I'm looking at buying a boat that weighs 2500. Will my ranger handle it.

 

1999 Ford Ranger super cab 2WD with 4.0l and automatic trans rates about 9,000lb for Gross Combined weight rating, GCWR.
Thats the weight of the truck with gear and passengers + the weight of trailer fully loaded

2WD Truck weight 3,300lbs dry, so maybe 4,000lbs with gas, gear and people?
That leaves 5,000lbs for trailer

4x4 trucks weight more so add 300lbs for that, so 300lbs less for towing

You have to do the math, you know what you will be hauling in the truck and boat for the weekend, lol.

Manual transmissions are not as strong as automatics, just the laws of physics, so manual trans 4.0l would have GCWR of 7,000lbs
So trailer would have to come in at 3,000lbs

Bumpers also need to be rated for max weight

Thats the LEGAL limits, illegal is any 4.0l Ranger would have no problem pulling 4,000lbs trailer, lol

If you have an automatic then you MUST HAVE a second trans cooler, best $65 you will ever spend, even if you never tow a trailer or haul a load in the bed, 2nd trans cooler is a MUST HAVE period

 

Need the bumper max weight. Can't find it, thank you.

 

Depends on the bumper

If there is just a hole in the bumper for a ball then it would be 2,000lbs max trailer weight, 200lbs tongue weight
If there is a square "receiver" under the bumper then receiver it is rated for 3,500lbs, 350lbs tongue weight

Good info here on 1999 Ford trucks and towing: http://hillerford.com/v2/resource_li...wing_guide.pdf

 

Thank you for your response to this. I called ford and they said max was 4000 trailer and up to 500 toung weight. The boat is half of all This weight. This is all with loading everything on the bumper. I am ordering a hitch for the truck. Do these numbers sound right

 

Just look at the Towing Guide posted above.

1999 Ford Ranger 4.0l XLT has MANY possible MAX towing weights
2WD or 4WD
Regular cab or extended cab
Manual trans or automatic
Rear axle Ratio
Type of bumper/hitch

These are all OPTIONS which play a part in MAX towing weight allowed

Only you can get the exact answer because you have the truck and know the above.

If the Ford Dealer asked you these questions or you gave them your VIN so they could look it up then yes, 4,000lbs max weight with 500lbs tongue weight
If you didn't give them your VIN or they didn't ask these questions then it was probably a salesman and sorely ignorant of towing capacities.