Alright I have a 01 4.0 L, auto, V6 Edge with flaresides and I was told that it is rated to tow up to 5000 lbs or 4800 something like that. I will be buying a boat (Xstar or other Vdrive wakeboarding boat). So with trailer I'd be pulling around 4000lbs or so. I will have a hitch installed and at the same time have a transmision cooler. I realize this isnt the ideal rig to pull such a boat but thats what I have to work with and I have heard from one other person that they tried with their truck that was very similar to mine and said it did fairly well for the size. Luckily I wont be pulling it around constantly since the boat will most likely be kept a friends lake, but ya....
Anyone have experience on some "heavy-duty" towin with their rangers?

 

I've had plenty of first-hand experience with towing with Rangers. Often, the enemy to you will not be the power of the truck, but the light rear end which results in spinning on slippery ramps and other wet conditions.

Since you have the 4.0, you should have no problems towing on level ground and even up a dry ramp (one that hasn't been used in an hour or so).

This is where 4wd comes in handy.....

Of course, my small profile speed tires don't help, either.

 

ya I figured traction would be my enemy since its 4x2 but the engine is pretty decent. I just got new tires 2 days ago and picked them with hope to reduce that very factor. Got a set of Futura Dakota something.. they're 30x9.5 so im hoping they'll help some.

 

Those should.....they're heavier, wider, and are bigger overall than your stockers, which means the overall drive ratio is taller (numerically speaking, if you had a 3.55 rear, you now have the equivalent of a 3.25 or something to that effect.



Off to bed....

 

The other thing that will be your enemy will be the weight on the boat ramp. If the ramp is at all slippery you truck can slid really easy. I saw a full size duramax diesel slid back a couple feet while winching a boat on. The boat was like a 26 footer inboard/out board tho. I tow boats a lot and my only suggestion is that if you can keep your wheels outta the wet and having to winch the boat on the trailer rather than drive it on, do it that way. Your less likely to slip.