surge brakes.

Here is the trailer I will be towing


Have any of you towed this trailer with a Ranger, and if so how'd it do? I have the OHV 4.0 and Automatic transmission with 4.10 gears. I'll be running my 31" tires with my 32" BFG's in the trailer.

I added a large, additional transmission cooler after the factory aux cooler to help with tranny heat since I know it will be quite hot this time of year.

Please advise. Luckily, there aren't too many mountains between northwestrn Kansas and south Texas I'm just kind of looking for what to expect with a decent sized trailer and a pretty long haul with it...

Thanks

 

You'll probably want to keep the overdrive off and keep the speed to about 60 mph or so, but you should have no trouble pulling the trailer. I pulled this sucker:



Which is a bit more than 1800 lbs! And I also had all this in the bed:




The round trip was about 400 miles, but my manual transmission is rated to tow less than your automatic. Just don't expect to get great mileage. I think I got about 13mpg over the trip.

 

I dont think you will have any trouble. I tow 2,500lbs like it was nothing. I always left overdrive on except for hills. It will be fine....I have 33s too

 

You should have no problem. Just make sure to load the trailer so there is at least 300 lbs on the tong. That will help to keep the trailer from whipping at speed. Check the trailer lights periodically when you stop, especially at night. It is also a good idea to check the trailer wheels when you stop for gas or other things to see if they are getting too hot. The bearings should be in good shape but you never know and being stranded out in the middle of nowhere with burned up trailer bearings or losing a wheel is not a good thing.

 

you will be fine...........

 

As stated, don't use OD (overdrive) and load the weight in the trailer evenly. Also, how many miles on the truck? Maybe do a trans fluid change as well... Other then that, as long as the truck is in good mechanical shape, you should be good to go...

 

You could get one of these, fill it up, tow the ranger, and spare putting the miles on the truck.
BTW, this 'move' wasn't planned. =\

 

Thanks for the advice.

I have 115K on the truck. The transmission has about 40K since the rebuild. I should probably do a flush, huh? I def don't want to rebuild it again...

 

^^^^ Do you have a heavy duty trans cooler? If not, it is cheap insurance. At 40K you really don't need to get the oil changed, but it wouldn't hurt.

 

where do you pick one up at?

 

I got mine at Advance Auto Parts in Houston,TX

Here's a pic of my wife holding the cooler.


I do have the factory trans cooler, and this one is plumbed after it.

 

then you will be more than good enough!