A Stupid Trailering Capacity Question

[Damphousse25]

I have a 24 Lariat. I know it is well overweight and Ford can never find out if I do it, but do you guys think I would cause any damage to the truck by using my Ranger to tow a 10,200 lb trailer with a 1,050 lb tongue weight about 200-300 feet. I just need to move it across my property. A quick trip down a path and then turn it 180 degrees. The ground is fairly solid and flat. Thanks in advance for advice.

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[cc1999]

I have a 24 Lariat. I know it is well overweight and Ford can never find out if I do it, but do you guys think I would cause any damage to the truck by using my Ranger to tow a 10,200 lb trailer with a 1,050 lb tongue weight about 200-300 feet. I just need to move it across my property. A quick trip down a path and then turn it 180 degrees. The ground is fairly solid and flat. Thanks in advance for advice.

No it won’t hurt it to move something like that a few hundred feet across your property.

‘Where you would get into some serious issues is trying to take it down a road at speed.
Good chance at roadway speeds it would start to push the truck around and could easily cause an accident.

Jockeying a 10k trailer at 5mph across a pasture or yard, parking lot etc. Isn’t going to hurt a thing.

 

[Black Shadow]

I have a 24 Lariat. I know it is well overweight and Ford can never find out if I do it, but do you guys think I would cause any damage to the truck by using my Ranger to tow a 10,200 lb trailer with a 1,050 lb tongue weight about 200-300 feet. I just need to move it across my property. A quick trip down a path and then turn it 180 degrees. The ground is fairly solid and flat. Thanks in advance for advice.

Lock the transmission into 1st gear when you move it.

 

[Jason B]

You should be good to go. One of the issues with towing, is the stopping. Since you are only going to be going 3 or 4 MPH, that shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Satex]

I can't argue with the other responses. Such a short distance at very low speeds will likely not harm any drive train component.

The bigger question for me though is the effect of all that weight on your suspension and/or frame. The circumstances surely minimize the risk ... you won't be bouncing around. However, at some point too much is just too much.

I'd do it if it was necessary and I had no other option. I'd feel like it's probably fine, but understand that it might not be.

 

[BC_Blue]

Not much outside of the recommended max tongue weight, still within payload, and without shock loading or the push during braking you'd probably end up with less stress than towing 5k up/down a fire road.

 

[OxygenMask]

Not much outside of the recommended max tongue weight, still within payload, and without shock loading or the push during braking you'd probably end up with less stress than towing 5k up/down a fire road.

I remember those commercials!
Funny to think that a big block in those days made less power than our Rangers.... And got 10 mpg....

 

[superj]

If you worry about the tongue weight, put some weight in the tail of the trailer.

 

[Damphousse25]

If you worry about the tongue weight, put some weight in the tail of the trailer.

That is actually a great idea. Throw some weight in the back and I have one less thing to worry about.

 

[RLE55]

I remember those commercials!
Funny to think that a big block in those days made less power than our Rangers.... And got 10 mpg....

This is the one I shook my head about....

 

[jmt8706]

This is the one I shook my head about....

Downhill with a strong tail wind...maybe...

 

[NM Mike]

Under your circumstance, I’d say you are probably hood to go. The biggest risk for your situation would be a soft shoulder or soft spot that might shift the weight of your trailer onto your hitch. As long as you have hard dry ground, you should be fine.

 

[Jason B]

This is the one I shook my head about....

This is better. A Ford Lightning pulling a 1.25 million pound train.
Ford Electric F-150 Tows a Train - The Physics of Ford's EV Truck Stunt

 

[Michael9218]

I would also say to beware that your insurance will likely have an exclusion for operating beyond the stated capacity.

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