Trailer Towing

[BoosTT]

I just purchased a new (to me) camper and am wondering how safe my current tow setup is....

The camper is a 2005 keystone zepplin II travel trailer. Two Axle with brakes on both. Unloaded weight is 3450lbs and fully loaded weight is 5200lbs. hitch weight is 420lbs. The camper is 19' to 22.5', depending on who you ask. The model is z190.

My truck towing it is a 97 ranger 4.0L auto trans with 3.73 axel. Ford rates it to tow 5600lbs. I have a weight distributing hitch.

I understand that I'm cutting it a bit close, but is this too dangerous?

[British_Ben]

I wouldn't do it.

I think the 20' camper would be difficult to control with the short wheel base of the Ranger as well regardless of power/gearing/weight capacity.

[Prince Valiant]

I wouldn't feel it'd be too risky given that you've got a wt. distributing hitch...if you're going to camp primarily in the eastern wi, maybe one longer trip a year, it should be fine. Just keep the speeds a bit lower on the road (60 in a 65 zone, etc), and only use OD on flat flat land, you should be fine.

Now, plan on going long hauls frequently with the camper, I'd probably look to upgrade to a fullsize.

[Russ Jerome]

Electric or surge brakes?
Surge is built into trailer, elec controlled by in truck controller.

I love electric brakes, onset and gain of brakes adjusted by driver, requires testing often in our salty enviroment.

Surge brakes have there fans, often ignored until they fail of simply are inafective due to maint.

[BoosTT]

Electric brakes

[Russ Jerome]

Loose gravel lot and some experimenting I think make electric brakes the winner.
Pre trip test are easy with jack and assistant manualy engaging controller.

Weak link on electric is wiring just before wheels, dielectric grease any exposed connectors.
edit: rusty backing plates after long storage, easily cleaned up with drum off.

[Coops Brother]

That truck is too small for your trailer. You might be able to move the thing and stop it for a while, but you will be posting "FAIL pics" of something. Not to mention what happens when you get into some side wind? That light truck won't hold things straight. As far as the OD... forget about using it, that trans will be in and out of it so many times that will be the 1st thing to go. My '92 F250 (53,000 mi.) doesn't get the OD turned on unless I am going downhill while towing the trailer.

[BAD LS1]

That thing wil tow it just fine. I've towed a 22' enclosed with my Camaro in it with my Colorado pick up. Something meant to tow 4k while 7k on the hitch and left in 3rd would do 85. I too had the dist hitch which made the handling very linear and predictable, even around semi's. That hitch and a good progressive brake controller and slightly over inflated rear tires and that ranger will do just fine.


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[pOrk]

Can you do it and will it work? Yes

Should you? No

[SSLEVO]

That should work fine for around here, just don't load it up with all of the water and whatnot until you get to where you are going. I wouldn't want to take it out west or anything like that though.

Try it out and see how it handles, the wheelbase is more of a concern than the power. The weight is one thing, the drag is also going to kill you. I towed a 12' enclosed trailer weighing about 3500 lbs across the state with my envoy (similar power and wheelbase) and it did alright, got about 11 mpg in the process though, lol.

[Mudd Runner]

I wouldn't do it.

[Lash]

^^^^^ Everybody above...lol.


Yes
No
Yes
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Good luck. :)

[michelle]

I wouldn't tow a trailer that big and boxy with a Ranger.


(Shameless plug in 3....2....1)

On the plus side, I have a 5.4L DMC van for sale with tow package and break controller that would be better than a Ranger..... :goof

[Gregor]

I dont know about a ranger but my F150 groans under the load of my trailer and Mustang.

The Mustang is 2300 and the trailer is about 1200. I have no problem when on level ground but backing up my driveway sucks along with all the hills going to Ron's shop. And I am under my towing cap by a long shot. And isn't as boxy as a Travel trailer. I think that the caps listed in the manual is best case conditions.

[Prince Valiant]

We're seeing a pattern in all this....Ford's suck at towing ;) :goof

[theavenger333]

all of the above.... plus, you may be able to tow it, but stopping it in a reasonable distance won't happen

[BOSS LX]

S k e t c h y !

[Rocket Power]

I wouldn't.
Get a fullsize truck with a V8.

[DynoTom]

The weight distributing hitch will make a BIG difference....I still would not want to haul that trailer with that truck though....

[wrath]

If your weight distributing hitch accepts an anti-sway attachment I'd strongly consider it. It'll help with the trailer wanting to push the truck around the corners. It'll still do it, but it won't be as bad. A DangerRanger with car tires (P versus LT) will feel like you're driving a sit-down jetski around corners, especially with soft suspension. It WILL be unnerving.

I'd try to get 500lbs of tongue on the DangerRanger and try to preload another 400lbs on the front of the truck using the hitch.

Other than that, fasten everything down in the trailer and keep the tanks either all the way full or all the way empty. The truck is going to labor but it won't be a terrible experience. I'd feel comfortable going a couple three times a year with it.

If you're going to make this a long term commitment I'd consider finding a swaybar, like one off an Exploder and getting light truck tires next time around.

[Slow Joe]

It should be ok, but if it gets sketchy I'd look into a full size truck, or SUV...

Weight Distributing hitch + sway bar (or whatever it's called) will = win with a travel trailer such as that...

[RanJer]

Considering I've owned 5 Rangers, 3 with the 4.0 OHV...

Will it do it? Yes
Is it going to be a bitch to stop? Yes
Should you ever stop going uphill? No
Will it get 6 MPG? Probably
How long will your trans last? If it's the 55r5e... not long at all.

[British_Ben]

http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/3/web/2655000-2655999/2655439_1_full.jpghttp://i1.imagesrv.com/3/28364/1/231262/1_28364_231262_1698068.jpg

Like I said, I wouldn't do it.

[WickedSix]

look at it this way.... u want the dog to wag the tail? ... or the tail to wag the dog?

are you going to load the truck in addition to loading the camper on it? just the weight of people and their gear for a weekend could tip you over your capacity. I'd rather have a large factor of safety when it comes to trailering... something like 2x the capacity of what u intend to pull regularly..

[SSLEVO]

look at it this way.... u want the dog to wag the tail? ... or the tail to wag the dog?

are you going to load the truck in addition to loading the camper on it? just the weight of people and their gear for a weekend could tip you over your capacity. I'd rather have a large factor of safety when it comes to trailering... something like 2x the capacity of what u intend to pull regularly..

Bahh, the consumer isn't suppose to add the factor of safety, the engineer designing the vehicle is :goof

I was on a old crappy step stool and the weight limit said 185 lbs, well i'm about 50 over that but said F it, there is a factor of safety, lol

[BoosTT]

Screw it, I'm going to try towing it. I'll plan on getting a new full sized truck within a year. I looked up the dry weight again, it's lighter then I thought at 3280lbs. I'll get a brake controller and some anti-sway bars in addition to the W.D. hitch. When I go camping, I always take two cars, so one can tow my jetskis... so the truck is going to be unloaded with just me in it.

Btw- that picture is a totally different camper. Mine is much smaller. Only about 3' longer then the truck (not counting the toung).

[wrath]

I've towed way above the weight rating of trucks many times. It comes down to your equipment. 1999 1/2 ton GMT800 Silverado... 265x75r16 LRE tires, a set of airbags, a rear anti-sway bar, an aftermarket receiver rated for 15,000lbs, and a weight distributing hitch... 10,500lbs according to the scales. Plus another thousand in the bed (two SBCs). A little dodgy in the corners, felt like I was flat-towing a Jeep behind it so it was pushing pretty good. I had 90lbs in the bags, for reference.

A progressive brake controller (a Tekonsha Prodigy or P3 are my favorites) or one that is hydraulic pressure sensitive (factory integrated) makes stopping a breeze. A good brake controller (not the $50 cheapies from Farm & Barn) stops the trailer for you. It makes a huge difference.

A properly secured load makes a big difference also. That means shit isn't moving around. If you've got a car on a trailer, they should move in unison... not the car flopping around on the trailer independently. It also means no half-full tanks.

Tires with a stiff sidewall make a difference in feeling. With proper tires, it doesn't feel like you're driving around on brooms (or 44" Boggers). Plus, you really shouldn't overload tires. Tires already take a lot of abuse, they don't need to be loaded beyond their rating.

A weight-distributing hitch will fix a lot of dive/lift issues caused when braking. It doesn't really help much with the pogo stick effect when going over bumps. Clapped out shocks is the likely culprit. It'll also get some weight off the trailer and onto the truck as well as keeping the front tires of the truck properly loaded.

A rear anti-sway bar will help keep the truck from feeling like it's getting pushed around corners, especially if the ball on the trailer is above the axle. Which reminds me, make sure the trailer AND truck is level when loaded. It'll make for a much nicer ride.

Airbags help a lot, especially if you keep them independent from each other like you're supposed to. It really helps with the pushing problem.

A trailer anti-sway device helps quite a bit, especially if you're a bit tongue-heavy and have wimpy tires. They're a bit of a nuisance though.

The travel trailer you have was intended to be towed behind minivans by the way.

[Z28Envy]

gOMrYUloMcA :rolf

[SSmike1]

get a Ford F-150!
American Made Truck! :)

[indyzmike]

I tow a 23' hybrid camper of about the same weight with a 1/2 ton Suburban. Even with a full size, I do not use overdrive, and I downshift from there on longer hills. I leave the water tanks empty and don't haul a bunch of uneeded stuff in the camper. TRAVEL LIGHT and it should work for TEMPORARY use.

[wrath]

I wouldn't take it in the mountains but it will be fine. Transmission will hate you and you will not set any land speed records but it will get there.

It comes down to equipment, proper use, and driver. A clapped out Ranger with bald passenger car tires and a cheap brake controller will make the ride far less enjoyable.

This guy decided that barely strapping two $20k CJ7s onto a heavy equipment hauler (with a pintle hitch) was a good idea. It was not a good day, tater.
http://wrath.com/4x4/tad_mark/01.jpg

[pOrk]

get a Ford F-150!
American Made Truck! :)

American Assembled, Mexican made.

[BoosTT]

I came across one guy towing a 26 foot camper with a slide out behind the same ranger as mine... No brake controller. This is easily 2.5k to 3k lbs more then mine. He has towed it several times too. :chair: Now that IS dangerous!!! He said stopping took 5X longer then normal.

I'm looking into 1/2 ton trucks now though.