4cyl. ranger. a122

[prof_fate]

And perhaps you should read some...
Rhode Island General Laws 31-25-16. Authorized weight shown in registration -- Exceeding limit :: Lawserver

Each state is different - pa has 'car' and 'truck' plates and that's it (well, bike, trailer, bus etc). No 'commercial' or 'farm' (as they do in ohio). And for trucks it's based on weight- you can registter your truck for whatever weight class you want - just don't get caught carrying more that you registtered for. And they put a nice big sticker in your windshield so every cop can easily see it.

[ChooChooMan74]

Originally Posted by prof_fate

And perhaps you should read some...
Rhode Island General Laws 31-25-16. Authorized weight shown in registration -- Exceeding limit :: Lawserver

Each state is different - pa has 'car' and 'truck' plates and that's it (well, bike, trailer, bus etc). No 'commercial' or 'farm' (as they do in ohio). And for trucks it's based on weight- you can registter your truck for whatever weight class you want - just don't get caught carrying more that you registtered for. And they put a nice big sticker in your windshield so every cop can easily see it.

I read that law and it is for commercial or private enterprises. Nothing about personal vehicles, or pickups registered commercial and not owned by a company or private enterprise.

As for the OP, as you said, he is going to do what he wants. We won't stop him. Just hope that he does it as safely as possible

[ependydad]

You two sounds like dustman_stx and I over on that other thread...

[ChooChooMan74]

Originally Posted by ependydad

You two sounds like dustman_stx and I over on that other thread...

I was just reading that one.

[force]

Originally Posted by Titleguy

I owned a Mazda B2300 (Same thing as the ranger). I towed my 2 place snowmobile trailer with it, but even that worked that truck on hills or at speeds over 50mph.

Exactly, and that trailer had probably < 250 lbs of tongue weight and weighed less than 2,000 lbs (assuming it wasn't a clamshell or other enclosed trailer).

Unless you have Yamaha's or Arctic Craps, in which case it was probably 3,000 lbs

[prof_fate]

Overweight is wrong. Admit it and fix it. QUit being bush and trying to defend your desires to do as you please even thought the facts dont' support it.

[ChooChooMan74]

Popcorn :-D

[Oaklevel]

Everything aside overweight or not , I have owned a Ranger & driven the 4cyl. I do not recommend the earlier 4 cyl for towing..... I had the 6cyl 4.0L class 3 hitch & brakes it was one tough little truck.....I towed just about anything I wanted in reason. ( My son ran over a parking lot concrete stop that someone pulled across the road... at 35 mph only damage was the tires & rims no suspension damage drove it another 100K with no .....suspension issues, sold it @ 175K), Tough little trucks........... 30 miles on flat ground may be ok but newer Rangers may tow better........

People go crazy about the tow ratings......... I pulled a 22' camper for years with no trailer brakes because I didn't know any better (they did not work)......... never had a problem my F150 always stopped it just fine........... I often overloaded my Ford Bronco dump truck never had a problem driving or stopping it rode the rear axle on the frame often Todays vehicles are made differently won't hold up as well...........I am not recommending overloading but if its close it probably is not a big deal. Different story if you are in the mountains.....

[prof_fate]

I know several people that have smoked for 50 plus years and never got cancer. My mother, father and grandfather all died of lung cancer at 60, 44, and 56 respectively.

You're welcome to smoke - are you the guy that lives to 70 or will you be dead at 40?

Just because someone once did something does not mean YOU can.

Just because someone can make $10m a year playing sports and you can throw a ball does not mean YOU can make $10m a year in sports.

The odds are small you'll have an incident being overloaded. But the odds are much much smaller if you're not overloaded in the first place.

I pulled a car carrier 2 weeks ago, loaded - no brakes, no state inspection, expired registration (borrowed the trailer) 250 miles with no incident. I 'got away with it' is my feeling. Apparently the owner of the trailer uses it all the time. Does that make it ok, right and something everyone should do and condone?

[Pooneil]

The insurance may or may not pay for your vehicle damage or the cops may or may not give you ticket. So what? My thought is always, how will I live the rest of my life if someone is killed on account of my willful negligence. Towing over the manufacturers limits is willful negligence, unless you have very specific knowledge to the contrary. None of us has that knowledge about this particular truck.

Be safe by working with the knowledge you have. It is not worth your life or someone else's to guess.

[ChooChooMan74]

Originally Posted by Pooneil

The insurance may or may not pay for your vehicle damage or the cops may or may not give you ticket. So what? My thought is always, how will I live the rest of my life if someone is killed on account of my willful negligence. Towing over the manufacturers limits is willful negligence, unless you have very specific knowledge to the contrary. None of us has that knowledge about this particular truck.

Be safe by working with the knowledge you have. It is not worth your life or someone else's to guess.

What are the real manufacturer limits. Why is the same vehicle made in the same plant with the same parts have different limits. Mine, for example, has a 5000 pound limit in North America but in Europe and Australia, it is like 7400.

[Oaklevel]

You are making a huge deal of this a few pounds over the manufacturers cap. is NOT willful negligence & not unsafe...... It may be bad for the truck but it is not likely to get anyone hurt....................... The insurance company will not care neither will anyone else.

Sorry in this case it is not that big of deal...... & yes I have owned several Rangers over the years................

[Pooneil]

Originally Posted by ChooChooMan74

What are the real manufacturer limits. Why is the same vehicle made in the same plant with the same parts have different limits. Mine, for example, has a 5000 pound limit in North America but in Europe and Australia, it is like 7400.

Having specific knowledge like that about the capacities of a particular vehicle is the point I was making.

Why it is rated differently in different countries, IDK

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by Pooneil

Having specific knowledge like that about the capacities of a particular vehicle is the point I was making.

Why it is rated differently in different countries, IDK

That is a good question but nearly all vehicles are rated higher overseas.... Our Honda CRV was & our Outback is.......... Never checked the trucks........... Actually out Subaru Outback is rated to tow more than his Ranger go figure........

All I was saying is a few hundred pounds as in the OPs question is probably not unsafe but could be hard on the truck. A few thousand pounds would be another story.........

We all accept a certain amount of risk just getting out of bed in the morning, no I hope I'm not driving with a log hauler that thought an acceptable amount of risk was driving his truck grossly overweight & bad brakes.....50,000+ lbs is totally different than 5,000+ lbs

[prof_fate]

Originally Posted by ChooChooMan74

What are the real manufacturer limits. Why is the same vehicle made in the same plant with the same parts have different limits. Mine, for example, has a 5000 pound limit in North America but in Europe and Australia, it is like 7400.

Austrailia isn't the US. Ohio isn't PA.
Triple bottom tractor trailers can run in ohio but not pa - ohio is flat with straight roads compared to Pa. Truck trains run in austrailia but nowhere in the US.

[Pooneil]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

That is a good question but nearly all vehicles are rated higher overseas.... Our Honda CRV was & our Outback is.......... Never checked the trucks........... Actually out Subaru Outback is rated to tow more than his Ranger go figure........

All I was saying is a few hundred pounds as in the OPs question is probably not unsafe but could be hard on the truck. A few thousand pounds would be another story.........

We all accept a certain amount of risk just getting out of bed in the morning, no I hope I'm not driving with a log hauler that thought an acceptable amount of risk was driving his truck grossly overweight & bad brakes.....50,000+ lbs is totally different than 5,000+ lbs

A few hundred pounds could be problem if a good portion of that is excess of capacity vehicle on the tongue, rather than on the RV axle, causing a diminished steering or braking. Or if the trailer is back weighted to get excess weight off the tongue making it sway. Balance is part of the weight equation.

[chiseledchest]

Didn't expect to get a heated argument going. Was just asking if anyone had towed with the 4cyl. What I found out was the tow rating from manufacturer is stating that the particular vehicle will not be harmed and will operate in a normal fashion. By exceeding suggested weight by 100-300 lbs should not cause any noticeable problems except maybe rear sag which can be corrected by air shocks or leaf helper springs. But thanks for the responses.

[Pooneil]

Originally Posted by chiseledchest

Didn't expect to get a heated argument going.

Every RV forum I have visited has had this discussion with at least an equal amount of heat. I think it is good that each of us is passionate about safety.

[Dave Lyon]

I'm afraid that the only trailer that Ranger with a 4 cylinder is equipped to tow........is a load of balloons

You would be far better off keeping your Jeep.

[thehamguy1]

I'm glad this discussion is over. The shouting was keeping me awake.