Ok so this has been bouncing around in my head for weeks now its driving nuts. I need opinions. I am looking at buying a camper not sure what kind yet. I have a manual tranny. By now it has been discussed to death that manuals are not rated to tow as much weight as auto's(if you don't know why do a search there has been alot of post on this topic). I am thinking if I get a pop up camper to get a nice one with a taller inside(I am about 6 foot 8) they still come close to the max tailor weight of my truck. Some say its ok to tow what the automatic version of my truck is rated for as long as you don't have to get it started at the bottom of a hill. Well what if I am hooked to the trailor and that happends there I sit at the bottom of a big hill and I got to get it rolling. Then what ? I also think I would be happy with a pop up camper but they sound like more work then a travel trailor or 5th wheel. I have priced F-150's and F-250's and have decieded that a F-250 with a 5.4L is with in my budget(post a few things being paid off). I kind of feel that if I did some mods to my truck to increase torque(chip, head work, maybe cam when availible, and better clutch and maybe 4.30 or 4.56 gears) that maybe I can do it with my truck. However my wife kind of thinks that all that, is alot of money and might not really be a fix for the problem but more of a band-aid on it. I think if we get a F250 we will not use it a whole lot except for pulling the camper which will be about every other weekend. On the other hand prior to us think about getting a bigger truck we had discussed getting a convertible mustang just as a toy. If we don't get a bigger truck we could get the mustang. Also being a new home owner we constantly buy big thing wood, drywall ect, and we are still moving stuff from our parents houses to our new home and my 6 foot flareside just is not enough bed sometime, so a F250 with a 8 foot bed would be handy. What do you think either way I plan on keeping my ranger as an off-road toy.

 

f250 w/ a 5.4 will cost a whole lot in gas...

why not find a good used olderbody style f250 diesel w/ 200,000 miles or less... that will handle your towing needs, and not break the bank...

 

^---look for a Pre-98 f250 or 350 with a PSD. 1994.5-1997 are the best years for a diesel pre and u can get them for 8-15K.

 

id regear higher and put some power under the hood then get a trailer. course thats just me.

 

yep im going to say get an old f150 or f250 with a diesel in it. and use it just to tow and that kind of stuff and then just get the mustang! lol....

 

what? i know this is a double post but i dont believe the whole thing about the autos better then the man.... i used to tow my boat with my truck and i have a man.. but since i got lifted i use my moms exploder and shes got the 4.0 and an auto and that thing cant tow worth a ****... is it true? well i guess thats why im going back down.... well back on topic....

 

Its not really so much that they can't tow, or autos tow better, its that clutches have to slip in order to get it moving, gettting it moving from a stop at a bottom of a hill is hard to do with a clutch.

 

Yes, my brother has a 97 F350 4x4 PSD and his highway fuel economy is comparable to that of my 4x4 Ranger.

 

our 99 f250 powerstroke gets about the same as my 3.0 ranger...

 

I just find it strange that Ford posts the average MPG of Rangers and F-150 trucks, but buy a F-250 or larger and no data is given
likely do to weight classification, but most consumers (especially with today's fuel prices) would like to know
I am sure Ford has the emperical data, but does not post it because they do not have to

 

I'm with Christian...older 150 or 250 with the 7.3. If you have a friend who is an ASE tech at a Ford Dealership or know someone they can get you the DiabloSport Chips pretty cheaply. If you don't know anyone let me know and I'll see if I can't talk my dad out of one....he has like 10 of them.

 

I think the answer just came to me all of a sudden. An automatic ranger would meet my towing needs. I guess there are no rules about having 2 rangers in the same driveway. So I think its between an auto ranger, older F250 w/PSD, the idea of an explorer with 4.6L V8 has been thrown around as well. From the campers I have been looking at I think around 6,000 # of max trailor rating would do good.

 

I got three words...Power Stroke Diesel.

 

ok 6,000 lb camper on a ranger...mmm dont think so. opt for the 94 1/2-97 f-250 with the PSD.

 

Trash the camper idea and do some REAL camping...in a tent, or better yet, get a bivy sack with NO tent! Then, take the money you save and get the mustang!

 

Well I said around there, that was a worst case kind of thing. If we end up with a camper that heavy yeah we will have something at least V8 powered.

 

Convince my wife that. LOL

 

keep the ranger

 

Oh yeah that is for sure the plan 100 % this baby is not going anywhere.

I think pretty much we are getting another truck/SUV to be our tow beast. It will be a FORD for sure. What that will be we are not 100% set on yet. I think an F-150 with 4.6L is looking like a good first choice. Explorer or Explorer sport trac or Ranger with auto are all being concidered. If I happen to find a used F-250 with a power stroke under the hood that could find its way to my driveway also.

Thanks for everyones in put by the way.