Re: Is Ford Ranger a good Tow vehicle?
I worked for a Ford dealer for years, I got tired of seeing blown up 4.0L engines. I rarely saw a 2.3 or 2.5L, only for the occasional tune up or timing belt. I never had to do any engine work on a 3.0L either.
When they came out with the new SOHC 4.0L we were glad that the old motor was going away but how wrong we were. The SOHC drove us nuts with all sorts of headaches. Broken distributor/oil pump drives, cracked heads, broken timing chains, prematurely sludged up motors, failed oil pumps, and fried transmissions were the norm on the 4.0L trucks. Rangers weren't as bad as the Exporers most likely since they were lighter vehicles.
The clutch master and slave system was also another pain to deal with that failed all too often. (If I never have to bleed another Ranger clutch master or slave cylinder it will be too soon).
I got out of dealerships over 8 years ago now so I don't know how the newer stuff has been but my last Explorer ate two transmissions while still under warranty. Both were A4LD off shoots, 5R55 or similar.
I agree that the full size is a better tow vehicle but they've yet to be able to get any mileage out of them. My Ranger gets over 24 mpg, you won't get near that with an F150. The sad part is that my Crown Vic gets over 25 mpg and tows better than the Ranger. If only they could figure out how to get that mileage out of the same weight F150. (The F150 has the same motor, trans and rear ratio, and weighs in within a few hundred pounds yet they get half the mileage and don't have any more power).
The motors are the same inside with the exeption of cam grinds, intake configuration, and processor programming.
I always thought that a perfect Ranger would be a long bed, super cab, 4x2, with a 3.0L and an 4R70W trans and 8.8" rear axle with about a 3.73 ratio. But they've never built anything like it. You would loose a bit of power through the larger trans but not much, the weight gain would be minimal and there is enough room. The result would be a bullet proof little truck with very low maintenance. I guess they'd rather push Japanese engines and problematic transmissions? I have always bought Fords, it's the first time for me that when I'm in the market for a new truck, I really don't like what they have, but I really don't think much of any of them right now, the GM 1/2 ton seems like the bes bet right now though.
I have to agree with Reelfishin above, I don't buy foreign and want no part of any foreign car. I've just as happy to keep running what I have now if all I can buy is an import of some type. If it weren't for all the imports, we wouldn't have all this mess we have now with the US brands being on the brink of failure.