96 Ford Ranger extended cab V6 and Escape 5.0?

[John_M_1]

Tonight my dad offered to lend/sell/give me his V6 96 Ranger. Its a nice truck with an automatic transmission. It has 40K miles on it since it isn't driven much. It needs a little work because he hasn't taken good care of it...new radiator, new brake pads, shocks, struts, tires, fluid flushes etc. I have spent my career maintaining aircraft and I'm up to the task of putting this truck it top shape. It runs and drives fine now, I just wouldn't try to pull a 5th wheel camper with it.

I'm wondering if it would be up to pulling an escape 5.0? I'll eventually do the math, but its an older truck and I'm not finding the data I need tonight. Since a tacoma and a frontier can pull an escape 5.0 I would expect the Ford Ranger can too. I'm guessing that the payload will be the limiting factor and I can't find that anywhere tonight. I would also expect that gas mileage wouldn't be great.

Does anyone have comments on using a 96 v6 ranger automatic for towing an escape 5.0? I don't have the cash right now to get the camper and a bigger or newer truck.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by John_M_1

Tonight my dad offered to lend/sell/give me his V6 96 Ranger. Its a nice truck with an automatic transmission. It has 40K miles on it since it isn't driven much. It needs a little work because he hasn't taken good care of it...new radiator, new brake pads, shocks, struts, tires, fluid flushes etc. I have spent my career maintaining aircraft and I'm up to the task of putting this truck it top shape. It runs and drives fine now, I just wouldn't try to pull a 5th wheel camper with it.

I'm wondering if it would be up to pulling an escape 5.0? I'll eventually do the math, but its an older truck and I'm not finding the data I need tonight. Since a tacoma and a frontier can pull an escape 5.0 I would expect the Ford Ranger can too. I'm guessing that the payload will be the limiting factor and I can't find that anywhere tonight. I would also expect that gas mileage wouldn't be great.

Does anyone have comments on using a 96 v6 ranger automatic for towing an escape 5.0? I don't have the cash right now to get the camper and a bigger or newer truck.

It would be dependent on the engine displacement. I had a 2000 Ford Ranger V6 3.0 liter flex fuel which struggled to pull an Aliner up the slightest hill. An Escape 5.0 is a heck of a lot heavier than an Aliner with way more wind resistance when moving down the road. I believe there was also a 4 liter V6 Ranger, though I am not sure what was available in 1996.

[John_M_1]

Originally Posted by CPW

It would be dependent on the engine displacement. I had a 2000 Ford Ranger V6 3.0 liter flex fuel which struggled to pull an Aliner up the slightest hill. An Escape 5.0 is a heck of a lot heavier than an Aliner with way more wind resistance when moving down the road. I believe there was also a 4 liter V6 Ranger, though I am not sure what was available in 1996.

I'm not sure what the displacement was in 96. My dad isn't a car guy so he's not going to know, but he always bought the beefy engines if they were offered. I know that this was a sporty version of the truck.

I'm just exploring the possibilities right now. I planned to buy a new truck in 2 or three years but tonight dad just out of the blue said "I don't want my truck anymore - its costing me to insure it and it needs a bunch of stuff" and then he offered it to me - he doesn't live close by. Right now I'm driving an old volvo station wagon.

Buying an escape 5.0 was also in my near future plans. My initial reaction on the truck was that its not up to the task, but I thought I'd ask about it here and see what people say.

[Borrego Dave]

John, I've got an '02 Ranger I bought new, 4L V6, auto, 4dr. It's rated at 5850# for towing and does great with my SD17. The biggest thing about the Ranger, IMHO, is they all seem to squat in the rear more than other makes of that size with a medium load in the bed. I'm sure there are after market upgrades available. I'd have to check my manual but I do believe I saw a note in the towing section that stated that a 5th wheel was not recommended. The motor has the punch though............

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Borrego Dave

John, I've got an '02 Ranger I bought new, 4L V6, auto, 4dr. It's rated at 5850# for towing and does great with my SD17. The biggest thing about the Ranger, IMHO, is they all seem to squat in the rear more than other makes of that size with a medium load in the bed. I'm sure there are after market upgrades available. I'd have to check my manual but I do believe I saw a note in the towing section that stated that a 5th wheel was not recommended. The motor has the punch though............

I'm somewhat sure that Scamp delivers or was delivering their 5th wheels with a 4 liter Ranger. I don't think there is too much of a weight differential between a Scamp 19 and an Escape 5.0, but the 5.0TA weighs more than either.

[freqz]

Originally Posted by CPW

I'm somewhat sure that Scamp delivers or was delivering their 5th wheels with a 4 liter Ranger. I don't think there is too much of a weight differential between a Scamp 19 and an Escape 5.0, but the 5.0TA weighs more than either.

The Scamp is also going to get delivered completely empty...

I'm not saying it can't be done but I'd run numbers *very* carefully before putting a bunch of parts and labor into the truck trying to make it work. Pin weight of the 5.0 will be what? 1000ish pounds? What's the RAWR of the Ranger?

[steve dunham]

On the Escape forum I've seen pin weights for an Escape 5.0 TA
shown as anywhere from 750 Lbs to over 1000 lbs .
The average pin weight was around 800 to 850 lbs , and add in the weight of the 5th wheel hitch and 1000 lbs of payload is not unrealistic.
We looked at an Escape 5.0 TA but even with our full size truck we could not safely stay under our payload limit.
I am sure that someone has towed a 36 ft fully loaded 5th wheel with a Ranger or a Nissan or a Tacoma or an S 10 and can offer you better advice.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by CPW

I'm somewhat sure that Scamp delivers or was delivering their 5th wheels with a 4 liter Ranger. I don't think there is too much of a weight differential between a Scamp 19 and an Escape 5.0, but the 5.0TA weighs more than either.

I believe their old Ranger is mid ninties which was used for plenty more than a decade to deliver 5ers. In fact the truck was parked outside the last time I was at the factory. It was parked alongside a late model Ranger, so the original may be semi-retired.
The 4.0L of the mid nineties was a pushrod engine and unrelated to the OHC 4.0L introduced in my 2001. (read much more power)
I worked a '92 pushrod 4.0L engine for 200,000 miles towing car, utility, and car dolly trailers.
I really think that, of all Rangers, a 2001 or newer 4.0L, 2WD would be best suited to tow a 5.0 Escape, if not a 5.0 TA.

While there is a substantial incremental difference between the Scamp 19 and the 5.0 Escape and another step to the 5.0 TA , there is also a substantial difference between a 1996 Ranger 4.0L and a 2001 Ranger 4.0L.

The use of the 1996 Ranger to tow a 5.0 Escape may require more patience than many of us are willing to muster. Also good attention would be needed to see that the trailer provided its share of the braking and that speeds are kept low. In fact towing a new 5.0 TA with that truck may be less than wise.

BTW, U-Haul bans the rental of car trailers or car dollies to be towed by any Ranger. I had to show my truck to the rental agent and call it a "Ford pickup" in order to rent a car dolly. Ironically this policy was made in response to the Firestone tire scandal, after the advent of my 2001 4.0L which has much more power, a stronger frame,8.8 differential and bigger brakes.(and better tires)

[floyd]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

On the Escape forum I've seen pin weights for an Escape 5.0 TA
shown as anywhere from 750 Lbs to over 1000 lbs .
The average pin weight was around 800 to 850 lbs , and add in the weight of the 5th wheel hitch and 1000 lbs of payload is not unrealistic.
We looked at an Escape 5.0 TA but even with our full size truck we could not safely stay under our payload limit.
I am sure that someone has towed a 36 ft fully loaded 5th wheel with a Ranger or a Nissan or a Tacoma or an S 10 and can offer you better advice.

Do you mean to say that the tandem axle 5.0 TA actually has more tongue weight than its single axle predecessor?

[ZachO]

I remember a long thread on here a while back when a guy pretty much came to the conclusion that a brand new Tacoma specifically could not tow an Escape 5.0 safely. And as Steve brought up it's going to be a payload issue.

I know my truck couldn't handle the pin weight safely.

Aside from the dangers of buying an older, poorly maintained truck, I'd just say you need to find this trucks payload limit, then do a realistic calculation of what you're going to be hauling. So what's the pin weight of a 5.0, in the real world, not on a label. Then, how much weight will you have in your truck? Passengers? Gear? Etc. I know the guy with a new Tacoma found that he wouldn't be able to carry passengers or gear in his truck if he wanted a 5.0 and wanted to follow Toyota's stated limits. Even without those things, he was right on the border.

Always nice to have a little safety margin...

[David B.]

If you are getting a good deal from your father, and repair costs aren't too high, you could always "flip" the truck if you find that it doesn't meet your future needs, and that would contribute to your nest egg for your new egg & truck.
Dave & Paula

[immrbill]

I own a 96 Ranger 4.0 Automatic XCab 4wd. Truck now has 94,000 miles. I pull a 13 ft Boler and think the Ranger is just adequate. It will pull but in my case I wouldn't go much more.

[larryf]

As a former owner of a 96 Ranger 4X4 with the 3.0 I would say don't waste your time or money on it. I had a 1000 lb Fiberglass teardrop and it struggled pulling that up any hill, my Honda CRV 4 cyl. did a better job towing it. I believe that the 4.0 may have been available in 96

[jfleming]

I had a 2003 Ford Ranger 4.0 4x4. Also have a 19' Scamp. The Ranger would pull it and mileage was between 8 and 10 MPG. Like I said, it would pull it but I never felt comfortable and at 10 MPG, it hurt my wallet every time I hooked up. My Scamp is approx. 4000-4200 lbs and was pushing the limits with the Ranger.

As everyone says, yes it will do it, but is it worth the frustration just to save a few bucks that in the end get swallowed up at the pump. Especially in the hills it was very frustrating. Wind was a big deterrent also.

I now have a Ram ECO diesel 4x4 and get 18-20 MPG pulling and feel very comfortable and stable. Not to mention that when I am unhooked I get 19-22 city and 28-29 hwy. My Ranger got 12-15 city and if I was lucky 18-19 hwy.

Just my opinion and after having to suffer the frustration, I switched and got more truck than I needed but the result is comfort and more economically to drive.

[Sandy54]

I have a 2011 Ranger V6, 4L with tow package. It has no problem towing my 2017 Parkliner that I just got in January.

I would look up the VIN # on the Ford website and see what the specs are for the vehicle, and if it has a tow package.

[jfleming]

Originally Posted by Sandy54

I have a 2011 Ranger V6, 4L with tow package. It has no problem towing my 2017 Parkliner that I just got in January.

I would look up the VIN # on the Ford website and see what the specs are for the vehicle, and if it has a tow package.

Sandy 54,
You are correct that the Ranger 4.0 will pull the the trailer. You can pull a trailer with many things. The question is, will you feel comfortable? Will it be stable? Many people go through a learning process until they feel comfortable. If you are comfortable with your rig, then I am glad. Maybe you have one of the exceptions of the rule for your Ranger. Most posts I see are leaning away from the Ranger due to it's limitations.

Mine had the full towing package and would pull just fine also. The issue was that wind (in Wyoming we get some fierce wind up to 75 mph) and just a 20 mph wind will degrade your power and fuel economy. I am getting ready to retire in about 5 years and did not want to have to take out a 2nd mortgage just to be able to travel.

Also my comfort level may be very well higher than others. It just seems that the truck was always fighting to get up to highway speeds and had a hard time maintaining anything over 60 mph. In the hills, and we have a lot of them, it just did not have the power to my comfort level to pull them. I may be a little more impatient than other though. But 20 mph going up a 6% grade is just not good for me. It is hard to keep time schedules that way and the added cost of fuel just wasn't making sense to me.

I would be curious as to the mileage you get and the weight of your trailer. My trailer weight before adding any gear and filling the tanks was 4100 lbs. Then add additional gear to the truck and I was at almost max weight for the truck as the Ford Ranger only has a rated 5000 lb towing capacity.

The individual that is going to pull the Escape is looking at just a little bit more weight than I have and I feel that if he does his research, he will find that he will be better off with something with more towing capacity and power.

Yes, the small trucks will pull, but are you working them to their max capacities? I think so and then longevity diminishes upon time when run hard at max.

I'm glad you are satisfied with your rig and hope it serves you well for many years. Each of us has different opinions and comfort levels.

Happy camping.

[ZachO]

What I'm finding with a quick online search is that a 96 Ford Ranger with a V6 is not rated for 5th wheel towing.

It has a GVWR of 4980lbs. It has a curb weight of 3340lbs. 4980-3340=1640lb payload capacity. Rough estimate using an online resource.

Other than the truck not being rated for 5th wheel towing, you could probably get away with towing an Escape safely, but seems like you'd be disappointed with the power.

Escape lists the dry tongue weight to be 600lbs. So you'd be higher than that. So a little under 1,000lbs payload left. Add yourself, passengers, and gear, and what do you come up with? Probably a small, but likely acceptable cushion. But if you do some searching online, people don't really put 5th wheels on Ford Rangers. Or really any trucks in that size. Not the older Tacomas, Nissan Frontiers etc. They just aren't really built for 5th wheels. But some people do it.

The place I'm looking also only rates it for 2000lbs towing capacity. Does that seem right? Seems low. An Escape 5.0 has a dry weight of 3885lbs. https://www.driverside.com/specs/for...style_id=10786

I personally wouldn't.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by freqz

The Scamp is also going to get delivered completely empty...

I'm not saying it can't be done but I'd run numbers *very* carefully before putting a bunch of parts and labor into the truck trying to make it work. Pin weight of the 5.0 will be what? 1000ish pounds? What's the RAWR of the Ranger?

Originally Posted by steve dunham

On the Escape forum I've seen pin weights for an Escape 5.0 TA
shown as anywhere from 750 Lbs to over 1000 lbs .
The average pin weight was around 800 to 850 lbs , and add in the weight of the 5th wheel hitch and 1000 lbs of payload is not unrealistic.
We looked at an Escape 5.0 TA but even with our full size truck we could not safely stay under our payload limit.
I am sure that someone has towed a 36 ft fully loaded 5th wheel with a Ranger or a Nissan or a Tacoma or an S 10 and can offer you better advice.

The pin weight of my 5.0TA, loaded, is 745 lbs. that is with 2 full propane tanks and some fairly heavy items in the front storage compartment. I really cannot envision anyone having a pin weight on an Escape that would approach 1,000 lbs, unless they had a 250 lbs dead body on the bed!

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by CPW

The pin weight of my 5.0TA, loaded, is 745 lbs. that is with 2 full ropane tanks and some fairly heavy items in the front storage compartment. I really cannot envision anyone having a pin weight on an Escape that would approach 1,000 lbs, unless they had a 250 lbs dead body on the bed!

There was a member of the Escape forum who had his trailer weighed for trailer & pin weight . His pin weight was 1020 lbs.
The common / rule of thumb formula for pin weight of a 5th wheel trailer is 20% of the trailer weight . The average loaded weight of an Escape 5.0 TA is 4200 to 4500 lbs so the pin weight based on 20% is 840 to 900 lbs.
I am not questioning your pin weight of 745 lbs but that is on the light end of the published / stated spectrum.
Most people carry far more weight in their vehicle and trailer than they imagine.
For years the assumed weight for an adult was 150 Lbs . The average weight as of 2010 according to studies for an adult male is 200 lbs and an adult female is 160 lbs , an increase of 20%.

[Mike_L]

I have a couple of rangers and have towed my 26 foot, 3500 lb trailer with both. Both trucks have a manual transmission. The power is adequate but not exceptional. I added an extra leaf to the rear springs. I installed heavy shocks. I used 6 ply tires. I used a weight-distributing hitch. My trailer has electric brakes.
All rangers have heavy chassis.
I wouldn't go into the mountains but 100 km/hour on the flat lands is achievable.
I also have two quads and needed a truck that could carry them AND tow my trailer into the mountains so I bought an F250 diesel.