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Towing with my 88


Texan88

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Ok so I'm going off to school this january. I have chosen to stay in my parents new travel trailer rather than pay for an appartment. Here are the specs on the trailer. My ranger is an 88 single cab 4x4 with the 2.9, manual transmission, 3.73 gears and 31" tires. I need opinions on towing a trailer this size to tulsa from austin texas. Thank you

Weights
Unloaded vehicle weight (lbs.) 3,650
Hitch weight (lbs.) 265
Gross vehicle weight (lbs.) 4,750
Cargo carrying capacity (lbs.) 1,100
Measurements
Exterior length 20' 7"
Exterior height w/AC 118"
Interior headroom 78"
Tank Capacities
Fresh water tank (gals.) 30
Gray wastewater tank capacity (gals.) 30.5
Toilet/black wastewater capacity (gals.) 11
Other
Sleeping capacity 3-5

It's a jayco jayflight sport
 


strvger

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with that weight and size with only a 2.9, i wouldn't go more than 50-100 miles. and i'd do it very slowly and carefully to be sure! you will be way over the limit for a bumper ball, so make sure you have a frame hitch. and you'd probably be way more than a little over the max towing weight for your truck. and make sure the trailer is completely empty. no sense towing it full of water, gray water, propane, clothes, food, etc.
just my $.02
 
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Texan88

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Mine is equipped with a class 3 hitch i believe. it will be empty besides clothes. I think my owners manual rates my truck right around 4k but I could be wrong. It definately won't be an an everyday trip just up there stay for 14 months then back home.
 

Sevensecondsuv

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1. The ranger can "probably" do it but you're really asking for trouble.
2. If you attempt this without trailer brakes you're asking to kill someone.
3. The weight really isn't too huge an issue. The wind resistance on a big huge brick trailer like that is going to be a major problem for the 2.9 with all of its 170 lb-feet of torque.
4. You'll be able to manage maybe 45 mph, but not up hills.
5. If a police officer sees you, he's not likely to take kindly to your rig.

That's my opinion. You really need at least a half ton. There's a reason most of these things going down the highway usually have a powerstroke or duramax in front of them.
 

Texan88

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I do have trailer brakes installed in my truck. I occasionally pull a compact tractor and finish mower for side jobs. so it sounds like we are leaning toward a no huh?
 

Roadkill

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What is the GVWR and GCWR of your truck. It should be listed on the label on the drivers side door or pillar. That is what your truck can safely tow. Over that and the DOT can and will pull you over and not only fine you but make you get a proper truck to pull the trailer.

Trailer brakes will help you stop for sure. Make sure they are working properly. If you get pulled over they may decide to do a level 1 inspection and the fines will rack up pretty fast.

For the naysayers. The DOT can and will pull over non-commercial vehicles. They have the authority to and I have seen them tear out of a chicken coop to nab someone.

Biggest thing is to stay under your gross weights and tongue weights. You can have an oversized hitch but it doesn't mean your truck can safely pull that load.
 

Texan88

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never weighed my truck but legally yes I agree I would most likely be over the limit.
 

Texan88

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I suppose I'll just have to get one of those scamp 5th wheels lol!:dunno:
 

tanbuddy

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I dont know how far that trip is but u will be pretty overloaded for that truck. I have a post up on here wiht the gcwr of the truck and u will be way over the limit.
 

Dusty_Ranger

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my 86 after bringing my grandparents 5th wheel home 4 the lake 25' dry wieght maxed out the truck wieght limit but it towed it fine and i loved it 2.9 5spd LT235/75r15 tires and 3.73 gears i tow it 2 times a year

 

Texan88

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wow im guessing that trailer weighs a lot more than the one I want to tow. thats a pretty decent size 5th wheel. any idea how much it weighs?
 

Tractorman

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Well, you'll be maxing the truck out power, handling, and braking wise. Make sure you use a WD hitch, and preferably some sway control with it, too. Your short wheel base and lack of weight are a hinderance here. I like the Equilizer hitch, has sway control built in, and the bars are solid which makes for better weight transfer IMO.

Either get an awesome brake controller, like the Prodigy, or be ready to be adjust yours for varying speeds, conditions, ect. Nothing wrong with it, just another thing to think about while towing.

O yea, don't expect to win any drag races, or set record time getting down there. Luckily, you'll be heading down through west Texas, which should have little to no traffic. Easy on the clutch, too.

I bet your total GCVW will be over 7k pounds, and you have what, 150 HP? Have fun.
 

Texan88

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i believe its 140:icon_thumby: haha i know it won't be a speed race but I just have to get it there and get it home 14 months later
 

450rwhp

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i pulled a 25ft travel trailer just over 800 miles with my 89 4x4. no trailer brakes. that thing was no joke heavy. :headbang: again, im just saying. here is a picture of the trailer after it was disected, just to give you an idea on how big this thing was. FYI the frame and axles alone weigh 1400lbs.



 
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lil_Blue_Ford

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Can it be done? Yes.

Will it be legal to do this? Possibly not.

How many people that replied to this actually read the weights he listed for the trailer? The GVWR of his truck is only a few hundred pounds shy of the GVWR of the trailer... How many of you have towed a truck behind your similarly equipped Ranger and are now telling him that it's dangerous? Gimme a break...


To the OP:

If you have smaller tires or can borrow them, you might want to consider it, the engine will thank you. You might also want to set the trailer on your truck once to see how it sits (if it sags your back springs down and sets the axle on the bump stop, you have a problem that needs to be corrected). Make sure the trailer (and it's brakes if equipped) are in good shape and so is everything on your truck. Drive carefully and I'd think you'd be alright.

I pulled an 88 Bronco II Eddie Bauer over 700 miles on a tow dolly behind my Ranger in my sig (the 2000). I also pulled an 89 Bronco II over 400 miles on a tow dolly and flat towed my choptop via tow bar about 200 miles behind the same Ranger. Getting started and stopping were the big issues, it pulled it just fine, and even those issues were not as bad as I had feared they might be.
 

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