So I am going to be buying a new boat soon and I am not sure if ill be over the rating but my Ranger is a 2x4 3.0 w/ 4.10 gears. It is rated for 2360 but the 4.0 is rated for somewhere around 5860.. My question is will I still be able to tow more then 2360, I wouldn't tow as much as the 4.0 is rated for but since the trucks basically identical except the engine, could I get away with more then what the 3.0 is rated for? It would basically be for driving a little in the city to get to the highway then driving down the highway to the lake. I wouldn't mind having a slow acceleration either because as soon as I get up to highway speed I should be fine. Do you guys think this will be okay? Also I have no clue what the boat will weigh but it'll be a 16-17ft so it probably will weigh no more then 3500lbs.

 

Also I might add is that there are no hills or stops on the highway out to the lake.

 

how much your truck can tow depends on your truck: is it a manual or automatic transmission? regular or supercab?
these numbers are from my 2001 owners manual, but i think they are the same for the 2005 year:

4x2 with automatic transmission 3.0L edge regular cab: 4,012
4x2 with automatic transmission 3.0L edge super cab: 3,827

4x2 with manual transmission 3.0L edge regular cab: 2,553
4x2 with manual transmission 3.0L edge super cab: 2,365
rear axle gear ratio was listed as "all" in each weight application.

 

Yes you can, but your tranny isnt going to like you. I would get a tranny cooler and get that installed before towing it. I have towed 4,000lbs with my truck and it did ok. Not something I would do daily but it did ok. You will need a trailer with brakes and a brake controller for the truck. Don't even think that your truck brakes are going to like stopping the truck plus 3,500 lbs.

 

It is a manual and supercab, I have seen the numbers in the manual and my question was can I tow more then the numbers but stay under the 4.0 numbers. And just about ever single axle boat trailer out there doesn't have brakes. And why is it an issue if the 4.0 can tow it without them? Or are you supposed to get a brake controller and tow a trailer with brakes when towing that much?

 

HAVE FUN! That's all I'm gonna say.... But I got hills around me. Manuals in Rangers suck for towing...PERIOD. Now...if it had an upgraded clutch disc, I'd be saying differently because my truck tows like a dream now(3,000lb time to time towing), because of my gear change and upgraded clutch. I towed about 4k(tractor w/ bucket and tiller) when the truck was stock...and I could barely drive it the clutch was slipping so bad at only 40k on the clock.

Manual tow ratings are HALF the ratings of automatics.

Shoot....I blew up a manual trans with NO LOAD on it...the tranny ain't gonna like ya. But it is your truck....have fun.

 

I don't know about the clutch problem, my trucks at 55,000kms and it got a new clutch at 30,000 because the previous owner was to hard on it when starting and keep in mind that's kms. And the reason the manuals are half is because people don't know how to tow with a manual, but I do know how to tow with a manual.

 

so go for it then. Ranger manuals still aren't geared low enough in 1st to start at much of an incline with a decent load.

 

I have no hills what so ever for 300kms in all directions of where I'm going. But as far as towing it, will it be able to tow it after I slowly get going?

 

lol
Know how to drive a manual or not the manual in the ranger sucks for towing. First gear is way too tall. Either way it is your truck. You have shorter gearing so you may be okay. I'm not sure I would want to put that much weight behind a little ranger without trailer brakes on a regular basis. Again it will stop it... Eventually.
People tow more than they should all the time, just depends on what you're comfortable with. The ranger will do it, yes, but it is not going to like it. Pulling the trailer out of the boat ramp with a manual transmission, 3.0L and 2wd is going to be fun.

I pulled loaded up 6x12 tandem uhaul trailers quite a few times with my 98 ranger, 4.0L manual with 3.73's. It was a lot of work for it getting it moving with the hills in Oregon. It did it but again it wasn't fun and the clutch didn't last super long. Stopping was horrible, even though the trailers normally had the crappy hydraulic brakes.

 

I never thought about the boat ramp, if the boat/trailer was below or near the max trailer weight of the 3.0 do you think it would still be able to do it?

 

It will probably pull it out over weight. I'm just saying, I don't think it will be fun. You will be revving the engine and dropping the clutch to get it out I think.
I just hate seeing people buy too much trailer for their truck, whether it's a boat, camper, whatever.
Maybe you can find someone with a boat that will let you try it out behind the truck?

 

I have towed my race car on a trailer with my manual transmission Ranger since I bought it Dec 2001. The total towed weight is around 3,500 lbs plus an additional 800 lbs on the bed. It does just fine. I still have the original clutch with almost 100,000 miles on it. The transmission works as good or better than new. I do have the 4.0 SOHC engine which makes towing up grades much easier but your Ranger should do OK towing 3,500 lbs. Just take it easy when getting moving from a stop. Don't rev the engine high and let the clutch slip a little until it gets moving. If you rev it high to get moving you will burn the clutch.

You will have a problem pulling out of the water on a ramp. If you had 4WD, you could put it in low range to pull it out of the water. The lower gears will help but if you have tall tires at 31" or more the low gear are not going to work as well.

I am pretty sure the manual transmission for the 3.0 has a lower 1st gear than the 4.0. So, that will help a lot to get it rolling.

 

Well actually that sounds like a good idea, I think I'll ask some family friends of ours if I can do that.

 

Diesels Cheaper then gas around here!

 

I have white socks but what does that have to do with this thread?

 

With my truck nearly every weekend I have 3 quads (1800 lbs) + Trailer (1000 lbs) + gear and gas (100?) + 3 fat asses (600, wow lol). That's about 3500 lbs. My truck has 3.73's manual with 265's. As long as I don't slip the clutch out, and am careful when and where I shift, I am fine. I bet you my power output is similar to yours with the gearing and tires I have, and the fact that is has swallowed about a gallon of dirty *** water. As long as you don't expect to go fast, and are not an idiot, it shouldn't be too bad. Mind you I am basing this on my regular drive which is only like 15 mins at the max, with a couple of hills thrown in.

In the end its your truck, its what your comfortable with.

 

You have white ones today eh? I was contemplating that, but I figured I was going to get grease on them, so I got some nice woolly ones. Man they look sharp with my sandals!

 

I have towed 11,000lbs (not including the ranger) with my 4.0

However it should be noted that I towed this, weekly, about 160ft... forward, then backed it up 160ft.... My truck, while not a happy camper during this ordeal did handle it better than I anticipated, and conquered this feat when EVERYONE who has bigger trucks told me it was 'too big for my little ranger'