I have a 3.0 2005 Ranger supercab 3.73 rear axle with the class III tow package and had the tranny flushed last year. I'm looking to tow a VW Beetle with a Uhaul full trailer that has brakes. It's about a 2 hour drive with level terrain. Will I be able to do this with my truck? Total weight of the trailer with the car will be almost 4000lbs.
I can't use a dolly because the brakes on the Beetle are locked up from sitting for over 10 years.
Thanks for any help with this. I've been researching this for a day and find a answer.

 

"May" you tow it or "can" you tow it.

2005 3.0l is rated as 2,600lbs maximum combined trailer/load weight
So you "may not" tow it, legally
Has U-haul OKed it?

Your trailer hitch may also only be rated for 3,500lbs, have a look at its sticker

Can you tow 4,000lbs, yes, you can but..............truck only weighs 3,200lbs, so you will get pushed around.
Tongue brakes are OK but they react after your brakes are applied, so there is a lag.
Electric trailer brakes would be better as you can set them to "drag" so you don't get pushed around as much.

Also be aware that when you are trying to back up a trailer with tongue style trailer brakes "it thinks" you are putting on the brakes so trailer brakes come on.
There is usually a reverse lock you can set for backing up.


The thing about may and can is a legal point, so be aware that your insurance company can "walk away" if you have an accident while operating any vehicle outside of it's recommended range.
Even if trailer weight has nothing to do with insurance claim, doesn't matter, they have an out so they take it.


Is it possible to take some tools with you and remove brakes on rear wheels then use the car dolly?

 

If I remember correctly the stick on the hitch had a sticker for 3500 and 5000lbs. From what I looked up the truck weighed about 3450lbs. Also from what I've read it said the ranger can't handle more than 6000lbs GCWR. So with all these numbers, I don't know what to go by.

 

GCWR = Gross Combination Weight Rating, it is the maximum allowable combined mass of a towing road vehicle, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle, plus the mass of the trailer and cargo in the trailer.

So nothing has changed

6000lbs is the maximum weight for the truck plus any people or gear in the truck and plus the trailer's loaded weight.


So if truck weighs 3450lbs and you weigh 150lbs then that's 3,600lbs
So your total trailer weight with load should be 2,400lbs or less

3,600LBS + 2,400lbs = 6,000lbs, Gross combined vehicle weight limit, GCWR.

As said you can tow 4,000lbs, assuming trailer hitch can handle it.
But you May Not tow 4,000lbs

 

Ya know thats interesting, I tow 2 face cords of fire wood in a 7x14 single axle trailer (no trailer brakes) 5-6x a year with out any problems.. trailer itself weighs somewhere in the ball park of 1400, and you figure between 1,000-1200lbs per face cord...

so 4000lbs total weight? somewhere in that area? 2400lbs towing capacity seems awfully light...

I remember reading somewhere my truck is rated for like 9500lbs truck load and trailer?

this is how you do it...

Max out air pressure for all 4 tires on your truck, look at the tire, forget the door.

hook up, dont forget to cross your chains... give yourself atleast 2x the stopping distance. and upon accellerating take it easy.. people will go around you... let them.. do the speedlimit do not speed!

If the truck and trailer feel 'bouncy' your load isnt balanced correctly on the trailer, not really a big deal but makes for a bumpy ride. try to put the heaviest part directly over the axles.

take wide right turns, and dont try to 'make the light'

edit: found it, yes my 04, 4.0 can tow up to 9500lbs truck trailer and crap
http://www.fordf150.net/specs/04ranger.php

edit II take a look here:

http://www.new-cars.com/2005/ford/fo...cs.html#towing

 

Isn't 9500lbs including the weight of the truck also? Mine is listed for 6000lbs but you have to take off the weight of the truck from that from what I can tell. Which means I can't tow 6000lbs.

 

right so take the weight of my truck off that 9500, means i can tow 5500lbs.

what size rear drums are on your truck?9inch or 10?

 

Have no clue of the size of the drum. I just know it was bought with the tow package installed by Ford.

 

Tow package means it has lighting hookup for trailer, heavy duty shocks on rear, upgraded trailer hitch, and if an automatic a second transmission cooler.
Tow package doesn't change the rated towing capacity at all.
i.e. a 2005 3.0l ranger with or without tow package will have the same GCWR

The trailer hitch lbs rating is not related to vehicle lbs rating, vehicle rating is the maximum load.
Class I hitch has 2,000lbs max.
Class II hitch has 3,500lbs max.
Class III hitch has 6,000lbs max.
Class IV hitch has 12,000lbs max.
Class V hitch has 18,000lbs max.

If you put a Class V hitch on a Ranger you still "may not" tow 18,000lbs trailer, lol, although I do think "can not" would also be a problem.

"Can" and "may" are still the point.
If you have a class II hitch which would be likely with a tow package since it can tow 2,600lbs trailer, and a class I can't.
Class III would be overkill

Class II is only rated for 3,500lbs but 4,000lbs would probably be OK.
So the "can" part is within reason.

But the "may" part is not in doubt, you "may not" tow a 4,000lbs trailer with a 2005 Ranger 3.0l

 

I understand what you're saying RonD. I backed out of buying the Beetle now cause I didn't want to mess up my truck. My hitch is a class III and just all of these numbers confused me.
The truck is actually my wife's. It was her first vehicle and one of the reasons we got together, so the truck is a little special to both of us. I've had owned two Rangers before meeting her, but had to sale them for one reason or another. Reason why I don't want to mess it up.

 

[QUOTE=RonD;2094711]

The trailer hitch lbs rating is not related to vehicle lbs rating, vehicle rating is the maximum load.
Class I hitch has 2,000lbs max.
Class II hitch has 3,500lbs max.
Class III hitch has 6,000lbs max.
Class IV hitch has 12,000lbs max.
Class V hitch has 18,000lbs max.

I just purchased a used hitch from a local auto recycling store. Came off of a 2008 ford ranger. I was told it was a class 3, but now that im home looking at it i see 3500LBS max with direct weight and 5000 lbs max with weight distributing (torsion bars). I guess i got a class 2 hitch? Lame.

Also, regarding the whole "Can" and "May" argument. To muddy the waters further, Your transmission plays a large part in what you "may" pull legally, but not what you "Can" pull. I have a 2007 manual transmission 4.0L. I May only pull 3100lbs Max. But another vehicle identical to mine except with a Automatic tranny May and can pull 5000lbs. I have the same truck - so i can also pull 5000lbs. but my insurance company wouldnt like it. Reason being is the same reason we have countless other stupid laws. We cater to the idiots. Idiots who cant drive manuals so manufacturers must rate manual transmission towing capacity lower to stop amateurs from frying clutches. (at least this is the reasoning i have been given and am led to believe).

 

Bummer about the hitch.

Actually I think the tow rating difference between manual and auto is more of a Down Hill thing.
Reason I think that, is that the "powers that be" could give a "rats a$$" about someones clutch wearing out, lol.
But being out of gear and not being able to downshift to slow down could cause runaway issue on a manual but would be very hard to do in an automatic.
And a runaway rig effects other drivers on the road.

But just guessing on my part.

It all comes down to people doing things beyond their skill set, "on the job training" often doesn't work out so well for other drivers on the road, we have ALL seen that, almost daily.

 

Very good point. I like that theory, makes a lot of sense.