Heavier tow vehicle?

[freeisforme]

I've been looking at a bit larger boat, probably about 2100 lbs with trailer and gear. I currently have been using my older Ranger 4 banger stick shift to tow my aluminum boats but I'll need to up the vehicle size a bit.
I don't want to buy new, I don't tow that often and I have to keep fuel mileage in mind. I bought the Ranger years ago since it gets over 24 mpg and still can pull about 1500lbs or so with no problems, but launching anything over about 900 lbs or so is iffy.

I've been considering several vehicles, both Ford, either a 1994-1996 F150 or a same era Ford E series van. I'd want the 4.9L engine, which should be fine for towing what I need to haul, and either a 5 speed stick or AOD automatic.
I figured that this combo should still be able to get in the 17-18 mpg range empty so I can still use it for everday use. It would have to replace the old truck, so keeping both isn't an option due to insurance costs.

Blue book value on anyone of these is in the $3000 range for a clean example, (If I can find any such thing).

Does anyone have any other vehicle suggestions? I don't want 4x4, there's no need for it here, and its just more to maintain and more weight to drag around. The same for the larger E4OD trans.
I'd strongly prefer to stay with something newer than 1994 or so, it has to have A/C, and has to be a longbed. Trailer tow and other options won't be an issue with the weight of trailer I need to pull either.

I actually hate to sell my Ranger, it's been a great truck and it's super clean for being over 100,000 miles. I figure I can almost sell the Ranger for about the same amount as what I need. NADA and KBB both put them within a few hundred dollars of each other in value.

What I do notice is a lack of clean used trucks, everything I see has 150,000 miles on it. I really don't want anything over 75K.

I lean towards a the E150 over the pickup since it lets me lock everything inside and I don't have to buy a cap for it. I have hitches to fit either vehicle here from past vehicles owned. The truck has a bit better visability and traction but if I find a window van, that should'nt be an issue. ( I used a 1989 Ford E150 Conversion van with little to no rear visibility for years to launch with years ago with no problems).

I looked at new trucks, even drove a new F150 last year for two days, the mileage was just plain bad out of the 4.6L and I didn't like the truck. I really like the older vans, like the 1989 I had, but the A/C system being R12 and the hassle of getting those years through inspection for emissions here with the new testing just isn't worth it.

Any thoughts?

 

[rrhodes]

Re: Heavier tow vehicle?

2100lbs total should be fine with either vehicle. As far as visibility as long as you have mirrors I don't see that as an issue.

 

[Rancherlee]

Re: Heavier tow vehicle?

I really wouldn't worry about a clean F150 with over 150,000 miles, especially one with the 4.9L + 5 speed combo. I've driven 2 F150s with that combo over the 250,000 mark (one had 330,000 on it when I parked it) without a single problem except having to replace the front end every 100k or so (ball joints and tie rods) I averaged ~15 in town and 20-21mpg on the highway @ 65mph with this combo also.

 

[Titanium48]

Re: Heavier tow vehicle?

I know you said you don't want a 4x4, but a 4x4 Ranger or other compact pickup would solve your launch and retrieve problem without going to a bigger truck.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Heavier tow vehicle?

The 4x4 Ranger would handle the extra weight but he most likely won't get any better mileage out of a 4x4 4.0 automatic ranger than he would out of a 4.9L F150. Besides, that Ranger combo doesn't have the best track record.
I've seen several 4.0 motors crack cylinder heads, I can't count how many 4R55/ 5R55 and similar transmissions I've had to rebuild.

He could go to a 3.0L if he can find one, they were pretty bullet proof, that combined with a 5 speed would do the job. The only concern left then would be the clutch hydraulics which tend to fail in those Rangers.
(I've replaced my clutch master cylinder 7 times, the slave 4 times within 120K on my 1994). I've had similar issues with past Rangers. Myself I actually prefer the 2.3L Lima motor in the older trucks, it makes plenty of power if you have the right rear ratio.
I've seen a few trucks in which guys swapped in the heavier 8.8" ring gear rear axle from an Explorer with a 4.10 ratio and made the truck a whole different beast.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Heavier tow vehicle?

I think in the van you desire your going to end up with an E4OD that isnt all bad, most last forever behind the little 6, the later model the better as far as the E4OD goes as weak spots were discovered the problem areas got fixed.
AOD and 300-6 is going to be late 80's early 90's with high miles and beat down bodies.
Same for the F-Series IMO, the truck is mostly easier to work on.
The 302 V8's are as well built, as durable and as efficient as the 4.9. Both engines are great to me.

I don't have much good to say about hydraulic clutch trucks but to say the good ones have the slave mounted outside the bellhousing but I still really dont care for'em. Some write some decent miles.

 

[freeisforme]

Re: Heavier tow vehicle?

I've looked at vans and pickups with both transmissions, the AOD/E or 4R70W trans is less money to repair down the road, and it takes less horsepower to turn. I'll most likely never tax even the lightest trans towing, so it really isn't a deciding factor.
I favor 1994-1996 for the newer A/C refrigerant and cheaper A/C repairs.
The latest I'll take is 1996 since that was the last year for the 4.9L I6.
I won't even consider a 4.2L, not even for free. I've done far too many headgasket jobs and motor jobs in those with low miles.
As far as the 5.0L in a truck, I sold my 1990 F150 back when I got the Ranger since it couldn't break 15 mpg on the highway, and it got no more than 10 towing the smallest trailer and that truck had an AOD. I had that truck from new, and it was the same when brand new, but I didn't worry about it when gas was $1.10 a gallon. Now with gas getting close to $2.50 again here, mileage is an issue. (Paid $2.39 this morning for Regular).

I agree that a Ranger could be a viable tow vehicle, and have even considered swapping out the rear in the one I have but the cost of the swap plus the lost fuel mileage wouldn't justify it. I figured I might as well just go back to a larger truck. The ability to haul other larger items is a big plus as well. I've used my 4 banger 94 Ranger to pull all sorts of trailers, and it does just fine on the highway, it's not fast but it gets the job done and don't burn a ton of fuel. It's never gotten less than 19 per gallon even towing.
If insurance wasn't so high here, I'd keep the Ranger and just find a V8 truck for hauling the boat around but even at that, the average boat tow is up to an hour's drive or more, so at todays fuel costs, that can get expesive.

I really like the older vans, the pre 1991 body style, but they are hard to find clean, and I've not yet seen a 6 cylinder version for sale that didn't have 400k on it. I just don't have the time or want to be bothered with a higher mileage vehicle. I don't get much time off, and when I do, I don't want to spend it fixing my truck when I could be fishing.

I prefer the van since it just gives me more cargo room, and I won't have to go find a cap right away. I even considered an Bronco with a 4.9L but really don't need 4x4 and haven't see one that wasn't well rusted or well beaten.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Heavier tow vehicle?

If MPG is a major part of the eqation I think a 4.9, 5 speed 95/6 F-150 is your best option as you mentioned the E4OD is a major horsepower sucker and the AOD vans are all too old.
IMO a E4OD 4.9 is going to get maybe 1 or 2 more MPG than the 5.0. Thankfully Ford did put a ton of 4.9's into the 92-96 F-150's so they are pretty common.
Did Ford ever use and AOD-E in a F or E series ? Of all the AOD's I've used probably only 25% of them seemed to shift at the correct time, most times they shifted early and dogged out only to drop back down to a lower gear.

Of all the Ford automatics I have to say the 4R70W is my favorite it seems to rob less HP (liked that about the AOD), it shifts good and at the right times and is moderately strong.
The 4R70W in my 99 Exploder 5.0 just turned 180k and is working great and has not had the easiest life in a heavy V8 AWD SUV. 10/15 MPG from the Exploder, Same as my 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0, 10/15......

I agree the 3.8 derived 4.2 is junk and how those engineers justified using only 8 heads bolts on that engine is beyond me and is a real shame, probably could have been a decent engine with 4 more head bolts.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Heavier tow vehicle?

That 4.2L has more issues than just head gaskets, I've also seen quite a few intake and timing cover failures let water mix with the oil.
I remember them when the first came out, we were getting trucks in with no coolant in them right off the carrier, they were leaking right out of the head gaskets and timing covers day one.

I agree on the 4R70W, but you can build the older AOD with the 4R70W's lower planetary gears and mechanical diode in place of the roller sprag and make it hold up just as well.

My biggest issues with the 1996 and similar F series with a stick is both the clutch hydraulics, and the firewall cracking issues they had. I can say I've fixed my share of those as well.

If it were me, I'd look for the 4.9L with the 4R70W in either the van or the F series, and he's correct in that he has to stay newer than 1994 to get R134a refrigerant.

The AOD was pretty sensitive to throttle pressure adjustments, if set correctly and the trans was built to spec, they can shift pretty decent. The electric versions are much better though, but more so for the lower gear ratio.

There were also some C6 transmissions still being used in the vans up to the end, I had a 1996 4.9L C6 van for a while back then, it was a low top conversion van that I wish I still had. It towed great and got really good mileage around town, but it suffered on the highway with a 3.73 rear ratio.

Even the older 4.9L engines, even carbureted versions did good on fuel, and still made good torque, but the later ones were really strong, and had less drivability issues. I had a 1986 4.9L 5 speed that I'd love to have today myself too, I sold it since it didn't have a/c with only 50K on it.
That truck had the external clutch slave cylinder, and never gave me any trouble. I used that to tow all sorts of things, I had a 26' boat back then that weighed in over 5,000 lbs and it hauled that with no problem.


I don't know if I'd say the older vans or AOD vehicles are too old, any of them with low enough miles or in decent shape would serve him fine, but he sounds set on finding something with the newer refrigerant in it from the factory. While they can be converted, the older Ford a/c systems don't seem to fair as well with the newer freon.

 

[freeisforme]

Re: Heavier tow vehicle?

I know what you mean about the 4.2L, I almost bought a new one back in 1999, when I went to pick it up, it was leaking antifreeze, they told me it was a minor fix but I could see it pouring out of the rear of the head to block area. They fixed it, I took it for a test drive, and it started knocking. I walked away and bought a V8 from another dealer.

I've been finding a lot of 4.9L trucks, most are stick shift, which is fine, but very few I find have air, and those that do have a ton of miles. I really don't want anything over say 75,000 miles, and really prefer that it have a/c. I don't care about the rest other than it needs to be 4x2 with a long bed.

I hate to sell my Ranger, it's a good truck that don't need a thing, plus I just did all sorts of maintenance to it including new tires, t-belt and full tune up.

The biggest draw back to the Ranger is that it won't haul a full sheet of plywood, with the gate up, and its a bit weak when it comes to heavier boats. Its only rated at like 1600 lbs from the factory. I've towed much heavier with it with no problem but I won't attempt launching a big boat on a ramp with the tall gears it's got.

Something that always got me was that the factory brochure listed only a 3.73 rear axle, but this and my last one both came with 2.73 gears.
I think if I swapped in an 8.8" rear with a 4.10 gear it would do fine.
It's also got ice cold air. and is super clean.

I've also seen a few vans, most are super high miles, those with low miles are either abused, have big V8's or don't have air.

I've also considered buying a new truck but there's just nothing out there I like. Besides, I can't see putting out 25K+ for a fishing truck that will only get run once or twice a week. It would also up my insurance too.

I wish I could still buy a brand new 1996 E or F150 with a 4.9L auto with air. I'd order it on the spot.

The newer trucks just don't feel like trucks to me, they keep saying how much they ride like a car, but who wants their truck to act like a car?